The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-11
Would Have Been the Outcome of Gen.
eral Sherman's Proposed Armistice.
he Was Willing TO Make Peace BY Guaranteeing
the South All Former Political Power and
Rights of Property, Including Slaves.
Autograph Note from Grant, Suggesting
a Cabinet Meeting That Night.
Statements Made by enator Sherman at the
DelmOnco Banquet Traversed with Pow
erful Authorities by George c. Gorham.

WASHINGTON, April 1O.-The Hon. George
G. Gorham. as custodian of the private
papers Of ex-Secretary of War Stanton. and
now engaged upon the ex-Secretary's biog-
raphy, has written an open letter to Sem
ator Sherman. 1t deals with the striking
portion of the Senator's recent address and
embOdles sundry important historical docu-
ments not heretofore published. 1t says:
Dear Sir-In your recent address in New
York on the character and public services
of your illustriOus brother. Gen. w. i.
Sherman. you made the following refer
surrender of the forces of Gen. Joseph +.
Johnston and other commanders at the
close OF the civil war:
General Sherman believed in and sought to
carry out the policy of Mr.. Lincoln. The terms
OF surrender were tentative, and the conditions
executive authorities, but instead OF being sub
mttted TO the generous and forglving patriot
who had fallen, they were passed upon in the
shadow OF q great crime by stern and relentless
enemies, who would not have consented to the
Lee. aud who would have dIsregarded them had
not General Grant threatened to resign upon
their refusal to carry out his terms. When the
arrangement with General Johnston was sub
United to President Johnson and Mr.. Stanton
1t was rejected with the insulting intimation
that 1t proceeded from either cOwardice or
man was again started. 1t was even imputed
that he would attempt to play the part of q
Cromwell or a military usurper; The generous
Kindness or Grant came 10 his relief. New terms
were agreed upon and the war closed.
You would have it understood by this
chat while General Sherman was engaged
in a praiseworthy and purely military act
which President Lincoln would have de-
sired him to perform. had he lived, he was
set upon and insulted. and his arrange
ments set aside by President johnson and
Edwin NJ. Stanton. then Secretary OF War,
In 6 mean and narrow spirit of revenge. be-
cause of the assassination of Mr.. Lincoln,
and that at this juncture the generous
kindness of General Grant interpOsed he.
tween him and these alleged enemies. and
that the two Generals agreed on new
terms and ended the war. You state all
this as if you had approved General Sher-
mans course.
WOULD UsURP NO POWER.
Whatever policy Mr.. Lincoln might
have recommended to Congress for the
restoration of the Confederate States to
their relations with the Union, none know
better than you that he would never have
undertaken to usurp the powers of Con-
gress on the subject. much less to allow q
military subordinate to guide him in the
work by an unauthorized arrangement
made under the supervision OF Jefferson
Davis and his Cabinet Mr.. Lincoln left
nd room for doubt Oh this point for he gave
the following direction to General Grant .
fortnight before the Sherman ohnston ne
gOtiati0ns the same being sent by Secre-
tary of War Stanton:
"'Lieutenant-genera Grant: The Presi-
dent directs me to say to you that he
wishes you to have no conference with
General Lee unless it be for the capitula-
ton of Lees army, or only solely minor or
purely military matters. He instructs me
IN hnH nrn MT 20 do
discuss or confer on any political question.
Such questions the President holds In his
own hands. and will submit them to no
military conferences or conventions
Meantime you are to press to the utmost
your military advantages
"You will say that General Sherman had
not seen this order of Mr.. LncoIns when
he made his arrangement with Johnston,
but it is none the less proof that he MIR.
Lincolnl would have disapprOved the ar
rangement. The General needed no such
admonltiOn to teach him that the discus
SION of public policies in military con-
vention was an invasion OF the civil
authority and wholly outside the powers
aud duties of military commander He
frankly admitted this. and in letter to
Secretary Stantan. dated April rs. the day
after receiving the governments disap-
prevail of his terms. he said: Il admit my
folly IN embracing IN q military cOnven-
ton any civic matters
If you will refer to his memoirs, page
1874. you will see that. in his interview with
General Johnston. he asked him If he could
control other armies than his own. Johnston
replied that he could not do this. but indi-
Gated that he could procure authority from
Davis. On the following page he says:
General Johnston. saying that he thought
during the night he could procure authOrl-
ty to act in the name of all the confederate
armies in existence. we agreed to meet on
the next day at nOon.'
THE FAMOUS ARMIsTICE.
"The two generals met again accordingly,
and Johnston then assured Sherman that
he had authority for all the confederate
armies 30 that they would obey his order
to surrender The confederate Secretary
of War. John c. Breckenridge was then
brought in and participated in arranging
the terms. These terms comprehend an
srmistice to continue until forty-eight
hours after notice of either side for its ter
mInation. Tho confederate armies were to
disband; their arms and munitions of W ar
to be turned over to the several States of
the Confederacy. the governments of which
were to be recognized by the President
and the inhabitants of the South were to
be guaranteed all their rights of property
(inclndiDg slavesl. and all the politlcal
power they possessed before the rebellion,
and to be relieved of all consequences of
the rebellion by proclamation of general
amnesty. The arrangement concluded
with the following words:
Not being fully empowered by our re-
spective principals to fulfill these terms. We
individually and officially pledge ourselves
TO obtain the necessary authority and carry
out the above programme.
"A messenger was sent to Washington
with the proposed agreement. At the same
time General Sherman wrote the command
ing general of the armies in Virginia: Il
have agreed with Gen. Joseph f. Johnston
for q temporary cessation of active HOSTILE
ties. while the agreement made between US
is laid before the government at Washing
ton. with the full sanction of Mr.. Davis.
and in the presence of MIR. Breckinridge.'
Jefferson Davis the rebel President, and
John {. Breckenridge, his Secretary of
War.
His messenger reached Washington on
the evening of the 2lst of April, and deliv-
cred his dispatches to General Grant. You
represented General Grant as coming to
General Sberman's relief, from which those
not acquainted with the history of the case
would suppose that he approved the agree
ment. When you made this statement you
must have known that General Grant con-
demned General Sherman's act before con-
shifting either President johnson or Score
tary Stanton. He wrote that very even.
ing to General Sherman. acknowledg gin @
the receipt of the agreement. and said: Il
read il carefully before submitting il to
the President and Secretary of War. and
feel satisfied that it could not possibly be