The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-14
THE UNCONDITIONAL SURREN-
DER QUESTION.

Eds. Record-Union: Judging from your
two late editorial statements. you are par
ticularly fond of referring to the sur
render of General Lee of the Southern
Confederacy TO General Grant of the
United States forces, and saying it was
an unconditional surrender" Is that
true? l opife not, and hence it is mis-
leading. You have made this statement
twice within a week, in connection with
Philippine affairs, and if you can give
official authority for it, which have
good reason to doubt, would be pleased
to see it in print. If my memory serves
me right. and [ think it does, I would
say that Lee ''capitulated" for terms, and
Grant was man enough and humane
enough to treat with him as a gentleman
and soldier of liberal ideas and rejoice
that he could take a hand in bringing
about a peace and restored friendship.
Had this capitalization not taken place
then and there, it is fair proposition
that the war would have gone on in some
readers real facts in regard to this sur
render, not mere say so. / hope you will
do so. ALEX. MONTGOMERY.
Allow me to add that General Grants
course was in perfect contrast to that of
General Otis & Co. with the unfortunate
and uneducated Filipinos
Yreka, Siskiyou County, Cal, May s,
1889.
We give the foregoing letter in full
because it is text for settlement Of q
question that may have arisen in other
minds; BECAUSE the correspondent, a.
newspaper man, joins issue with US,
and because it serves the purpose of
showing how dissimilar are the cases
of Grant and Otis. On the 9th of April,
1866, General Robert E. Lee did sur
render Internationally to General
Grant The surrender was practically
effected before terms were agreed upon
in detail Both Generals had expressed
a. profound desire to stay the further
effusion of blood, and General Lee adj
mitted his inability to longer Withstand
the assaults of Grants victorious army.
The two Generals met in farm house
and the details of the surrender were
there adjusted These terms related
only to the disposition Of the arms, the
parole and return Of the men to their
homes, the disposal Eat Grants sugges-
tion) Of certain horses used by the sur
rendered force, and which were needed
upon the farms of the South, etc.
Our correspondent will bear in mind
that there was unconditional surrender
of Lees army, because no conditions
were attached to the "capitulation" !;
the detail adjustments were not, never
have been, and never can be construed
as conditions. No political questions
were involved; the Southern Confeder-
acy, its chiefs, the rights Of people TN
der it, questions Of home rule, of Office
holding, and so on through a long
chapter; such questions as Aguinaldo
and the Malolos Junta wish to be made
THE basis of a settlement of matters in
the Philippines. had no place or
thought in the surrender of Lee, and
the terms upon which the army was
paroled and returned to the arts of in
dustry.
Grant did not assume he had not the
power to make any concessions con-
corning recognition of anything regard
ing the cause or quasi government Lee
represented The surrender of General
Lee was complete and unconditional so
far as the Southern Confederacy was
concerned. No political conditions
We're attacneQ Whatever, put terms as
to the disposition of the men and their
safe conduct, the arms, the army per-
sonal effects and the paroles. all purely
army matters, were settled between the
two Generals.
The one and only so-called "condi-
ton of the surrender that may be con-
torted into bargain, was rather in the
nature of an exaction. We quote from
the official letter that the men and
officers surrendered shall be disqualified
for taking up arms again against the
Government of the United States, I'M
til properly discharged" This exactior
was in the formal papers thus phrased
and was the one and only condition, il
one is pleased to so term it, namely
that the officers and men shall moi
hereafter serve in the armies of the
Confederate States. or in any military
capacity, against the United States Of
America, or render aid to the enemies
of the latter, until properly exchanged
In such manner as shall be mutually
approved by the respective authori-
ties; it being agreed that they 'wil