was lost, and that it would be murder for him to allow any more conflicts; but he asked me to help him all I could to prevent his army and people breaking up into guerrilla bands. I deemed that so desirable, that I did make terms, subject to the approval of the President, which may be deemed too liberal. But the more I reflect, the more satisfied I am that by dealing with the people of the South magnanimously we will restore four-fifths of them at once to the condition of good citizens, leaving us only to deal with the remainder. But my terms were not approved, and Johnston's present surrender only applies to the troops in his present command, viz., east of Chattahoochee.

The boat is in motion, and I write with great difficulty, and will wait a more convenient season to give you fuller details."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE REJECTED AGREEMENT.

ON the 22d day of April the secretary of war, Mr. Stanton, caused to be prepared and published in the daily newspapers of the city of New York the following bulletin :

"MAJOR-GENERAL DIX, New York:

Yesterday evening a bearer of dispatches arrived here from General Sherman. An agreement for a suspension of hostili-. ties, and a memorandum of what is called 'a basis of peace,' had been entered into on the 18th instant, by General Sherman with the rebel General Johnston, the rebel General Breckinridge being present at the conference.

"A cabinet meeting was held at eight o'clock in the evening, at which the action of General Sherman was disapproved by the President, by the secretary of war, by General Grant, and by every member of the cabinet. General Sherman was ordered to resume hostilities immediately, and he was directed that the instructions given by the late President, in the following telegram, which was penned by Mr. Lincoln himself, at the Capitol, on the night of the 3d of March, were approved by President Andrew Johnson, and were reiterated to govern the action of military commanders.

"On the night of the 3d of March, while President Lincoln and his cabinet were at the Capitol, a telegram from General Grant was brought to the secretary of war, informing him that General Lee had asked for a conference to make arrangements for terms of peace. The letter of General Lee was published in a message of Davis to the rebel Congress. General

Grant's telegram was submitted to Mr. Lincoln, who, after pondering a few minutes, took up his pen, and wrote with his own hand the following reply, which he submitted to the secretary of state and the secretary of war. It was then dated, addressed, and signed by the secretary of war, and telegraphed to General Grant.

“ ́LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT:

"WASHINGTON, March 3, 1865-12.30 P. M.

"The President directs me to say to you that he wishes you to have no conference with General Lee, unless it be for the capitulation of General Lee's army, or some minor and purely military matters. He instructs me to say you are not to decide or confer upon any political questions. Such questions the President holds in his own hands, and will submit them to no military conference or conditions. Meantime you are to press to the utmost your military advantages.

"EDWIN M. STANTON,
"Secretary of War.'

"The orders of General Sherman to General Stoneman to withdraw from Salisbury and join him, will probably open the way for Davis to escape to Mexico, or Europe, with his plunder, which is reported to be very large, including not only the plunder of the Richmond banks, but previous accumulations. A dispatch received by this department from Richmond says:

"It is stated here by respectable parties, that the amount of specie taken south by Jefferson Davis and his partisans is very large, including not only the plunder of the Richmond banks, but previous accumulations. They hope, it is said, to make terms with Sherman, or some other Southern commander, by which they will be permitted, with their effects, including the gold plunder, to go to Mexico or Europe. Johnston's negotiations look to this end.'

"After the cabinet meeting last night, General Grant started for North Carolina, to direct future operations against Johnston's army.

"EDWIN M. STANTON,
"Secretary of War.'

To this dispatch was appended in the newspapers the following remarks:

"It is reported that this proceeding of General Sherman was disapproved for the following, among other reasons :—

"First. It was an exercise of authority not vested in General Sherman, and on its face shows that both he and Johnston knew that General Sherman had no authority to enter into any such arrangement.

"Second. It was an acknowledgment of the rebel govern

ment.

"Third. It is understood to re-establish rebel State governments that had been overthrown at the sacrifice of many thousands of loyal lives and immense treasure, and placed arms and munitions of war in the hands of rebels, at their respective capitals, which might be used as soon as the armies of the United States were disbanded, and used to conquer and subdue loyal States.

"Fourth. By the restoration of the rebel authority in their respective States, they would be enabled to re-establish slavery.

"Fifth.—It might furnish a ground of responsibility, by the Federal Government, to pay the rebel debt, and certainly subjects loyal citizens of the rebel States to debts contracted by rebels in the name of the States.

"Sixth. It put in dispute the existence of loyal State governments, and the new State of Western Virginia, which had been recognized by every department of the United States Government.

"Seventh.--It practically abolished the confiscation laws, and relieved rebels of every degree who had slaughtered our people from all pains and penalties for their crimes.

Eighth. It gave terms that had been deliberately, repeatedly, and solemnly rejected by President Lincoln, and better terms than the rebels had ever asked in their most prosperous condition.

"Ninth. It formed no basis of true and lasting peace, but relieved the rebels from the pressure of our victories, and left them in condition to renew their effort to overthrow the United States Government, and subdue the loyal States, whenever

their strength was recruited, and any opportunity should offer."

The agreement between General Sherman and General Johnston was in perfect accord with President Lincoln's policy at that time, so far as it was known to his generals or the public. The telegram dated 3d of March, and sent by Mr. Stanton to General Grant, was a special instruction intended to govern the conduct of General Grant alone at that particular time and in that particular case. It was not communicated to General Sherman for his guidance, and was wholly unknown to him. Whatever may have been the reasons for that instruction, it was entirely ignored a month afterwards by Mr. Lincoln himself. After Lee's surrender, Mr. Lincoln concluded to recognize the existing Legislature of Virginia, and authorized the then military commandant at Richmond to permit it to assemble. On the 6th day of April, while at City Point, he made this memorandum and handed it to Senator Wilkinson, who delivered it to General Weitzel on the 7th :

"MAJOR-GENERAL WEITZEL, Richmond, Virginia:

"It has been intimated to me that the gentlemen who have acted as the Legislature of Virginia, in support of the rebellion, may now desire to assemble at Richmond and take measures to withdraw the Virginia troops and other support from resistance to the General Government. If they attempt it, give them permission and protection, until, if at all, they attempt some action hostile to the United States, in which case you will notify them, give them reasonable time to leave, and at the end of which time arrest any who remain. Allow Judge Campbell to see this, but do not make it public.

"Yours, etc.,

"A. LINCOLN."

General Weitzel, so authorized, approved a call for the meeting of the Legislature at Richmond on the 11th. The call was in these words :