GENERAL:Sinceyouleftmeyesterday，IhaveseentheNewYorkTimesofthe24th，containingabudgetofmilitarynews，authenticatedbythesignatureoftheSecretaryofWar，Hon。E。M。
Stanton，whichisgroupedinsuchawayastogivethepublicveryerroneousimpressions。ItembracesacopyofthebasisofagreementbetweenmyselfandGeneralJohnston，ofApril18th，withcomments，whichitwillbetimeenoughtodiscusstwoorthreeyearshence，aftertheGovernmenthasexperimentedalittlemoreinthemachinerybywhichpowerreachesthescatteredpeopleofthevastcountryknownasthe\"South。\"
Inthemeantime，however，Ididthinkthatmyrank（ifnotpastservices）entitledmeatleasttotrustthattheSecretaryofWarwouldkeepsecretwhatwascommunicatedfortheuseofnonebutthecabinet，untilfurtherinquirycouldbemade，insteadofgivingpublicitytoitalongwithdocumentswhichIneversaw，anddrawingtherefrominferenceswideofthetruth。IneversaworhadfurnishedmeacopyofPresidentLincoln’sdispatchtoyouofthe3dofMarch，nordidMr。Stantonoranyhumanbeingeverconveytomeitssubstance，oranythinglikeit。Onthecontrary，IhadseenGeneralWeitzel’sinvitationtotheVirginiaLegislature，madeinMr。incoln’sverypresence，andfailedtodiscoveranyotherofficialhintofaplanofreconstruction，oranyideascalculatedtoallaythefearsofthepeopleoftheSouth，afterthedestructionoftheirarmiesandcivilauthoritieswouldleavethemwithoutanygovernmentwhatever。
Weshouldnotdriveapeopleintoanarchy，anditissimplyimpossibleforourmilitarypowertoreachallthemassesoftheirunhappycountry。
IconfessIdidnotdesiretodriveGeneralJohnston’sarmyintobandsofarmedmen，goingaboutwithoutpurpose，andcapableonlyofinfinitemischief。Butyousaw，onyourarrivalhere，thatI