The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-15
GEN. SHERMAN.

versy.-G. G. Gorham. STATIONS BiOgra
pher, Takes t Field-The Sherman
Johnston History Brought Under Fire.
WASHINGTON, April 10th. The eulogy
of Senator Sherman upon his brother,
the late Gen. Sherman, has caused wide
and deserved attention. 1t had not
been supposed that it would result in
another controversy of some of the most
important facts in the history of the
War of the Rebellion.
Such is ce. tain to be the case, as will
be seen from the letter of George G.
GOrham, late Secretary of the United
States Senate, who has been chosen by
the executors of the late Edwin M. STAN
ton as the biographer of the great war
Secretary.
MR.. GoRHAM's LETTER.
WASHINGTON, April 10th. The Hon.
George C. Gorham's letter, referred to
above, quotes from the Senators's recent
address in New York on Gen. Sherman
the following reference to the terms
proposed by General Sherman for the
surrender of the forces of Gen. Joseph
Johnston and other commanders at the.
close of the Civil war.
"Gen. Sherman believed in and sought
to carry out the policy of Mr.. Lincoln.
the UGTllS VI NClp bChOttJlNO
and the conditions were entirely subj ct
to the supervision of the executive au-
thorities, but instead of being submitted
to the generous and forgiving patriot
no had fallen they were passed upon in
the shadow of great crime by stern and
relentless enemies, who would not have
consented to the conditions imposed by
Gen, Grant upon Gen. Lee and who
would have disregarded them had not
Gen. Grant threatened to resign upon
their refusal to carry out his terms.
When the Arrangement with Gen. john
ston was submitted to President John
son and Mr.. Stanton, it was rejected
with the insulting intimation that it pre-
ceeded from cowardice or treachery. The
old cry against Gen. Sherman was again
started. 1t was even imputed that he
would attempt to play the part of Crom-
well or a military usurper. The gener-
GUS kindness of Grant came to his relief.
New terms were agreed upon and the
war closed"
Mr.. Gorham states that the Senator
would have it understood that while Gen.
Sherman was engaged i'll praise~worthy
military act, which President Lincoln
would have desired him to perform, he
Was luSullGu oSb
aside by President johnson and Secre-
tary Stanton in mean and narrow
spirit of revenge, because of the assas-
sination of Lincoln, and that the kind
ness of Grant interposed between him
and these alleged enemies, and that the
two Generals agreed on new terms and
ended the war.
Mr.. Corham then says: whatever
policy Mr.. Lincoln might have recon-
mended to Congress for the restoration
of the Confederate States to their rela-
ton with the Union, none know better
than you that he would never have I'M
dertaken to usurp the powers of Con-
gress on the subject, much less to allow
military subordinate to guide him in
the work by an authorized arrangement
made under the supervision of Jefferson
Davis and his Cabinet"
To show that Mr.. Lincoln left no room
for doubt on this point Mr.. Gorham
quotes the following, sent to Gen. Grant
by Secretary Stanton fortnight before
! Sherman OhnstOn negotiations:
1.-The President directs me to say to
YOU to have no conference with Gen.
| Lee unless it be for the capituiation of
of Lees army or on solely minor or mil
itary matters.
"He instructs me to say to you that
YOU are not to decide, discuss or confer
on any political questions; such ques-
tions the President holds in his own
hands and will submit them to no mill
tary conferences or conventions.
Meantime, you are to press to the
utmost your military advantages"
Mr.. Gorham remarks that, though
Gen. Sherman had not seen this order
when he made his arrangement with
Johnston, it is none the less absolute
proof that Mr.. Lincoln would have dis
approved the arrangement. The Gen
eral, he declares, needed no such admO
milton to teach him that the discussion
of public policies in a military conven
ton was an invasion of the civil author.
ity and wholly outside the powers and
duties of a military commander.
Mr.. Gorham states that Gen. Sherman
in letter to Secretary Stanton, writer
after receiving the Governments disap
proval of his terms said: 81 admit my
folly in embracing in military conven
ton any civic matters"
Mr.. Gorham refers to the account O.
the negotiations with Johnston contain
ed in Gen. Sherman's memoirs" Tht
Confederate Secretary of War, John G
Breckinride, participated in arranging
the terms. These terms cOmprehendeC
an armistlce to continue until 48 hour
after notice of either side for its. termi
: notion. The Confederate armies were q
disband; their arms and munitions o
war to be turned over to the severa
States of the Confederaoy, the govern
ments of which were to be recognized by
the President, and the inhabitants o
the South were to be guaranteed a.
their rights of property Including slaves,
and all the political power they possess
: ed before the Rebellion, and to be re
lieved of all consequences of the Rebe
lion by a proclamation Of genera
l amnesty. The arrangement conclude
, with the following words: mot bein
fully empowered by our respective priI
, cipals to fulfill these terms, we individr
ally and officially pledge ourselves to OF
tain the necessary authority and to carr
out the above programme"
; A messenger was sent to Washingto
with the proposed agreement Gener;
D Sherman wrote to the cOmmandin
? General of the armies in Virginia: q
have agreed with General Joseph John
ton for temporary cessation of actiN
+. hostilities, to Law before our GovernmeI
b, at Washington the agreement made b
tween us, with the full sanction of M
; Davis, and in the presence of Mr. Brecl
e inridge."
1 Mr.. Gorham, continuing, says I'll
General Grant condemned General She