The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-12-03
Testimony of Gen. Grant In the
Impeachment Case.

kmDedCuE EMchAt OstSes
NEW YORK, Nov. 25.-The Tribune
publishesl he testimony of Gen. Grant,
Judge Chase Secretary Seward and 9TH
ers, on the impeachment case. Gen.
Grant said: / have seen the President
very frequently in reference to the con-
dition Of affairs in the rebel States. When I
was asked to be at Cabinet meeting, it
was because some question was up in
which, as General of the Army,l was in
terested. / am not aware of any inter
view with the President on Amnesty. /
have occasionally recommended a person
fer amnesty.
I thought myself, at that time, that
there was no reason why, because per-
son had risen to the rank of General, lie
should be excluded from amnesty any
more than one who had failed to reach
that point. I did not see much reason
for the $4,000 clause. These are the
only points that I remember to have spo-
ken of at the time. l afterwards, how
ever, told him that | thought he was much
nearer right on the $4,000 clause than
I was. ] was present when the procla
nation was read in the Cabinet, but nay
views were not asked. I never gave any
opinion to the President that it would be
better at that time to issue proclama-
tion of general amnesty.
j Question Did you ever give your
opirion to the President that his procla
nation interfered with the stipulations
between yourself and Gen. Lee?
Answer-No, sir; frequently had to
intercede for Gen. Lee and other paroled
officers, on the ground that their parole,
so long as they obeyed the laws of the
United States, protected them from arrest
and trial. The President, at that time,
occupied exactly the same grounds, viz:
that they should be tried and punished
He wanted to know when the.time would
come that they should be punished.
told him not so long as they obeyed the
laws and complied with the stipulations
That was the ground | took.
Question-Did you not also insist that
that applied as we'll to the common sol.
dier?
Answer-Of course; it applied to eve
ry one who took the parole, except in the
case of some leaders. / claimed that IL
surrendering their armies and arms they
had done what they could. A portion O
them could have escaped, but they sur
rendered in consideration Of the fact that
they were to be exempt from trial so Ions
as they conformed to the obligations the,
had taken, and they were entitled tt
that. es,.s sz5
/ Grant said that was his view still. Th,
President disagreed with him. He insis
ted that the leaders should be punished
and wanted to know when the time fo
their trial would come. Grant replied
when they violated their parole, but thes
terms did not apply to JEFF. Davis, as h
did not take any parole, The Presiden
contended for the trial of Gen. Lee, bu
Gen. Grant insisted that would violate th
parole. Gen. Grant had urged nothing
He had only given his opinion when ask
ed for it..
| AO = lOo40OnS ot AtGo cSohsO4 1h<AAS =
to punish the leaders, saying treason mus
be made odious: but he afterwards got
agreeing with the General as to the effec
Eof the parole. As to political rights
| Gen. Grant did not think the parole CAV
the rebels any whatever; that was mat
ter entirely in the hands of Congress-
Grant further .testifed-although he di
not adyise-to the granting of amnesty
be was in favor of doing so; and that th
4 issuing of the proclamation was carryini
out President Lipcoln's policy for resto
ring civil Government in the Southern
States.
The General then named several Gene
rails whose applications for pardon he ha'
recommended, among them Lee, Long
street and Stewart. He had never recon
mended universal amnesty, as the tim
for it had not arrived