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.Again I say, give them the most liberal and honorable terms.” Though Porter’s recollected words of Lincoln might not have been exactly what he said, the president’s statement conveyed clear instructions to Grant on the treatment of the defeated rebels.Two weeks later, at Appomattox Court House, the commandinggeneral gave Lee the surrender terms that Lincoln wanted.35At City Point, Lincoln also informed Grant and Sherman that “in his mind he was ready for the civil reorganization of affairs at the South as soon as the war was over.” According to Sherman, “he distinctly authorized me to assure Governor [Zebulon B.] Vance and the people of North Carolina” that, once the war was over, in order “to avoid anarchy the State Government, with their civil functionaries, would be rec-ognized by him.”36 Sherman’s understanding of Lincoln’s policy—or rather misunderstanding of it—became important when, after the president’s death, the general offered political as well as military terms to the Confederate army in North Carolina.As he had instructed Grant earlier, Lincoln did not want his generals arranging a political settlement with the rebels.Sherman’s extraordinary action was quickly reversed in Washington, followed by wild charges that Sherman was in league with the rebels.124T h e L i n c o l n E n i g m aWhen Grant’s forces in early April smashed the Confederate defenses at Petersburg, occupied Richmond, and moved westward to force the surrender of Lee’s army, Lincoln, still in Virginia, continued to press his generals to “let ‘em [the rebels] up easy.” Meeting General Grant at Petersburg on April 3, the day after its fall, Lincoln, according to a member of the commanding general’s staff, “intimated very plainly, in a conversation that lasted nearly half an hour, that thoughts of leniencyto the conquered were uppermost in his heart.”37On April 4, the president made a historic visit to the fallen Confederate capital, where he walked the streets of the smoldering city, received the cheers of the freed slaves, and visited the White House of the Confederacy.The next day, Lincoln met with Confederate Assistant Secretary of War John A.Campbell, a former U.S.Supreme Court justice and a participant in the Hampton Roads Conference.Also present in the meeting, which occurred on board the gunboat Malvern, were Union General Godfrey Weitzel and prominent local attorney Gustavus A.Myers.In the meeting, Lincoln repeated his peace terms—the restoration of the Union, emancipation, and the end of armed hostilities against the government.Then, according to Myers, who a few days later wrote a memorandum regarding the meeting, Lincoln “professed himself really desirous to see an end to the struggle, and he said that he hoped in the Providence of God that there never would be another.” To facilitate an early ending of the war, the president told Campbell and Myers that “he was thinking over a plan by which the Virginia Legislature might be brought to hold[a] meeting” in Richmond “for the purpose of seeing whether they desired to take any action on behalf of the State in view of the existing state of affairs.” The president said that, when he returned to City Point, he would write to Campbell and Myers on the matter.Asked whether the oath of allegiance was necessary to reestablish loyalty, Lincoln replied that “he had never attached much importance” to the oath; however, he would leave the matter to General Weitzel, commanding in Richmond, who agreed that no test should be required.Finally, Myers recorded, “the President declared his disposition to be lenient towards all persons, however prominent, who had taken part in the struggle” and that he was“disposed” to return confiscated property.38After returning to City Point, Lincoln, as had been discussed at Richmond, put in writing to Campbell the “three things” that “are in-T o w a r d A p p o m a t t o x , T o w a r d U n c o n d i t i o n a l S u r r e n d e r ?125dispensable” to peace.In a separate dispatch, the president authorized General Weitzel to permit the “gentlemen who have acted as the Legislature of Virginia” to meet for the sole purpose of recalling Virginia troops from the rebel army.The president instructed Weitzel to “allow Judge Campbell to see [the message], but do not make it public.” Lincoln informed Grant about his directive to Weitzel but indicated that “I do not think it very probable that anything will come of this,.since it seems that you are pretty effectually withdrawing the Virginia troops from opposition to the government.” 39When Weitzel issued the call for the rebel legislators to return to Richmond, Lincoln’s action immediately lost its confidentiality.A firestorm of protest among congressional Radicals greeted the president’s decision.Even moderate or conservative Republicans expressed dismay.Most critics misconstrued Lincoln’s purpose in the affair.They jumped to the wrong conclusion that the president had repudiated the rump Restored Government of Virginia (Union), headed by Francis H.Pierpont, which since 1861 had been recognized by both the president and Congress.In Richmond at this time, members of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, chaired by Lincoln antagonist Benjamin F.Wade, “were all thunder-struck” by the president’s directive to Weitzel.George W.Julian, a Radical member of the committee, recorded in his journal: “Curses loud and deep were uttered by more than one at this infamous proposition to treat with rebel leaders.I never before saw such force and fitness in Ben Wade’s swearing.This false magnanimity is to be our ruin after all
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