The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-26

w@a1 h
gave any opinion the President that would 30 better
that time 10 Proclamation OF general amnesty
oussnos-Did you ever give your opinion 70 me rress
sions between yourself snd General LeeY
AsswEE-No sir. / frequently had 10 intercece for
General Lee and other paroled Officers the ground
that their parole long as they obeysd the laws OF the
United states protected them from arrest and trial.
Tns President that tims occupied exactly tho
srouncs vx:-That they should be tried and punished
Hs wanted 10 know when the time would come that they
should DC punished told Dim mot 90 long ~ they
sbeyed the laws and complied with the stipulation.
That was The ground ! took.
y Did you not also insist that that applied well 70
che common solder? A. or course; II applied to every
emo who took the parole but the matter not
vsssed except IN case % some OF the leaders, claimed
s 'nes armies and AIMS eney n.a
PEELED to do, portion OF them could have esosp d.
but they surrendered In consideration OF the Aci :. n
sney were to DO exempt from trial 80 long as they con-
formed 10 the obligations they had taken; and tney
we're entitled 20 that
q You .ooked on that ia the nature OF psrols and
held that they could only DO tried whom they violated
that parolef A. Yes; tha was tho view took q the
question.
o. THAT is your view stinp 4. Ye, liz. unqssiion.
Did you understand thsi 70 Apply 10 General Lee
O. THAT vas your understanding OF the arrangement.
which you made with General Leo A. Thai was my
matchmaking OF arrangement which gave volun.
tsnly: General Lees army was the first 70 surrender
and believed that with such terms all the rebel armies
would surrender, aud that would thus god bush
~hacking n continuation OF the in way that
would make very little progress with, having 10
o You considered that the like terms wore given by
General Sherman 70 the armies which surrendered
him Yes, air. and to all the armies that surrender
O. And you held that 50 long ~ they kep. heir parole
of honor and obeyed the laws they were not subject 10
DO tried by courss A. Ths. my opinion. will stats
here that quite certain whether being tried
who is being tried by the question asked.
NJ. hLpspps-l am not trying anybody lam naus-
no entertained: did you give theee rsws 20 the pres
dentS
rv d..
dent frequently, and as have said. he Disagreed With
me In those views; he insisted IL thai the leaders
must be punished, and wanted 20 know when tae time
would come that those prisoners could be tried told
him when they violated their parole
O. Did you consider tina, that applied 70 Jsn Darts.
A. No sir, no did not take any parole
He did not surrender A. No, SIR it applied TO no
person Who was captured, only 10 those who were
paroled.
O. Did the President insist that Genera. should
tried for treasons A. He commended for H.
Q. And you claimed 10 him that the parole VIII ch
General Lee had given would be in such trial
A. did; insisted IL that General Lee would not
have surrendered his army and given up all their arms
he supposed that after surrendcring he going 70
be tried for treason and hanged; thought We got very
good equivalent for the lives o. few leaders in getting
nil their arms and gettng themselves under control
bound by their oaths To obey tho laws; that the
consideration which insisted upon had received.
z. Did the President argue that question with you +?
A. There was not much argument about IL; IL WAC
merely assertion.
@ After you had expressed your opinion about il did
he coincide with your A. No, sir not then; ne after
wards got TO agreeing with that subj never
claimed that the parole gave these prisoners any po-
cal right whatever; thought that that matter
firely with Congress which had control; tina:
ampiy as Gencra-n-ChIef, commanding The array |
had right to stpuate for the surrender which
protected their lives; that is all claimed the parole
gave them pro,cction and exemption from punishment
for all offences not in violation OF the rules Of civilized
warfare, so long as their paros was kept
O. DO you recolect a. what time you had thsse !.
versationsg Can you state any particular time up TO
any particular time when they were finished A. The
conversations frequen. after the Inauguration or
Mr.. johnson; cannot give the time ne seemed 20 he
anxious TO get at the leaders 10 punish them he would
say the leaders of tho rebellion c punished
and that treason must be made odoHs he cared nothing
% ,hsm y. o nv .e con y IN hs 7. soaa
no Was that prior or subsequent to bis procla-
iuatonr A. Il vas subsequent think q. no you
reco!lect at any time urging the Prssident 70 SO
further in granting amnesty than he had gone in his
proclamation a. just ar | sad before, could
any why the fact OF volunteer rising To rank
OF a General should exclude him any than any
other grades; with reference 10 the 500 600 clause
thought that mans success in the world wss no reason
for his being excluded from ainresty but rccollect
afervnrd saying 20 the President that thought lie
right In that particular and was wrong.
q. Was that said to you Ia conversation A. have
heard him say number OF times he said it 10 me,
aud he sad in presence at the time that deiscs-
tions were coming up TO bin from The south.
O. What persons do you recoect as be,na present at
these conversational mean, what Southern mem A.
oasion he talked 70 delegation from Richmond in that
way; do not know OF sry other; never changed my
views; y he was going to gye amnesty 10 soldier Al
70 the rank OF General should be reason Tor exelG.
ding hlm.
Did you not advise the President that il Was proper
and right he should grant amu-sys A. do not think
said anything ON that subject, only looked tho
proclamation which he was determined TO issue
and ss thing susceptible 10 amendment or improve
mont
O Did you not give your opinion At all that amnesty
know thai IN favor Of proclamation OF the
sort, and perhaps may have said So il necessary
tasrs; I wanted soc that done, but do not tanG
ever pretended 70 dictate what ought TO be done.
Y. Did you not adviser A. dont think ever did ;
have gven my opinion perhaps, as to what has been
done but do nos think advised any nv self,
any moro than that was very anxious 10 something
done 10 restore civil governments in those St,tea
Y nd you ever give your opinion at all 10 The Pre.-
dent a. 70 what should be donsf A. do NOS Il
did; after matters we're done WAS willing 10 exP
orin.on for or against particular clauses
u suppose the President called on you for advice
those questonss A. say was ia favor and 20 ex-
pressed myself OF something being done to restore civil
rule there mmeis,sy as near rs 10 could 10 done under
sne circumstances
a Did you suggest anything A. No, SIR
Ey mr. WoopsElpGr-Q understand your position to
~ hts That you dd not assume to gnaie insugr
aud your opinion asked as 20 what tho President
~a5 going 10 do or had done, you gave opia0n
@,tse understood me; have alwavs been attentive
g. my own duties and tried not 70 interfere
Win other peoples: J was always resdy 90
never was willing 70 originate matters pertain
ins 10 the civil government Of Tie United states
when was asked nv opinion about what had been
lone ives willing to give it: originated 20 plan and
suggested no psss Cor civil government; only Ays my
views on measures after they had been originated.
simply expressed an anxiety thai something should he
done TO give sort OF control down lhsre there
governments thefo when the over, and
J wanted 10 see government established, and
wanted TO see II done quickly; did pretend 70 say
how u should 30 done or in what form.
w Mr. ELpRpGt-Q rorfne my questions entirely
70 war and pcsce In expressing the opinion that
thing should be done and done quickly, did VOC make
suggestion OF what ought 10 be done A. No sir:
viii state here thai before Mr. Lancons sssessnation
The question about issuing proclamation OF sort
aud establishing some sort Of civl government there
was up, and what was lone hen continued after Mr.
sosnson into Office.
Y p.d you give your opinion thai After
aone A. was present | think twice dnrnG Mr..
lthccn's administration when proclamation that had
seen prepared was read sfter bis assassrst
nnued right slong, aud was there with Mr. Johnson
h y. DID YOU give President johnson yoar opinion on
The subject Of the PROCLAMATION which you rsy was np
before Mr. Lincoln death and nued ssterwafdg
a. say have given my opinion on particular passages
ai ~.
q Toll us whn conversation you had with ,ls Pres,