New-York tribune., 1868-06-26

government there, v;s up. and what was doae 'i0H
was continued altr MIR Johnson came lnto o'i,t0, s
o. Did YOU pivr vour opinion on that after II was
done A. WAS present, THINK lNI,' uu..In7. IL
iincoln's admin i,tr,tion when proclamation tnat
had been prepared was read; ater ms NJ
il continued night along and was thcIo Win WI
Johnson. .;;
on the subject of tie proclamation WHICH you say
was up before Mr. Lucon's death ana was coellnueu
afterwmdf A. ] say | have gwen my OP"'lOH Oh
o. TEL us what conversation you had with tho
President the subject as far as Xou recoiecI. a
have sald once, or twice as far as can recOect,
disagreed with two clauses of the proclamation rs 10
tho plan of establishing PROVISIONAL Governors tlcIf
that was u question which knew nOlhihg "1oul'
and which do not rccOllect having expressed an
opinion about: the only opinion / rcc0lcct having
expressed on that subject at all was 10 the secretary
of War thought there would be some dithcnty IN
getting people down there TO accept Offices, but /
found aftorward they were ready enough 10 'aAc
By dc Cbairmon.-Q. IF Thunderstorm you correctly,
the only opinion Nou expressed and the onN auNlIe
that you gave, were in reference to the mitay sue
of the question: and not in reference to the cN s4e
A. Nothing further than that l was anxious lat
something should bo done to restore some sort OF
Government. -,
O. But YOU gave no advice as TO what should be
donei A. l gave no advice as to what should DC
done.
By M. Eld,idqc-Q. State the conversation you
had on that subjecti A. have had repeated con
VersatOns with the President. but cannot specify
what those conversations wCre any more thah nave
already done. u,
O. Did you recommend certain Generals of the
Confederate
fell within eXcmWionsi a. Yes Sir; reGommehde9
Gen. LOngstrCet think a year and nan ago, anu
although j cannot recollect the name OF anybody
else. | think recommended several Others.
O. DO YOU UecOllcct recommending j. q. French,
graduate of West POintR A. Yes, Sir
O. What part did he take in the RebelhonT A. lie
O. Was he a graduate of West Ponti A. He was,
and a claSSmate of mlne. .
O. DO YOU recOleCt recommending the pardon OF
Geo. II. Stuart A. Yes Sir
O. What part did he take in the Confederate ser
vice 7 A. lie was General; he took no very con-
O. Was he a graduate of West Point A. think
So but not a classmate of mine
q. Was there any special circumstance IN hls case
which you considered Yes. Sir. Ibid that at the
instance of Gen. Hunter and as special favor to
him, and did il because il affected an inheritance
Stuart's wife was a stanch. consistent Union woman
throughout the war, notwithstanding her husband
was in the Rebel army. l think she never went
South. She was as devoted to the Union cause as
any woman whose husband was on our side. There
was considerable property IN Maryland which had
not been cOntsCated which he inherited ana
Thought that his wife and his children entitled
TO that property Gen. Hunter thought so too. My
recommendation was not out OF any faYorS to Zen
Stuart.
O. Were these circumstances presented to the Pres
ident as a reason for his pardonf a. do not know
that they were or were not merely signed arecom-
Q. Did that contain the statement you have giyen'
A. do not reCOllect whether 1t ana or not; 90
not know that l stated the circumstances TO the
President.
Q. Do you recollect signing INSTRUMENTATION Of
don't rccOlect OF there being such General III the
Rebel service.
O. The report in the House is that he was pardoned
on the recommendation OF Cen Grant and John Han
.cOckH A. do not recOllect any such person John
Hancock or the General named.
Yes, SIR. SIR ''1 -'''''''' -'' ''
Q. Did you sign an application or make a recon-
InendatiOn for his paTdOn2 A. | do not think the
records will show that / recommended his pardon.
but am not sure; know that he sent his applica-
tiOn through with request that should send II TO
the President with some Endorsement; MY rccOllec-
tiOns rs that made some Endorsement as 10 ms
.eral character which was high, up TO the breaking
out of the wal, as any mans could be.
Q. Were you acquainted with him previous to the
breaking ont of the warR A. Oh YES. Sir for many
years; don't think recommended hm. but may
O. DO YOU recollect p D. Roddy, said to be a Rebel
Brigader- Genera3 a. Yes Slr do not rec0llect
what my Endorsement was in ROddy's case, but l
know that if had to do it over again would re-
commend his pardon very quickly, and presume
did SO if he is not pardoned yet would be very glad
TO sign recommendation for him now.
Q. DO you recOllect any other officers OF the Rebel
army who were recommended for pardon by your
A. No, Sir, cannot mention any you have already
gone over a bigger list than thought | had recon-
mended; do not think recommended Gen. Pickett
for pardOn recOect receiving letter alter letter
from him, and letters were sent 20 me time ana
again i'll his behalf he especially uneasy lest he
should be tried by Military Commission, on account
Vt some men who were executed IN NoIth 6aroiha.
do let recOect ever having talked TO the President
about him. will furnish whatever is in my Office
about hlm; l [sreived one appeal after another in
an the army who had En0yyn him before the war.
Q. DO you know WhetheT he has been pardOned
Yet A. do not know. was not in favor Of his
pardon, was l in favor of his being tried by a
Military Commission. l THU his great anxiety was
TO receive some assurance that h1vould NOT he taken
up and imprisoned for Oifenses alleged against him
as a commander i'm North Carolina. lie wanted 10 be
able to 90 to work and make living. IL is likely
NAV have recommended that he be gwen asssrance
that he would not be arrested and llnprlsontl
DO not think that signed recommendation 1or MS
pardon. You have no right TO ask what my opimon
Is c.
was charged with executing a number OF North
Carolina refugees who were captured with garrison
under Gen. Vessels in North Carolina Ihese men n
had gone there to evade the Rebel conscIpton OF IL
NAV be had deserted from the Rebel army ana were
tried as deserers, and quite number OF them exc
cuted. Pickett was IN command at the time, ana
good deal was said as 10 his having approved the
proceedings. French an active Rebel oihcef ana
served in the field. had not heard OF MN nucL IN
the field but he was on the James River when Nc
o. Did YOU ever advise the pardon of Gen. Leei A.
Yes Sir; Gen. Lee forwarded hls application fOI am
-nesty through me- and forwarded ~ 10 the FIesl-
dent as proved do not recOllect having had any
conversation with the President on that subject;
think it probable that recommended the pardon OF
Gen Johnston Immediately after the surrender OF
his army on account of the address he delivered TO
~ which considered in good tone and spirit; rec
olect speaking of that, and saying That shOuld DC
glad if Gen. Johnston received ms paTuO1' on ac
count of the manly manner III WhlcL he auurcS'cu
By The Chairman supposed his pardon wCud have
n good effect do not remember that spoke 10 the
Secretary of War on the subject
Rp Mr. EldTidge-I remember going, at one ume 10
see the President with Gen. Hyer, but IT was Tea-
tive TO an appointment he Hillyer) wanted; do not
recOllcct that the conversation went Deyonu the
range of stating what knew about Hillyer think
met Hlyer once or twice afteTward when the Ires-
ident was present but have recollection OF any
conversation with the President on the sQDJecI on
general amnesty the subject OF amnesty at all
/ have never recommended general amnesty, ana