The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-12-16
2 Lincoln in a New Character.
We copy as follows from Wilkes s.

VIZ copy Us iOilOWS from Wilkes Spirit
of the Times 800 ,HH1JG3
1t now falls to our lot to show that the
responsible author of the Sherman-J ohm
ston agreement was not Gen. Sherman,
but President Lincoln. The facts which
we are about to relate were brought to our
knowledge during this last summer, and
were committed to paper at the time.
There were obvious reasons why they
should be withheld until after the election ;
but there is no objection to their being
laid before the public, and We are especially
glad to have an opportunity OF doing SO,
because this journal, among others, was
unjust to Sherman at the time of the sur
render.
On the 9th ofMarch, 1865, two or three
days .before.the final movemept;upon. Rich
mond, General Sherman, fresh from, his
march to the sea, arrived at City Point for
the purpose Of comforting with the Presi-
dent and the General-in- Chief. Mr.. Lin
coin was then on board the gunboat Queen,
and on that day an interview took place
on the boat between the President. Gen
eral Grant, Gen Sherman, and Admiral
David D. Porter. From one of the parties
of this interview, gentleman connected
with The Spirit of the. Times obtained a
verbal narrative Of what took place. There
was no pledge of secrecy, ard we feel that
we violate no obligation in making public
}he substance of it. "Mr Lincoln" said
the narrator, had come down to City Point
with the most liberal views toward the
rebels, and was willing that they should
capitulate onalmost any terms. His heayt
was tenderness throughout, and as long as
the enemy laid down their arms, he did
not care how it was done. After hearing
from Shermau's description of position,
he proposed that the same terms should be
offered to j ohnston that would haYe been
given to Lee. To this Gen Sherman
strenuously objected, declaring that he had
Johnston COPIED up where he could not
get away, and that he would be compelled
TO surrender at all hazards, Whatever terms
we proposed. I never saw him more ener-
getic in my life than while he was arguing
this point but Mr. Lincoln leaned toward
mlder measures, fearing that the Confeder-
ate General would escape South by the
railroad, and have to be chased again.
Sherman declared this to be impossible.
Il have Johnston said he, where he can
cot move without breaking up his army,
which, once disbanded, can never be got
together again. The Southern railroads
are all broken up. have destroyed them
SO that they cannot be used for long
time
"Gen. Grant asked j: w hat is to prevent
their laying the rails again?'
"Why,' said Sherman, my bummers don't
do things by halves. Every rail has been
placed over a hot FIRE, and twisted as crock
ed as q rams horn. They never can be
used, again till they have been through
rolling MILL
"Fhe President, however, was very deci-
ded about the matter and insisted that
Johnston should be induced Immediately
to surrender by granting him most liberal
terms. Grant, too, was ANXIOUS that
Johnston should not try to get into Rich
mond, where he might give US great deal
of trouble; and Sherman was compelled to
YIELD, though he did, it very unwillingly.
The terms Of capitulation which afterward
made such q disturbance, were, in fact, sub.
stantially arranged by Mr.. Lincoln himself,
and if he had lived he never would have
allowed Sherman to bear the responsibility
of them. l"' sS'""'A .-'."'4 30 a" 1''7'
This narrative is conclusive. Mr.. Lin
COLI, it is now clear. virtually dictated the
terms to Johnston, just Us. he did the terms
to Lee : and had it not be II for his kind
ness Of heart, we have no doubt that Grant
wonld have exacted unconditional surren-
der" in the one case, and Sherman have
been equally peremptory In the other.
Had the President not been assassinated
before Johnston's capitulation, it is proba-
BILE that the celebrated mem orandum would
have been acceptable to majority of the
Northern people. 1t is certain, at all
events, that Sherman would not have been
to blame for it. The patience with which
he has borne undeserved obloquy so long
will be appreciated by his countrymet,
and they will not fail to honor the eleva-
ted sentiment through which, when a sim
gle word would have indicated him, lie re-
Trained from speaking It. sl%Eg. ar..-;
A HERMArHRop1rE.-In Vienna, Cath
crime Hohnann, a native of Bavaria, is -ex