The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-11-26

exclude MIN any more than any other
grade, and with reference to the twenty
thousand dollar clause, 1 thought that
mans success in the world was no
reason for his being excluded from am
nesty, but L recollsct afterwards saving
to the President that thought hv was
right In that particular, and was
wrong.
Question-was that said to you In
Conversations Answer-I have heard
him say 1t number of times. he said
1t to me and he said it in my presence
at the time that delegations were
coming into him from the South,
Qnestion-What:p persons do you re.
collect as being present at the oOnversa-
tions2 1 mean what Southern men 2
Answer-I did not know them all. /
recollect that on one occasion he talked
to a delegation from Richmond in that
way. do not know of any other.
never changed my views. II he was
going to give amnesty to the soldier at
all l did not see why the fact of q man
having risen TO the rank OF General
| should be reason for excluding him.
Questionable you not advise the
President that IL was proper and right
he should grant amnestyH Answer-I
do not think l said anything on that
subject. l only looked at the procla-
nation as one he was determined TO
issue, and as I think susceptible to
amendment or Improvement.
Questionable you not give your
opinion at all that amnesty ought to
be granted to those people to any eX-
! tent9 Answer-I know that was in
favor Of some proclamation of the sort,
and perhaps ] may have said SO. 1t
was necessary to do something to estab-
lish governments and civil law there.
l wanted to see that done, but do not
think ever pretended to dictate what
ought to be done.
Questionable you not adviser An
swer-I do not think ever did. Ihavs
given my opinion, perhaps, as to what
has been donei but do not think that
1 advised any COURSE myself any moi e
than that WAS very anxious to see
something done to restore civil govern
ment in those States.
Questionable you ever give your
opinion at all TO the President as 10
what should be done1 Answer-I do
not think 1 did. After matters were
done was willing to express an opin-
ion for or against particular courses.
Question: suppose the President
called on you for advice on these ques-
tions2 Answer-I say was in favor,
and SO expressed myself, of something
being done to restore civil rule there
Immediately, as near as 1t could be
under the circumstances.
Questionable you suggest anything?
Answer-No, Sir.
BY Mr.. Woodbridge-I understood
your position to be this, that you did
not assume to originate or iuaugurato
any policy, but that when any question
came up and your opinion was asked
as to what the President was going to
do or had done you gave an opinion.
Answer-That is it exactly, and pre-
sumed the whole committee SO under
stood me. had always been attentive
to my o Wn dHties and tried not to inter-
fere with other peoples. was always
ready to originate matters pertaining to
the army, but l never was willing to
originate matters pertaining to the civil
government of the United. States.
When 1 was asked my opinion about
what had been done 1 was willing to
give it. originated no plan and sug-
Gested no plan for civil government.
II only gave my views on measures after
they had been originated. simply ex-
pressed an anxiety that something
should he done to give some sort of
control down there. There were no
governments there when the war WAS
over. 1 wanted to see some govern
ments established, and wanted to see II
done quickly. 1 did not pretend to say
how II should be done or in what form.
Mr.. Neutrality-suspicious. confined
my questions entirely to war and peace.
In expressing the opinion that some
thing should be done and done quickly,
did you make suggestion OF what ought
to be done? Answer-No, sir; 1 will
state here that before Mr.. LlncOln's as
sassination, the question about issuing
proclamation of some sort and estab-
fishing some sort of civil government
there, was up, and what was done then
was continued after MIR. Johnson came
into office.
Question-Did you give your opinion
on that after 1t WAS dOne3 Auswer-I
was present, think, twice during MIR.
Lfnooln,s administration, when proc
lnmation that had been prepared was
read. AfIer his assassination, conttn-
ned right along, and was there with
Mr.. johnson.
Ouestion-Did you give President
johnson your opinion on the subject OF
the proclamation which you say was
up before Mr.. Lincoln's death, and was
continued afterwards? Answer-l say
1 have given my opinion on particular
passages OF II.
Question-Tell us what conversations
YOU had with the President on the sub
iect, AS far MS you recollect7 Answer
have said once or twice, as far as L
can recollsct, 1 disagreed with two clau-
ses of the proclamation. Asto the plan
OF establishing provisional governors
there, that was question which knsw
nothing about, and which do not re-
collect having expressed an opinion
about. The only opinion l recollect
having expressed on that subject at AL
was to the Secretary of War. thought
there would be some dithculty In GET
ting people down there to accept otnces,
but / found afterwards they were ready
enough to take them.
BV the Chairman-Question Il
understand you correctly. the only
opinion you expressed, and the only
advice that you gave, were In reference
to the military side OF the question ahu
moi in refer ence to the civil slider Aus
wer-Nothing further than that. was
anxious that something should De uohe
to restore some sort of government.
Onestion-But you gave no advice as
to what should be done? AnsweE-1
a,ve no advice as to what should be
done. S,,..o
the Conversation YOU had on that sub
ipctY Answer-G have had repeated
Conversations with the President Out
cannot specify what those conVersa-
tious were any more than nave al
ready done. ,o,.-
tain Generals of the Confederate army
10 the President for pardon VINO IeIl
within the exemptionf Answer-1es'
sir. recommended General Lougstrest,
l think, year and half ago, ana al
though 1 cannot recollect the names OF
ANYBODY else, think 1 recommended
several others. -,,... -o.o,,,-
mendinR J. G.. French, a graduate OF
West Polut2 Answer-9 esS; sir.
onestion-what part did be take In
the rebelliOn2 Answer-He was
BrIRAdier General.
Qnestion-Was he graduate OF Mest M