Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-29
A. No, sir he did dot takeany parole.

O. Did the President insist that Gen.
Lee should be tried for treason2
A, He oontended for II. q 4
Q. And you claimed to HIM that the
parole which General Lee had given
would be violated in such a trial
A. / did insisted on IL that General
Lee would net have surrendered his army
and given up all their arms, if he sup
posed that after the surrender he was
going to be tried for treason and hanged.
| thought we got very good equivalent
for the lives of few leaders in getting
all their arms, and getting themselves
under control, bound by their oaths to
obey the laws. That was the considera'
ton which | insisted we had secured.
Q. Did the President argue that ques-
tion with you2
A. There was not much argument
about it; it was merely an assertion.
Q. After you had expressed your opin.
ion about it, did he coincide with you ?
A. No, sir, not then; he afterward got
to agree with me on that subject |
never claimed that the parole gave those
prisoners any political rights whatever
| thought that that was matter eAtirely
with Congress, over which / had no con.
troll; that simply as General in Chief,
commanding the army, had right to
stipulate for the surrender on terms
which protected their lives; that is all /
claimed. The parole gave them protec-
ton and exemption from punishment for
all offenses not in violation of the rules
of civilized warfare so long as their pa
role was kept
Q. Do you recollect at what time you
had these conversations Can you state
any particular time when they we're fin.
ished2
I A. The conversations were frequent
after the inauguration Of Mr.. Johnson.
| cannot give the time He seemed to
be anxious to get at the leaders to pun
ish them. He would say that the leaders
of the rebellion must be punished, and
that treason must be made odions. He
cared nothing for the men in the ranks
the common men he would let go, for
they were led into it by the leaders.
O. Was that prior or subsequent to his
proclamation I4f
A. 1t was subsequent, / think
Q. Do you recollect of at any time
urging the President to go further in
granting amnesty than he had gone in
his proclamation
A. Just as / said before, / could not
see any reason why the fact Of volun
teer rising to the rank of General
should exclude him any moro than any
other grade and with reference TO the
twenty thousand dollar clause, thought
that mans success in the world was no
reasen for bis being excluded from am
nesty; but recolIect afterward saying
to the President that | thought he was
right in that particular and that / was
wrong,
Q Was that said to you in converse
tion2
A. / have heard him say il number
of times; he said it to me and he said it
in my presence at the time that deega-
tions were coming up to him from the
South.
@. What persons do you recollect as
being present at the onversation-I
mean what Southern men2
A. | do not know them at all. /
recollect on one occasion he talked to a
delegation from Richmond in that way
| do not know of any other. l never
changed my views. If he was going to
give amnesty to soldier at all, | did not
see why the fact of a man having risen to
The rank of general should be reason
for excluding him.
Q. Did you not advise the President |
hat it was proper and right he should
grant amnesty?
A. / do not think / said anything on
hat subject. only looked at the
as one which he was
determined to issue, and, as | thought,
susceptible of amendment or improve
ment
Q Did you not give your opinion at
all, that amnesty ought to be granted to
hose people to any extent2
A. / know / was in favor Of some
of the sort, and, perhaps,
nay have said so. 1t was necessary to
10 something to establish governments
and civil law there l wanted to see that
lone, but don't think | ever pretended
% dictate what ought to be done.
Q Did you not advise?
A. | do not think / ever did. ] have
siven my opinions, perhaps, as to what
las been done. do not think advised
my course myself any more than that ]
vas very anxious to see something done
o restore civil government in those
,tates.
Q Did you ever give your opinion at
Ill to the President as to what should be
IoHe2
A. I do not think did. Afier matters
Gere done, was willing to express an
pinion for or against any particular
lause.
O. / suppose the President called en-
ou for advice on these questions2
A. say was in favor, and so ex-
ressed myself Of something being done
o restore civil rule there Immediately, as
ear as could be done under the circum- /
tauces.
Q Did you suggest anything2
A. No, sir.
BY Mr.. Woodbridge
Q | understand your position to be /
bis: That you did not assume to origi- |
ate or inaugurate any policy, but thst
hen any question came mp, and your I
pinion was asked as to what the Presi-
ent was going to do or had done, you q
ave an opinion. Q
A. That is it exactly, and / presumed
le whole committee so understood. {
ave always attended to my own duties,
nd tried not to interfere with other peo- 4
les Twas always ready to originate B
latters pertaining to the army, but a
ever was willing to originate matters Y
10 the civil government Of the |
inited States When was asked my '
piniou about what had been done, was b
illing to give il originated no plan,
lggesied no plan, for civil government o
,onlv ,r,,-o ms, ,-;evvs On r,easuras after r,