Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-11-22

published, to ShermanS and to every other
soldiers astOnishment. General Sherman,
in his report, after detailing his first inter
view with Johnston, and saying that g it
did not seem to me that there WAS pre-
,ented chance for peace that might be
deemed valuable 10 the Government OF the
United States" says
- returned to Raleigh, ,aLd conferred freely
with all my general officers, every one CT swhom
urged me to conclude terms that might accom-
pisn go complete and desirabe an eI.d. :"
ThSCe WAS but one opinion expressed, and II con-
trary ones were entertained, they were withheld,
Or induged in only by that class who snun the
tight and the march, bat are loudcet, bravcst,
aud fercest when danger IS past"
On the 18th, the day the convention
was framed for submission to the author
tiles at Washington, the opposing Gcner
ais again met, and General Sherman, III
speaking Of Johnstons motives, says:
'sThe points on which he expressed special So
licitudo were, lest their States were to be dis
membered and denied representation III Congress,
or any separate political existence WhatcYCT; ana
the absolute disarmlnG Of his men would leave the
South POwerless and exposed to depredation8 by
wicked bands OF asSaSSln5 and robbers. The Pre-
sidents q iincOln's) message Of lSGI his amnesty
proclamation, General Grants terms to General
Lee, substantially extending the benefits OF that
proclamation to all officers above the rank OF colo
Gle; the invitation to the Virginia Legislature to
re-assembl9 III Richmond, by General Weitzel,
With the supposed approval Of Mr. Lincoln ana
General Grant, then on the spOt firm belief that
I had been fighting to Ic-ostabioh the COusIitu-
tiOn of the United states and iast but not least,
the general and universal desire to close
any longer without organized resistance, were TIE
leading 1&cts that induced me to pen the momo-
randnm Of april 18th, signed by myself and GEN
eTal Johnston
At the close Of the war only the guilty,
gloomy, and sanguinary reserve of Stan
ton and OF the partisan chiefs whose de-
tective he continued to be around the
Cabinet board of President Johnson, con-
tanned the hateful poison afterwards pro-
pagated with such baleful success in the
popular mind; and now, again, happily
sUbsiding, opening up anew an avenue for
the blessed goodwill SO unanimous in the
camps Of Sherman and Grant in April,
1865, and Of which we have cited the un-
impeachable proof. The several States Of
even constrained to exercise their consti-
tutional sovereignty through their then
existing official agenta--ali rebel. The
laws Of the States were to be obeyed by
the rebel soldiery by the very terms Of
their parole. Nothing was left but q few
" details Oh easy arrangement" for the
war was Cover" The admission Of rep
reseutatives alone, of all important things
was unprOvided for, otherwise than by the
Federal Constitution, but it WAS admitted
and assumed, not that Congress, as the Lee
gislature Of the nation, had the power to
exclude States, or to question their right
to representation, but that each House alone
had the right to determine membership
each claimant being a case of its own
Such was the position of the soldiery, and
all Of them. we may assume, for Sherman
declares il WAS SO of every general officer
IL his command. Such was the view of
the people, for 10 honest man will deny it
now. Such, even, appeared to be the Viuw
OF the machinatOrS OF strife themselves, for
at that early day they did not dare yet to
disclose their deep plots to prolong irrita-
tation and oppression as the only hope Of
retaining power.
How many of these general officers in
Sherman's army have retracted the honor
able record he has made for them Gen
eral Sherman himself has not done so ?
But, above all, can it be true that the
projectors Of q permanent enslavement OF
the masses Of their OWL constituents to a
caucus Of abandoned political profigates,
who for two years have striven for, and
who almost succeeded in making q revolu
ton against law, justice, and mercy, and
in favor of anarchy, corruption and pro-
scription; who have c0mpasSed, in their
moral degradation, the subjection of white
men to the colored race, led by themselves
can it be true that these hateful political
gamblers, after their recent rejection by
the people, have found tool for their I'M
principled and abominable schemes in Gen.
Grant