Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-04-27

-.nF. Lincoln S PtSlCS az ule 1lHle.
The New York Tribune prints the following
letter from General Sherman, remarking edi-
torially that it does honor to its distinguished
author:
To the Editor The Tribune:
SIR: In your issue of yesterday is notice
Of Mr. Healy's picture, representing the inter-
view between Mr. Lincoln, Gen. Grant; Ad-
mira Porter, and myself, which repeats sub
stantially the account published some time ago
in Wilkes Spirit 2F the Times, explanatory
Of that interview, and attributing to Mr.. Lin
coin himself the paternity of the terms to Gen.
Johnstons army at Durham, in April, 1860.
am glad you have called public attention
to the picture itself, because feel personal
interest that Mr. Healy should be appreciated
as one Of our very best American artists
But some friends here think by silence | may
be construed as willing to throw off on Mr..
Lincoln the odium of those terms. If there
be any odum, which doubt, | surely would
not be willing that the least show of it should
90 to Mr.. Lincoln's memory which | hold in
too much veneration to be stained by anything
done or said by me. l understand that the
substance of Mr.. Wilkes original article was
compiled by him after railroad conversation
with Admiral Porter, who was present at that
interview, as represented in the picture, and
who made note ofthe conversation Immediately
after we separated He would be more likely
to have preserved the exact words used on
the occasion, than I who made no notes, then
or since. | cannot now even pretend to re-
call more than the subjects touched upon By
the several parties, and the impression LETT on
my mind after we parted. The interview was
in March, nearly 4 month before the final
catastrophe; and it was my part OF the plan
Of operations to move my army, reinforced by
Schofeld, then at G oldsborO' n. O., to Burkes-
vile, Va, when Lee would have been forced
to surrender in Richmond. The true move
left to him was hasty abandonment OF Rich
mond. Join his force to Johnston's, and strike
me in the open country. The only question
was could sustain this joint attack till Gen.
Grant came up in pursuit? [ was confident
| could but at the very moment of our con-
vcrsation General Grant was moving General
Sheridan 5 heavy force Of cavalry to his extreme
left, to prevent this very contingency. Mr..
Liuco,u, in hearing us speak Of final bloody
battle, which | then thought would fall on
me near Raleigh, did exciaim more than once,
thaC blood enough had already been sized, and
he hoped that the war would end without any
more. We spoke of what was to be done
with Davis, other party leaders, and the rebel
army and he left me uuder the impression
that all he asked Of lis was to dissi pate these
armies. and get the soldiers back to their
homes anyhow the quicker the better, leav-
ing him free 10 apply the remedy, and the
restoration Of Civil Law. lie, Mr.. Liucoin)
surely left upon my mind the impression
warranted by Admiral Porter's account that
he had long thought Of his course Of action
when the rebel armies were out of his way,
and that he wanted to get civil government
reorganzed at the South. the quicker the bet
ter, and strictly conforming with our general
system.
had been absent so long that presumed,
Of course. that Congress had enacted all the
laws necessary to meet the event OF peace so
long expected, and the near approach OF which
must then have been seen by the most obtuSe;
and all | aimed to do was to remit the rebel
army surrcndcrinE 10 me to the conditions OF
the laws Of the country IS they then existed.
At the time of JOhnstons surrender at Dur
ham, drew up the terms with my own hand.
Breckenridge had nothing at all to do with
them, more than to discuss their effect, and
he knew they only applied to the military,
and he forthwith proceeded to make his escape
from the country, course that believe Mr..
Lincoln wished that Mr.. Davis should have
succeeded in efecting, as we'll as all the other
leading Southern politicians, against whom
public indignation always turned with feel
ing far more intense than against Generals
Lee, Johnston, and other purely military men.
repeat that, according to my memory, Mr..
Lincoln did not expressly name any specific
terms of surrender but he was in that kindly
and gentle frame of mind that would have
induced him to approve fully what [ did, ex-
cepting probably he would have interlined
some notifications, such as recognizing his
several procamatons antecedent, we'll as
the laws of Congress, which would have been
perfectly right and acceptable to me and to
all parties.
dislike to open this or any other old ques
ton, and do it for the reason stated, viz, lest
be construed as throwing off on Mr.. Lincoln
what his friends think should be properly
borne by me alone.
If in the original terms | had, as certainly
meant, included the proclamation of the Pres
ident. they would have covered the slavery
question and all the real State question which
caused the war and had not Mr. Lincoln been
assassiuate4 at that very moment, [ believe
those "terms" would have taken the usual
course of approval, modification, or absolute
disapproval, aud been returned to me, like
hundreds of other official acts, without the
newspaper clamor and unpleasant controversies
$50 unkindly and unPleasantly thrust upon me
at the time. am, truly, yours,
W T. SHERMAN, General
WASHINGTON, D. c., April II, 1869.
Probably the most contented postmaster