Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-27


government until Congress could meet, and
establish government there. | did not
want all chaos Left there, and no form of
ciyil government whatever. l was not in
favor of anything or opposed to anything
particularly. 1 was simply in favor of
having government there. did not pre-
tend to give my Judgment as to what it
should be; | was perfectly willing to leave
F. it to the civil department. asked no per-
son what i should do in my duties-I was
willing TO take all the responsibility and
did not want to give my views as to what
the civil branch Of the government should
do. 50
/ q. Were you present when this North
Carolina proclamation was read in Cabi-
net? A. would not be certain, but am
of the opinion that the first time | heard
it read was in the presence of the Presi-
dent and Secretary of War only.
/. @. Did you assent to that plan A. /
did not dissent from it. It was civil
matter; and, although was anxious to
have ssmnthing done, did not intend to
dictate plan. / do not think expressed
my opinion at that time. | looked upon
it as simply a temporary measure until
Congress should meet and settle the whole
question, and that it did not make much
difference how it was done 80 that there
was form of government there. / think
I was present at the time by invitation of
either the President or Secretary of War.
suppose was free to express my views.
/ suppose the object was that l should ex.
press my views if could suggest any
change. do not think / was asked the
Question. | would have assented to that
or almost anything else that would have
given stable government to- them. In
reference to the opinion | gave the Presi-
dent on the amnesty proclamation, | think |
have testified pretty freely. told the Presi
dent / disagreed with him on the clauses
excluding Brigadier Generals and as to the
$4,000 clause / do not say anything as
to the rest, whether it was too lenient or
too stringent. Can state what l thought
about it, but not what said. | know that
Immediately after the close of the rebellion
there was a very fine feeling manifested
in the South, and | thought we sught
to take advantage of it as soon as possible;
but am sure that there has been an evil
dent change there. l may have expressed
my views to the President l. do not recol-
lect particularly. do not suppose there
were any persons engaged in that consul
tation who thought of what was being done
at that time as being to last any longer
than until Congress would meet and form
ally ratify that or establish some other form
of government. | know it never crossed
my mind that what was being done was
anything more than temporary. / under
stand this to be the view of the President
and of everybody else. | did not know of
any difference of opinion on the subject.
He was very anxious to have Congress rat
ify his views. Mr.. Lincoln, prior to his
assassination, had inaugurated policy in
intended to restore those governments. |
was present twice before his murder when
plan was read The plan adopted by
Mr.. johnson was substantially the plan
which had been inaugurated by Mr.. Line
coin as the basis for his future action. l
don't know that it was Uerbdtim the same !;
/ think the very paper which heard read
twice while Mr.. Lincoln was President, was
the one which was carried right through
Q. What paper was that? A. The North
Carolina proclamation.
@. You understood that Mr.. Lincoln's
plan vas temporary, to be either confirmed
or new government set up by Congress?
A. Yes. And understood Mr.. Johnson's
to be SO too. That was my opinion. l have
never heard the President say the plan
was to be temporary, but | was satisfied
everybody looked on it as simply tempo
rary, until Congress met.
O. You stated that the Presidents pro-
+ clamation was a continuation of the project
/ submitted by Mr. Lincoln. wish to in
! quire of you whether you ever compared
/ these to ascertain whether they are the
same or not? A. No, sir; | never COM
| pared them. / took them to be the very
same papers. They were substantially the
same, if not the very same.
GRANT ON PARDoNs.
| Mr.. Eldridge: State the conversation
| you had on that subject. A. l have had
| repeated conversations with the President,
but / can't specify what those conyersa-
| tions were any more than | have already
| done
| @. Did you recommend certain Gen.
erals of the Confederate army TO the Presi-
dent for pardon, who fell within the ex.
emption? A. Yes, sir; | recommended
General Longstreet, l think year and q
half ago; and, although cannot recollect
the names of any body else, i think Y
recommended several others.
4 Q. Do yOu recollect recommending j .G
French, graduate of West Point? A
Yes, sir.
| @. What part did he take in the rebel,
lion? A. He was Brigadier General.
Q. Was he graduate of West Point. A
He was, and class-mate of mine.
| n 10 Won YanOlloof raoor,u,orlipo- J..
pardon of G. H. Stuart? A. Yes, sir.
@. What part did he take in the Con
federate service? A. He was a gentle
man, and took no very conspicuous part.
q. Was he graduate of West Point? A
think so; but not a class-mate of mine
| O. Was there any special circumstanc,
in his case which you considered? A
Yes, sir; did that at the instance o
General Hunter, and as special favor t.
him and / did 1t because it affected al
inheritance. Stuart's wife was a staunch
consistent Union woman throughout, not
withstanding her husband wasin the Rebe
army. ] think she never went South; sh'
was as devoted to the Union cause as an
woman whose husband was on our side
There was considerable property in Mary
land which had not been confscated, which
he inherits, and thought that his wife anC
his children were entitled to that proper
ty; General Hunter thought 30 too. Nj
recommendation was not ont of any faYo
10 General Stuart.
@. Were these circumstances presented
to the President as reason for pardon
A. / do not know that they were or wer
not. merely signed a recommendation
q. Did that contain the statement yol
have given? A. | do not recoIlect whethe
it did or not. l do not know that l state
the circumstances to the President.
@. Do you recollect signing the recon
mendation of N. d. Eeton, Rebel Brig
adler General? A. No, sir don't recol
lect there being such gentleman in th
Rebel service.
Q. The report in the House is, that b
I. was pardoned on the recommendation {
. General Grant and John Hancock. A
do not recollect any such person as job
= Hancock, or the gentleman named.
Q. Do you recollect Lloyd J. Dea
; (BealD? A. Yes, sir.
, Q. Did you sign an application, or max
r a recommendation for his pardon? A.
: do not think the record will show that
recommended his pardon, but I am n,
sure. / know that he sent his applicatio