The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-19
press"
what GEN. Hoe Iohnston SAYS


Special 10 st. Louis Globe. Democrat /:
Gen. Johnston was asked if in the dis
cussiOn OF the terms anything was
said by himself or by Gen. Sherman
about the bearing they would have
upon slavery and the Confederate war
debt.
Nothing" be said, quits promptly
and emphatically, mot a word. These
subjects were not mentioned"
"fhe substance of these articles"
continued Gen Johnston, pla ling his
hand upon the agreement signed by
himself and Gen. Sherman, "that was
the subject Of discussion, nothing be.
yond. We met about noon, on the
18th / think it was, and discussed the
terms through almost the entire al er-
noon. The question of including Mr..
Davis was almost the only subject Of
discussion. All the rest OF the terms
were agreed to between us with very
slight controversy. Gen. Sherman
was unwilling to include Mr.. Davis in
the terms Of the general amnesty, for
fear that would cause the rejection Of
the whole agreement. He was a.great
deal too sagacious TO want 10 capture
Mr.. Davis. He knew the government,
with Mr.. Davis as a prisoner, would
feel like that celebrated individual
who won an elephant at a rsfila."
In reply u a question as to what
seemed TO be the moving impulse with
Gen. Sherman in making the terms,
Gen. Johnston said:
tsnhA faolinn dominant NTH Ghor-
man wac to restore peace. That SEN
timent was the one actuating him.
He said that the true policy Cf the
North was to bring about peace as
speedily as possible. To restore pros
perity in the South would add greatly
TO the prosperity in the North. He
was moved by what no considered to
be the mutual interests OF the two
sections"
Speaking OF Stanton's declaration
that Sherman exceeded his powers in
offering such terms, Gen. Johnston
said quite warmly:
"That was absurd. 1t is part of the
power OF a general to make skeleton
of peace with an armistice to last I'M
til the settlement by his government
upon the question. There are many
precedents for such action as we took.
Now, l remember in proposing 10
Gen. Sherman that we should treat
for an srmistice / referred to some OF
these precedents. | reminded him OF
the preliminaries OF Losben and the
tsrms in which Nepole on, then viclo.
Tious, proposed negotiations ID the
ATchduke Charles"
ain the course of tie discussion"
continued Gen. Johnston, Gen Sher-
man said: We and by that he in
cluded all the soldiers OF his army,
have been fighting to restore the
Union. That has been the olly OBJ
jeCt Of the war, as has been declared
repeatedly in resolutions by Congress
and repeatedly in pioclsma.ions by
the government That was the way
he talked, and it was with that feeling
he approached the agreement. Gen.
Sherman Lad just as much right to
make those terms as Gen, Grant had
to make the terms ne did at the ca
pitulation OF Vicksburg."
To the inquiry il at the time he
made these terms with Gen. Sherman
he felt sanguine they would be rati-
fed by the Federal government, Gen.
Johuston replied:
II should have been very confident
OF Mr.. Lincoln accepting the terms,
bat we had Just heard Of his assassi-
nation. Sherman thought that Mr..
Lincoln's Cabinet would be governed
verv much by Mr., Lincoln's opinions,
and he was very sanguine OF the ac-
ceptance OF the terms"