The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-04-23
orNpnAL 0RANI's FAITH.
How He Kept IL 10 General Lee and His
OfiioeTs,


OnioeTs,
Prof. r, 8. McCnll0ch, of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, for some time an associate
of General Robert Il. Lee In Washington
and Lee University, Lexington, Va,
writes as follows TO the New Orleans
Times-Democrat.
The present Ia perhaps the ~ moment
| to make public the following statement
| In 1867 the undersigned spent an even
| Ing with the late John W. Garrett, Esq ,
then President OF the Baltimore q Ohio
Railroad, who communicated TO him The
following;
After the assassination OF Mr., Lincoln
the cabinet met In the Treasury Depart
ment, and passed q resolution TO arrest
and try by military commission the lead
Ing men OF the C0nfederacy. beginning g
with such 40 Mr.. Davis, Gen. II E, Lee
ind others, and meaning thereby TO
strike terror into the hearts OF the South
ern people, suspicion OF completely In
that crime being the ground for such
intended trials. They concluded that
70 carry their resolution into effect, Gen
eTal Grant must give the requisite Or
ders. Tired Of war, he was seeking Ie'
pose on the banks OF the Delaware. He
was therefore telegraphed to come I'm
mediately 10 Washington. and the rail-
roads were ordered 10 bring him with
out detention.
Mr.. Garrett was at the moment In
Washington, and was Instructed by Mr..
Stanton 10 20 forthwith to Baltimore.
In single express car, there 10
meet General Grant and bring
him TO Washington 10 quickly aa
possible. He was also told by MIR. Stan
ton TO inform Gen. Grant OF the resolu'
| tiOn passed, which he was expected to
execute, and that the Cabinet would be
In permanent session until his arrival.
When the message was delivered In the
car, Gen. Grant said:
"fhese gentlemen do not reflect that
such action would be stain upon The
escutcheOn Of this nation which @ nld
never be wiped out The assassination
seems To have unsettled their wits. Tell
me that such men as Gen, Lee aud Mr..
Davis had anything TO do with a mur.
der, gentlemen whom have known and
esteemed for years, and who are incaDa
Bile OF crime. A we'll suspect myself"
The response was: SWELL General, the
Cabinet are waiting only for you TO give
the orders; and you Will 90 into their
meeting as soon ~ You get there. hope
when you do that you Will speak 70 them
Just an you have now done tn me-"
Then came the noble reply; ! shall
20 further, Mr.. Garrett. shall tell
them they must take my sword from
me-"
Upon their arrival Gen. Grant went d.
rectly into Cabinet meeting, and Mr.,
Garrett remained In the corridor. After
some time the Postmaster General came
out. ApprC aching him, Mr.. Garrett said:
IL do not wish 10 pry into that which Is
confidential OF secret, but you know the
message with which | was charged,
| When | delivered II, Gen, Grant said he
would tell you gent emen that yon must
flfst take his sword from him." The
answer was: HE has done that very
thing, MIR. Garrett
To which the response was: THAT is
oil wish 10 know" Please tell MIR.
| Stanton he will 1nd mo at his
house when your meeting Ia over.
He told ma that he desired 10
see me on railroad business, and shall
20 there and talk with Mr.. 8. until hls
return" When Mr.. Stanton went home
he confirmed what his colleague had
said, and gave Mr.. Garrett the Informs
tlon that what tj ok place In the cabinet
was substantially the equivalent OF
what had occurred and been said In the
car.
When this statement was made to me,
In 1857. by Mr., Garrett, / was associated
In Washington College, at Lexington,
Va, with Gen. r. II Lee, and upon my
return from Baltimore repeated IL 10
him, remarking that II might be news
TO him. He admitted that II was, but
instantly said: III can add TO II for
you" And then he told me that one OF
his klnsmen, hearing a rnmor that mill
itary trials and executions we're con
templated, and, apprehending trouble,
went TO Washington, and was then
making inquiry. Learning which Gen.
Grant sent for him, and said; Please
90 TO Gen. Lee from me, and tell him 10
have no fears; that the government must
respect what tho army has done, and
that not an officer or private to whom
terms OF surrender or parole have been
conceded shall be disturbed"
II was long hoped by tho undersigned
that publicity would be given 10 the
above facts by Mr.. Garrett himself. But
now that hIs death precludes the poeei-
bility OF such testimony, they are here
by made known 40 told TO me, 40 doubt,
less they have been also communicated
by Mr.. Garrett to others, II never pub
lished before.
SO indelibly did the above statement
of Mr.. Garrett impress Itself upon my
memory NJ the time that now remem-
ber and repeat II almost word for word.