The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-07-19
"LET US HAVE PEACE

u In these times of bitter partisan
hate, when sore-head politicians are
denouncing Grant as a biood-thirsty
tyrant, seeking to overthrow the
liberties of his country, it is re-
freshing to go back to the closing
| hours of the rebellion, when the
nation hailed him as deliyerer,
and read in his own honest words
his desire for peace, at the very
time the largest army of modern
times, flushed with victory, waited
his word of command.
Read the following letters to
| General Lee, and note how the
| patriot citizen rises above the vic
torious soldier. The tone of the
letters breathing forth the spirit of
the man, who fought battles TO win.
peace, and disbanded his armies the
very moment it was secured:
GRANVILLE, April z, 1865.
GENERAL The result of the
last week must convince you of the
hopelessness of further resistance
on the part of the army of North
Virginia in this struggle. l feel
that it is so aud regard it az my duty
to shift from myself the RESPONSE
bility of any further effusion of
blood, by asking of you the sur
render of that portion of the Con-
federatc States Army known as the
Army of North Virginia.
"U. 5. GRANT,
Lieut.. Gen.
'Gen. r. Z. LEE"
To this General Lee replied that
he did not entertain the opinion ex-
FNrncSn6 hxr nf Hhn hnrnlaoe-
ness OF further resistance, but re-
ciprocating the desire to prevent
the useless effusion of blood, asked |
the terms he would offer, on condi- |
ton of the surrender of his army. |
General Grant, on the following
day, April s, sent the following |
note in reply:
"FARMvLLE, April s, 1865.
GENERAL: Your note of last |
evening, i'll reply to mine of the |
same date, asking the condition on
which will accept the surren- |
der of the army of North Vir-
ginia, is just received. In re-
ply, l would say, that peace
being my great desire, there is but
one condition l would insist upon
namely, that the men and officers
surrendered shall be disqualified
for taking up arms again against
the Government of the United
States until properly exchanged.
will meet you or will designate Of
ficers to meet any officers you may
name for the same purpose, at any
point agreeable to you, for the pur-
pose of arranging definitely the
terms upon which the surrender of
tho a n North NS,.rrfri xrySll
be received.
~. S. GRANT,
Lieut.. Gen.
"Gen. r. Z. LEE"
Not receiving an immediate an
swer Grant continued the pursuit,
Lees army so that es-
cape was impossible, and at noon of
the 9Th received the reply of Gen.
Lee. "To be frank" said Lee, 81 do
not think the emergency for the
of this army has arisen
l cannot, therefore, meet you with q
view to surrender the army of
North Virginia" He offered, how
ever, to meet him on the picket
lines of the two Armies, to listen
to and consider any proposals that
would tend to the restoration OF
peace between the two sections.
General Grant promptly replied:
GENERAL: Your note of yester-
day is received. L have no author
ity to treat on the subject of peace
the meeting proposed for 10 a. IN.
to-day could lead TO no good.
will state, however, General, that I
am equally anxious for peace with
and the whole North en-
terrain the same feeling. The terms
upon which peace can be had are
well understood. BY the South
laying down their arms they will
hasten that most desirable event, (
save thousands of human lives and I
of millions of property
not yet destroyed. Sincerely hop
ing that all our difficulties may be
settled without the loss of another
life,
81 subscribe myself, &c,
81. S. GRANT,
Lieut.. Gen.
ar. E. LEE"
This letter was followed by a des- I