Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-07
LINCoLN's TERMS.
The st. Louis Democrat (RaidcaD |
makes the following revelation in its is
sue of Jan. 5:

sue OF Jan. D
In Ia recent article we have referred t
the feeling commonly supposed TO exis
between Gen. Sherman and ex-Secretary
Stanton, in regard to the surrender OF
Johnston. The history of that transac
ton has never been written. In Justice &c
one now dead, we presume, Gen. Sher.
man has maintained a chivalric silence in
regard to feature of the transaction
which, we are sure, Mr. Lincoln himself.
could he speak from his grave, would be
quick TO disclose. We know of no rea-
son why others should not state what the
departed President would surely make
known, were that possible, and Justice to
the living can never be real injustice to
the dead. We shall state what we believe
to be facts, only promising that no part
of the statement has come to us from
Gen. Sherman or by his knowledge, and,
so far as we know, he has never suggested
to anybody the explanation which we
have reason to believe the true one.
When Lee surrendered, President Liu-
| coin, in his great, honest heart, believed
that the glory and completeness of the
victory would only be increased by mag
nanimity on the part of the victor; that
the Southern people were in the mood to
voluntarily accept just such terms as
would be satisfactory to the nation, and
that a prompt display of confidence IN the
sincerity of their submission would tead
| TO make that submission more complete
and hearty. We all know that subsequent
events have proved that Mr. Lincoln was
very nearly right in one respect-tbat the
temper of the Southern people, Just at
that time, was far better than ii has ever
been since. Whether he was altogether
right in his policy or not, it is certain,
however, that he made a grave mistake in
details. He forgot that the then existing
organizations at the South were not and
could never be anything but Rebel gov
ernmen's, and in a moment of haste
authorized the assembling Of the Rebel
Legislature Of Virginia This order never
WAS executed. Mr.. Stanton, then Score
tary of war; quickly perceived its fatal
consequences; and as soon as he could
reach Mr.. Lincoln convinced him Of its
error.
Bat in the meanwhile Mr.. Lincoln had
given certain instructions in regard TO the
surrender Of the other army of the rebel
lion. He had entered Richmond on Mon
day, April 8, AMI before he returned to
Washington had given the orders inregard
to the meeting of the Virginia Legislature.
But Just before the final movement, March
27, the President had met General
Sherman with General Grant at City
Point, and General Sherman having there
received instructions, went back at once
TO commence the movement which ended
in the surrender of Johnston I. is IN
reasonable to suppose that il that inter
view, giving directions rs 10 the terms Of
surrender, the President made somewhat
the same mistake that he did in his order
to General Wcitzel in regard to Virginia
We have reason to believe that the terms
given by Sherman to Johnston were in
the most essential point warranted by the
instructions Of President Lincoln himself.
And it is certain that in the most essential
point regarding the existence and validity
of State governments they went not al
all beyond the order actually given by the
President in regard 10 Virginia. There
was no opportunity for further c0mmuni-
cation with General sherman before The
surrender. And if President Lincoln.
upon his return TO Washington, became
satisiiedOf his mistake aS To the details Of
the situation, he had barely time to cor
rect it Is to Virginia and no time to reach
Sherman before he was ass8ssinatcd
That one event changed the whole stu
ation. II reused a terrible feeling Al the
North, and made every public officer of
Washington feel that the very existence
OF the nation might vet depend on firm
ness in adjusting the terms of surrender.
Just al that dark moment came the news
of the agreement between Sherman and
johnson, submitted to the President for
approval The nation instantly rejected |
it, and rightly. The President and Caai- |
net disapproycd it. and Of necessity
as Mr. Lincoln himself had revoked lis
Virginia order Instant explanation was
necessary to satisfy an excited people that
the rights Of the victorious nation would |
not be sacrificed. That explanation was
given by Nj Stanton in Il card, written. |
We have no doubt, in ignorance OF any
instructions 10 Gen. Sherman from he /
President whose murder had excited all |
What is the fact Is it probable that /
Gen. Sherman would have sent to Wash !
ington such an agreement for approval, !
if he had not had some reason TO suppose |
that it would be approved If he had /
such reasons. we do not know that he has |
ever opened his mouth about it. lIr |
Lincoln was gone Had he lived, the |
agreement would have been disapprovcI, !
no doubt, but in q different manner Mr.. !
Lincoln would have known how to ac- /
count for some features in it which |
seemed incXplicable coming from a Gen |
eral. Indeed, had he lived, neither the |
country nor the Cabinet would have been !
called upon to consider snch a proposition |
in time Of intense excitement, gloom, |
and bitterness of wrath against the spirit |
which had struck down the forgiyiuE
aud magnanimous President in The very
hour when lis heart was full Of kindness.
it came, unexplained, ugon d people mad
dencd by that murder. It would in any
case have been rejected, but would it not
have been less har-hly received if il bad
been supposed that Gen. Sherman was
not entirely the author Of it
We have reason to think that its most
serious mistake was not lis oWn-reason
in information no. derived from him in
any way. For aucht we know, he has
always been silent about it. But if we |
are not mistaken, his silence suffers pub
Tic opinion to DO some injustice TO him
rather than to cast a share of the respOC-
- d =. II