Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-11-22
Proclamation Of Gen. Sherman.

Proclamation Of Gen. sherman.
After landing and taking possession of tho
Forts, Gen. Sherman issued the following
proclamation 49,
To the people Of South Carolina -
In obedience to the orders of the Presi.
dent of these United States of America, l
have landed on you shores with small
force of national troops. The dictates of y
duty which under the constitution l owe to
a great sovereign state and to proud and
hospitable people, among whom have pas
sed some of she pleasantest days Of my life,
prompt me to proclaim that we have come
amongst you with no feelings of personal
animosity. No desire to harm your ciii-
zens, destroy your property, or interfere
with any of your lawful rights, or your so.
cial and local institutions, beyond what tho
case herein briefly alluded 10 may render
unavoidable.
Citizens of South Carolina: the civilized
world stands appalled, at the course you arc
dPPd'iCd ~ tHC NiHhCo yOo ~
committing against your own mother, tho
lest, the most enlightened. and heretofore
the most prosperous of nations. You are
in state of active rebellion against the
laws of your country; you have lawlessly
seized upon the forts, arsenals and other
property belonging to our common country
and within you borders; with the property
you are in arms and waging ruthless war
fare against your constitutional government,
and thus threatening the existence of =
government which you are bound by terms
of the solemn compact to live under and
faithfully support. In doing this, you are
not only undermining and preparing tho
way for totally ignoring your own political
and social existence, but you are threaten
ing the civilized world with the odious sem
timent that self. government is impossible
with civilized man.
Fellow citizens implore you to pause
and reflect upon the tenor and consequent
ces of your acts, of the awful sacrifices
made by the devastation of our property,
the shedding of fraternal blood in battles,
the mourning and wailing of widows and
orphans throughout our land are insufficient
to deter you from further pursuing this un-
holy war. Then ponder, pray you, upon
the ultimate but not less certain result which
its further progress must necessarily and
naturally entail upon your once happy and
prosperous state. Indeed, can you pursue
this fratracidal war and continue to imbue
your hands in the loyal blood Of you coun-
trymen, you friends, your kinsman for no
other object than 10 unlawfully disrupt the
confederacy of quiet people, confedera-
cy established by your own hands in order
to set up, were it possible, and independent
government under which you can never live
in peace, prosperity or quietness.
Carolinians, we have come among you
as loyal men fully impressed with our con-
stitutional obligations to the citizens of your
state. Those obligations shall be performed
SO far as in our power, but be not deceived,
the obligation Of suppressing armed combi-
nations against the constitutional authori.
ties is paramount to all others. If ia tho
performance of this duty, other but impor-
tant obligations should be any way neglect
ed, the necessities of the case because the
the rights dependent upon the laws of the
state must be necessarily subordinate to
military exigencies caused by insurrection
and rebellion.
T. w. SHERMAN,
Brig. Gen. Commanding.