Morning journal and courier., 1892-04-11
ntUS bE ItLkhkArh.
From All Quarters.
SEC. STANTON DEFENDED
An Open Letter to Senator
Sherman.
DEATH OF GENERAL CHARLES FIELD.
Archbishop Ireland on Pope
Leo XIII.
4 Big BLAZE IN 4 CAR Shot.
Satisfactory Test of a Sub
marine Boat.
IA Big BLAZE IN 4 CAR SHOP.
A WAR QUEsTION REoPENED.

Gorhann A nswers senator Sherman,s
References to General Sherman,s
Proposals of Peace to job nsson-Is
| Was Not According to Lincoln,s
| POllcy-General Sherman Honest,
but the Truth OF History Demands
| the Explanation.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-Hon. George
c. Gorham, as custodian of the private pa
pers of Secretary Stanton, and now en-
gagged upon his biography, has written an
open letter to Senator Sherman. The let
| ter quotes from the senator's recent adj
| dress in New York on General Sherman
| the following reference to the terms pro-
| posed by General Sherman for the sur
render of the forces of General Johnston
| and other commanders at the close of the
| civil war:
General Sherman believed in and
sought to carry out the policy of Mr.. Lin
coin. The terms of surrender were tenta-
tive and the conditions were entirely SUBJ
l ject to the supervision of the executive
| authorities but instead of being submit
ted to the generous and forgiving patriot
who had fallen they we're passed upon, in
| the shadow of great crime, by stern and
relentless enemies who would not have
| consented to the conditions imposed by
General Grant upon General Lee and
who would have disregsrded them
had not General Grant threatened to
resign upon their refusal to carry out
his terms. When the arrangement with
General Johnston was submitted to Presi-
dent johnson and Mr.. Stanton it was re-
jected, with the insulting intimation that
it proceeded from either cowardice OF
treachery. The old cry against General
| Sherman was again started. It was even
imputed that he would attempt to play the
part of Cromwell or a military usurper
The generous kindness of Grant came to
his relief. New terms were agreed upon
and the war closed"
MR.. LINCoLN's POLICY.
Mr.. Gorham says: "Whatever policy Mr..
Lincoln might have recommended to con-
gress for the restoration of the Confsder-
ate states to their relations with the Union,
none know better than you that he would
never have undertaken to usurp the powers
Of congress on the subject, much less to
allow a military subordinate to guide him
| in the work by an authorized arrangement
made under the supervision of Jefferson
Davis and his cabinet"
Mr.. Gorham also states that General
l Sherman, in letter to Secretary Stanton,
| written after receiving the governments
| disapproval of his terms, said:
II admit my folly in embracing in q
| military convention any civic matters"
Mr.. Gorham refers to the account of the
! negotiations with Johnston contained in
! General Sherman's memoirs. The Confed-
| crate secretary of war, John @. Brecken-
| ridge, participated in arranging tho terms.
| These terms compromised an armistice to
continue until after notice of either side
for its termination. The Confederate
armies were to disband; their arms
turned over to the several states
of the Confederaey; the governments of
| which were to be recognized by the presi-
dent, and the Inhabitants of the south
were to be guaranteed all their rights of
propesty Gncluding slaves) and all the po-
litical power they possessed before the re-
bellion, and to be relieved of all conse-
Of general amnesty. The arrangement
concluded with: ''Not being followed
fully empowered by our respective princi.
pies to fulfil these terms, we individually
and officially plsdge ourselves to obtain
the necessary authority and to carry out
the above program"
WITH THE SANCTION OF MR.. DAVIS.
A messenger was sent to Washington
with the proposed agreement. General
Sherman wrote to the commanding gener
al of the armies of Virginia:
ri have agreed with General Johnston
! for a temporary cessation of active hostili
ties, to lay before. our government al
| Washington the agreement between us
| with the full sanction of Mr.. Davis and il
the presence of Mr.. Breckenridge"
Mr. Gorham, continuing, says that Gen
eral Grant condemned General Sherman'
act before consulting either Presiden,
johnson or Secretary Stanton. He wrote
at once to General Sherman, acknowledg
ing receipt of the agreement and said: C.
the President and secretary of war ant
felt satisfied it could not possibly be ap
proved"
In the same letter he states that upon hi
suggestion cabinet meeting was called, q
the result of which was "the disapprovs
| by the president of the basis laid dow
and the disapproval of the negotiations al
together except for the surrender of tn
army commanded by General Johnston
/ and an order for the termination of tn
. Armistice and the resumption of hostili
ties" --
General Grant started at once after tn
meeting for Raleigh to execute the presi
| dents order. Under this order Sherman
gave notice that hostilities would be re
sumed, whereupon Johnston's army wa
surrendered upon terms accorded by Gen
| eral Grant to Lee.
THE CORRESPONDENCE PUBLISHED.
AS matter of prudence and necessit
Mr.. Stanton telegraphed to General job
A. Dix, then in New York. with permii
sion to publish the came, a copy Of tn
Sherman Johnston agreement, with til
It reasons for its disapproval by the govern
r ment. These reasons were that Generi
: Sherman exceeded his authority; that
. was a practical acknowledgment of tt
rebel government; that 1t undertook to r,
1, | establish the rebel state government
and placed arms and munitions {
war in the hands of rebels whic
| might rbe used to injure IL
loyal states; that 1t would enable the rel
10 els to re-establish slavery; that it migl
make the federal government reaponsib
for rebel debts; that it would put in di
pute the existence of loyal state govern
ments; that it practically relieved the rel
g, els from all penalties for their crime
10. that it gave terms repeatedly rejected
Mr.. Lincoln and formed no lasting bas
of peace. The publication of these reaeon
- SAYS MIR. Gorham, was absolute
demanded in the interest of IL
public safety. The expectations viii,
General Sherman had raised in Il
s. minds of the army and the people that o.
ooldiera onlv maintained the rresiden,