The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-29


nounccd the act rs "A disgrace to the age, and
hoped did not charge II 70 the confederate
government | told him | could not believe
that he or Gen Lee or the officers OF the con
iederate army could possibly he privy to acts
of assassination, but would not say asmuch
for Jefferson Davis, George Sanders aud men
of that tribe. We talked about the effect OF
this act on the country AT large and the ar
mics, and he realized that ii made my situa
ton extremely delicate" Sherman urged
upon Johnson the proprety OF surrender.
This the confederate general admitted, say
ing that any further fighting would he mur'
der Out of this conversation aresc cartel
signed between johnson and sherman Gen.
Breckenridge being present and conserving
thereto The cartel or basis Of agreement
agreed TO recommend the restoration of the
States to their old rights and privileges.
Sherman contcnded that le, in doing this,
had followed out the advice OF Mr. Lincoln,
and certainly his information on that subject
justifies this conclusion, Dut johnson was
president and the country was maddencd at
the ASSASSINATION of the president. There
was no cry SO loud as that of aevenge Stan.
ton, who, with all his grear qualities as an
organizer and secretary, had an mperious,
ungovernablc temper, dlsapproyed Sherman's
cartel and virtually disgraced him by send
ing Grant to supersede him. He issued or
ders to Gems. Sheridan Schotield and Wilson,
and other commanders not to obey Shernan'S
orders, 1t was thought that Sherman had
been a traitor, and a despatch was put in cir
circulation, under the apparent sanction of
the secretary Of war, to the effect that Jetfer-
son DAVIS had escaped with a million Of spe-
Gle from Richmond banks, with which they
hoped to make terms with Shermon or some
other commander for an escape to Mexico.
1t is hard to realize that so cruel. SO unfound-
ed an accusation could have been sanctioned
by "a cabinet against an officer of the distin.
guished tame and service Of Gen. Sherman
Gen Grant went to North Carolina, but be-
haved with the utmost delicacy toward Gen.
SHERMAN, not even appearing In the Amy.
but allowing Sherman to complete his sur
render with Johnston. The millions OF spe-
Gle which Jefferson Davis was carrying south
sn wagons, turned out to be few thousand
dollars that could have been carried in va
lsc. Sherman came North with his army
and boiling with rage "lo say" he says,
that was merely angry at the tone and sub.
stance of the public proceeding of the war
department could hardly express the state of
my feelings. | was outraged beyond meas.
ure, and was resolved to resent the insult
cost what it would" Tie declined Halleck' S
DCIuuaC icptdteO
the orders of Stanton over his own signature
He resuscd to allow Halleck to review enc of
his corpse. ON reaching Washington he
called on President johnson, who took pains
to disavow Stanton's war bulletin. General
Grant endeavored to affect reconciliation
between Sherman and Stanton, but as the
secretary made no friendly advances Sher.
man resolved to resent what he considered
an insult as publicly as It was made
HOME AGAIN.
On the oath of May, 1865, tAc armies were
to be reviewed. Sherman brought his wife
and her father, the venerable Thomas Ewing
to see the sight. The whole army of Georgia
bivouacked around the capitol. The morn.
ing of the Gath of May was exceedingly beau.
tiful. Punctually at 8 o'clock, attended by
Howard add his staff, he rode slowly down
the avenue, crowds OF men, women and chill
dren flocking around him. AS he neared
the brick house on Lafayette square, he OBJ
served Seward, feeble and bandaged at one
of the windows II moved" says Sherman
an that direction, and took of my hat to Mr.
Seward, who sat at the window, He recog.
niZed the salute and returned it, and then We
hurried on steadily, passed the president, sa
luting with our swords. All on the stand
arose and acknowledged the salute. Then
INV NV gov w ~
grounds we left our horses and Orderlies and
went upon the stand where | found Mrs
Sherman, with her father and son. Passing
them shook hands with the president, Gen
GRAFT and each member of the cabinet. AS
approached Mr. Stanton he offered me his
hand, but declined it puclicly, and the fact
was universally noticed. | then took my
post on the left OF the president, and for six
hours and half stood while the army passed
1t was, in my judgment, the most magnificent
army IN existence; $1,000 men IN splendid
physique who had just completed mrrch
of nearly 5000 miles IN a hostile country
Division after division passed, each com
mandor of an army corps coming on the
stand during the passage Ot his command, to
be presented to the president and cabinet, and
spectators Of the stcadiness and harmonious
ness of the tread, the careful dress on the
guides. the uniform intervals between the
companies All eyes were directly TO the
front, and the tsttered and bullet-riven flags
festoonel with flowers all attract" universal
notice. For six hour, and a hn - It strong
tread Of the Army OF the W., '.Noundeo
along Pennsylvania avenue; II" ~"ul o
that vast crowd of spectators lett lis place
and when the rear of the column passed by
thousands of spectators still fingered to OK
press their sense of confidence in the strength
of the government which could claim such
an army.