Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-11-20

j.. w. GHEkAANB
Brigadier General COmmandinlng
Proclamation of Gen. Sherman to the
People of South Carolina.
After landing aud taking possession OF the
forts, Gen Sherman issued the following
Proclamation to the People Of South Carolina
In obedience to the orders Of the President
of these United States Of America, have
landed on your shores with small force OF
National trDops The dictates OF duty which
under these circumstances owe o great
sovereign State, and to proud and hospltabie
people. among whom | have passed some OF
the pleasautest days Of my life, prompt me to
prnc!aim that we have come amongst you with
no feelings Of personal animosity; no desire
to harm your citizens, destroy your property
or interfere with any of your lawful rights or
your social and local institutions, beyond
what the causes herein alluded to may render
unavoidable.
Citizens of South Carolina the civilized
world stands appalled, at the course you are
pursuing Appalled, at the crime you are
committing against your own mother, me
best, the most enlightened, and heretofore the
most prosperous of nations You are IN
state Of active rebellion against the laws OF
vour country. You have lawlessly seized
EnDn the iDTLS. aTSHudiS huA UlhSl t''PClNg
belonging to the common country and within
your borders. With this property you are
in arms and waging rlthless war against
your Constitutional Government. and thus
threatening the existence of 4 government
which you are bound by the terms of a sol
emn compact to live under and faithfully sup
port In doing this you are not only under
mining and preparing the way tor totally
ignoring your own political and social exis-
tence, but you are threatening the civilized
world with the odious sentiment that self
government is impossible with civilized man.
Fellow citizens, emplore you to pause and
reflect upon the tenor and consequences OF
YOUR acts If the awful sacrifices made by
the devastation of our property, the shedding
of fraternal blood in battle, the mourning
and wailing Of widows and orphans through
out our land, are insufficient 10 deter you from
further pursuing this unholy war, then pom
der | bcseech 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. In
deed, can you pursue this fratricidal war and
continue to imbrue your hands in the loyal
blood of your countrymen, your friends, your
kinsmen, for no other object than 10 unlaw
fully disrupt the Confederacy of a great 60
plea Cunfederacy established by your own
hands-n order to set up, were il possible.
an independent government under which you
can never live in peace, prosperity, or quiet
ness!
Carolnians! we have come among you as
loyal men, fully impressed with our Consti
tutonal obligations to the citizens of your
State. Those Obligations shall be performed
as far as is in our power. But be not deceived
The obligation of suppressing armed combi
nations against the Constitutional authorities
is paramount to all others. If in the perfor
nance Of this duty other minor but important
obligations should be in any way neglected,
it must be attributed TO the necessities of the
case, bcsause rights dependent on the laws
of the State must be necessarily subordinate
to military exigencies created by insurrection
and rebellion. T. w. SHERMAN,
Brigidier General Commanding.