Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-07

could answer the arguments he advanced in
favor of such a settlement of the war. He
knew that he could not then propose it to
Congress or to the country, but he clung to
it until the very last.
versations when was present, and on the
5th OF February, 1865, he went SO far as to
formulate message to Congress proposing
the payment of S400, 000, 900 for mancipation
and submitted it to his Cabinet, only to be
unanimously rejected. Lincoln sadly ac-
cepted the decision of his Cabinet and filed
away the manuscript message with this in
dorsement thereon, to which his signature
was added: February 8, 1865 To-day these
papers, which explain themselves, were
drawn up and submitted to the Cabinet and
unanimously disapproved by them" When
the proposed message was disapproved
Lincoln soberiy asked: "How long will the
swer, and he added: ave are spending now
in carrying on the war IS 0Oo, 900 day. which
will amount to all this money, besides all
the lives"
Lincoln Wanted Davis to Escape.
At Lincoln's conference with Sherman
and Grant at City Point on the 2Sth OF March
he exhibited profound sorrow at the state
ment of these Generals that another great
battle would probably have to be fought be-
fore closing the war. Sherman says that
"Lfncoln exclaimed more than once that
there had been blood enough shed and asked
us If another battle could not be avoided"
His great desire was to attain peace without
the'sacrifice OF single lite that could be
saved and he certainly desired that there
should be no policy OF retribution upon the
southern people. He intimated to Sherman
very broadly that he desired Jefferson Davis
to escape from the country.
sherman in his Memoirs repeats a story
told by Lincoln to him illustrative of his
wish that Davis should escape "unbeknown
to him" and in discussing the same subject
in the White House in the presence of
Governor Curtin, Colonel Forney, several
others and myself, he told the same story
to Illustrate the same point obviously in
tending to convey very clearly his wish that |
the Southern leaders should escaue from
the land and save him the grave complica- |
tiOns which must follow their arrest Secre- |
tary Welles, in an article in the GALAXY. |
quotes Lincoln as saying on this subject:
NO one need expect he would take any |
part in hanging or killing these men, even |
the worst OF them. Frightcn them out of |
the country; open the gates; let down the
bars; scare them Off. Enough lives have
been sacrificed; we must extinguish our re-
continents if we expect harmony and
Union"
Had Lincoln been alive when Sherman,s
first report of Johnston's surrender was re-
ceiyed in Washington, his experience in as
senting to the reassembling OF the Virginia
State Governments would doubtless have
made him disapprove the terms acceded to
Johnston in obedience to Lincoin's instruc.
tions to Sherman; but he would have cast |
no reproach upon the heroic victor of At |
lanta and Savannah, and would have man
fully assumed his full share of responsibility |
for Sherman's action. What policy of re-
construction Lincoln would have adopted
cannot now be known; but It is entirely safe
TO assume that while he would have Welded |
to the mandatoryx sentiment OF the ma ton
he would in the end have taught the coun.
try that with malice toward none: with |
charity for all, >" he could assure the world
that government Of the people by the ,,ef-
pie and for the people shall not perish from
she earth" A. Z, hcCLuEI |