[Circular.]
Mr. Hunter to Mr.
Adams
No. 1377.]
Department of State,
Washington,
April 24, 1865.
Sir: The obsequies of the late President took
place on the 19th instant, and were attended by all those demonstrations
of universal and profound respect for the memory of the deceased which
might have been expected from a people in whose affections he held so
high a place, and whose life had been taken by the dastardly hand of the
assassin. The public press will have given you a detailed account of the
impressive ceremonies.
I append to this despatch an extract from the Washington Intelligencer,
giving the latest official information from Major General Sherman, from
which you will learn that the propositions from the insurgent
authorities, referred by him to President Johnson, have not been
approved. It also contains the latest information from Mobile.
Surrat and two others of the conspirators have been traced to Canada, and
the police and other authorities are now in pursuit of them.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
W. HUNTER, Acting
Secretary.
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Same, mutatis mutandis, to all our principal
ministers in Europe]
[From the National Intelligencer
of April 24,
1865.]
[Untitled]
War Department,
Washington, D. C.
April 22—10 p. m.
Major General John A. Dix, New York:
Yesterday evening a bearer of despatches arrived from General
Sherman. An agreement for a suspension of hostilities, and a
memorandum of what is called a basis for 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
requested an interview or conference, to make an arrangement for
terms of peace. The letter of General Lee was published in a message
of Davis to the rebel
[Page 329]
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:
President’s Lincoln’s
instructions.
“Washington,
March 3, 1865—12. 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 on some minor and purely military matter. He
instructs me to say that you are not to decide, discuss, or confer
upon 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.
“EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of
War.
“Lieutenant General Grant.”
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 despatch received by this department
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 General
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 that end.
After the cabinet meeting last night, General Grant started for North
Carolina, to direct operations against Johnston’s army.
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of
War.
Memorandum, or basis of agreement, made
this 18th day of April, A. D. 1865,
near Durham Station, in the State of North
Carolina, by and between General Joseph E. Johnston, commanding
confederate army, and Major General W. T. Sherman, commanding
army of the United States, in the State of North Carolina, both
being present.
1. The contending armies now in the field to maintain the status quo until notice is given by the
commanding general of any one to its opponent, and reasonable time,
say forty-eight hours, allowed.
2. The confederate armies now in existence to be disbanded, and
conducted to their several State capitals, therein to deposit their
arms and public property in the State arsenal, and each officer and
man to execute and file an agreement to cease from acts of war, and
to abide the action of both State and federal authorities. The
number of arms and munitions of war to be reported to the Chief of
Ordnance at Washington city, subject to the future action of the
Congress of the United States, and in the mean time to be used
solely to maintain peace and order within the borders of the States
respectively.
3. The recognition by the Executive of the United States of the
several State governments, on their officers and legislatures taking
the oath prescribed by the Constitution of the United States; and
where conflicting State governments have resulted from the war, the
legitimacy of all shall be submitted to the Supreme Court of the
United States.
4. The re-establishment of the federal courts in the several States,
with powers as defined by the Constitution and laws of Congress.
5. The people and inhabitants of all these States to be guaranteed,
so far as the Executive can, their political rights and franchise,
as well as their rights of person and property, as. defined by the
Constitution of the United States, and of the States
respectively.
6. The executive authority of the government of the United States not
to disturb any of the people by reason of the late war, so long as
they live in peace and quiet and abstain from acts of armed
hostility, and obey the laws in existence at the place of their
residence.
7. In general terms, the war to cease, a general amnesty, so far as
the Executive of the United States can command, on the condition of
the disbandment of the confederate armies, distribution of the arms,
and the resumption of peaceable pursuits by the officers and men
hitherto composing said armies.
Not being duly empowered by our respective principals to fulfil these
terms, we individually and officially pledge ourselves to promptly
obtain an answer thereto, and to carry out the above programme.
W. T. SHERMAN,Major General, commanding
Army U. S. in N. C.
J. E. JOHNSTON, General, commanding C. S.
A. in N. C.
[Page 330]
Disapproval and reasons therefor.
It is reported that this proceeding of General Sherman was
disapproved for the following among other reasons:
1. 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.
2. It was a practical acknowledgment of the rebel government.
3. It undertook to re-establish the rebel State governments that had
been overthrown at the sacrifice of many thousand loyal lives and
immense treasure, and placed the arms and munitions of war in the
hands of the 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 the loyal States.
4. By the restoration of the rebel authority in their respective
States, they would be enabled to re-establish slavery.
5. It might furnish a ground of responsibility by the federal
government to pay the rebel debt, and certainly subjects the loyal
citizens of rebel States to the debt contracted by rebels in the
átate.
6. It would put in dispute the existence of loyal State governments
and the new State of West Virginia, which has been recognized by
every department of the United States government.
7. It practically abolished the confiscation laws, and relieved the
rebels of every degree, who had slaughtered our people, from all
pains and penalties for their crimes.
8. 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.
9. 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 efforts to overthrow the United States
government and subdue the loyal States whenever their strength was
recruited and any opportunity should offer.
[Untitled]
War Department,
Washington,
April 22, 1865.
Major General Dix, New York:
In a despatch dated at Mobile, five o’clock p. m., April 24, Major
General Canby reports as follows.
“We find in Mobile and its defences, on the west side of the bay,
over one hundred and fifty guns, and a very large amount of
ammunition and supplies of all kinds and about one thousand
prisoners. Inventories are now being taken, and a detailed report
will be forwarded as soon as they are completed. The quantity of
cotton will probably reach thirty thousand bales, and there is a
large amount of provisions and forage.”
Major General Hancock reports that nearly all of Mosby’s command have
surrendered, including nearly or quite all of the officers, except
Mosby himself. Some of Mosby’s own men are hunting him, for a reward
of two thousand dollars, offered for him by General Hancock, who has
heen directed to establish his headquarters at Washington.
The counties of Prince George, Charles, and St. Mary’s, Maryland have
during the whole war been noted for hostillity to the governmental
its protection to rebel blockade-runners, rebel spies, and every
species of public enemy. The murderers of the President harbored
there before the murder, and Booth fled in that direction. If he
escapes, it will be owing to rebel accomplices in that region. The
military commander of the department “will speedily take measures to
bring the rebel sympathizers and accomplices in murder to a sense of
their criminal conduct.
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of
War,
