Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 20.djvu/214

 208 Southern Historical Society Papers.

slaves) and all the political power they possessed before the rebellion, and to be relieved from all consequences of the rebellion by a pro- clamation of general amnesty. The arrangement concluded with the following words :

" Not being fully empowered by our respective principals to fulfill these terms, we individually and officially pledge ourselves to obtain the necessary authority and to carry out the above programme."

A messenger was sent to Washington with the proposed agree- ment. At the same time General Sherman wrote the commanding general of the armies in Virginia :

" I have agreed with General Joseph E. Johnston for a temporary cessation of active hostilities, to lay before our government at Wash- ington the agreement made between us, with the full sanction of Mr. Davis and in the presence of Mr. Breckinridge."

His messenger reached Washington on the 2ist of April, and de- livered his despatches to General Grant. You represented General Grant as coming to General Sherman's relief, from which those not acquainted with the history of the case would suppose that he ap- proved the agreement. When you made this statement you must have known that General Grant condemned General Sherman's act before consulting either President Johnson or Secretary Stanton. He wrote that very evening to General Sherman, acknowledging receipt of the agreement, and said :

" I read it carefully before submitting it to the President and the Secretary of War, and feel satisfied that it could not possibly be approved."

In the same letter he says that upon his suggestion a Cabinet meeting was called, the result of which was " the disapproval by the president of the basis laid down and the disapproval of the negotia- tions altogether, except for the surrender of the army commanded by General Johnston, and an order for the termination of the armis- tice and the resumption of hostilities." I have before me while I write the original of the following note from General Grant to General Stanton :

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,

WASHINGTON, D. C, April 21, 1865.

Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War :

SIR I have received and just completed reading the despatches brought by special messenger from General Sherman. They are of