Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-09-27
GEN. suERM ANS PEN AS MIGHTY
As MS SWORD.

Crusuer.
Under date of September 12, 1864, the Mayor
aud two councilmen Of the city Of Atlanta ad-
dress letter TO Gen. Sherman, appealing to
him TO reconsider his order to the inhabitants
to leave thAt city. 1t is just such syeoPhantic
document as might be expected from people
who have been haunting rebel flags from their
windows In encouragement Of the armed
traitors who brought sbout the worry state of
facts which forces Gen. Sherman to take the
severe step OF which they complain.
General sherman's reply Is not only com
plete as applied to the people Of Atlanta and
the necessity OF executing his order, but It Is
an able state paper in its general application
to rebels everywhere and the rebellion as q
whole. We give II below,
| HEADo'ns M'LIr'v DIV OF THE Mississ. rri,l
In rHn FIELD, ATLANTA, Ga
Jd7ist N. CdLhoun, Meyer. 4 Z. Ra,rion and S. c.
HsDs, rep s'ertins ihs Ciiv Cosaea a Ananis!
GENTLEMEN have your letter Of tho 1lth,
in the nature OF a petition to revoke my orders
| removing all the Inhabitants from Atlantis. III
have read 1t carefully, and give full credit to
your statements Of the distress that will be oc.
| casioned by IL, and yet shall not revoke my
order, simply because my orders are not designed
to meet the humanities Of the case, but 10 pre-
pare loT tuC lutuTO btTuRHleb IN winch mllllOnh,
yea hundreds OF millions, OF good people out
side Of Atlanta have deep interest. Wempst
have peace, not only at Atlanta, but In all
America. To secure this we must stop the war
that now desolates our once happy and favored
| country. To stop war we must defeat the
laws aud Constitution which all must respect
and obey. To defeat these armies We must
prepare the way to reach them In their recesses
provided with the arms and Instruments which
enable US to accomplish our purpose.
Now, l knew the vindictive nature of our
enemy, and that we may have many years Of
military operations from this quarter, and
therefore deem ii wise and prudent TO prepare
in time. Tho use Of Atlanta for warike pur.
poses is Inconsistent with its character as a
home for families. There will be no manufac-
lures, commerce or agriculture here for tho
maintenance of families, and sooner or later
want will compel the inhabitants TO go. Why
not 60 non, when all the arrangements are
completed for the transfer, Instead OF waiting
till the pluuging shot OF conteuding armies
will renew the scenes Of the past month or
course do not apprehend auy such thing at
this moment, but you do not suppose this army
will be here till the war is over. / cannot dis
cuss this subject with you fairly, because
cannot impart to you what propose to do,
but assert that my military plans make h
necessary for the Inhabitants to 20 away, and
can only renew my offer OF services to make
|
, Portable a. possible. You cannot qualify war
In harsher terms than will.
| War ia cruelty, and you cannot refine II
} and those who brought war on our country
/, deserve all the curses and msledictions q peo-
pie can pour out I know had no hand In
max ny this war, and know will make more
sacrifices TO day than any Of you to secure
. peace. But you canIot have peace and q d-
!. visNn Of our country. IL the United states
y submit to division now. II will not stop, but
- 20 on till we reap the fate Of Mexico, which is
D eternal war. This United States does aud must
i assert It's authority wherever IL has power; II
!. IL reaScs one bit to pressure 1t Is gone, and
know that such is not the batio Ial feeling.
This feeling assumes various shapes, but al
c ways comes back to that OF Unign. Once admit
the UuiOn, once more acknowledge the au-
= tLor,Iy Of the National Government, and, In
. stead nf devoliug your houses and streets and
IL ruads 10 the cad uses Of war, and this
le army become al once your protectors and sup
r. porters, shielding you from danger, let 1t come
from what quarter II may. know that few
individuals cannot resist q torrent OF error ar d
passion suCh as has swept the South into re
Ia bclnon; but you can point out, so that we ma!
ty know those who desire q Government and thos,
o. who Insist on war and its desolation.
= You might as well appeal against the thuu
2 der storm against these terrible hardships o
or war. They are inevitable, aud the only wa
III the people of Atlanta can hope once more Il
=, live in peace and quiet at home is To stop thl
war, VIII CT can alone be done by admitting
.er tnat 1t began in error and Is perpetuated II
on pride. We do not want your negroes or you
nd horses or your houses or your land, or any
T.. thing you have; but we do want aud will hay,
III a just obedience to tho laws of the United
n- States. That we will have, aud if 1t involves
IN the destruction of yoIr improvements, We can
p not help L.. You have heretofore read public
sentiment in your newspapers, that live b,
falserooG anu excitement, and the quicker yoI
so n n ha hati 10
I'd you.
10 repeat, then, that, by tho original compac
~ of Government, the United States had certali
ne rights in Georgia which have never been relin
ed quished, and never will be that the soutl
n began war by seizing forts, arsenals, mints
=, custom-houses, &c, &C., long before SIR. Lin
III coin was installed, and before the South ha
e- one jot or little Of provocation. /, self hav
ed seen iu Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, an,
v Mississippi, hundreds and thousands Of wome
:, aud children fleeing from your armies an
u' desperadoee, hungry. and with bleeding feet
i'll In Memphis, Vcksburg, and Mississippi W
ed fed thousands upon Thousands Of The fsmIlie
:. of rebel soldiers, left on our hands, and who
90 we could not see starve. Now, that war come
H. home TO you, ysu feel very difIerent-you dc
he prccate It's horrors, hut did not feel them whel
you sent car loads OF soldiers and ammunition
and moulded shells and shot 10 carry war int
Kentucky and Tennessee, and desOlate tn
m homes of hundreds aud thousands OF goo,
of people, who only ask TO live In peace at thei
he old homes, and under the Government OF thei
ly Inheritance. But these comparisons are Idle
OF | want peace, and believe 1t can only b.
reached through union and war, and vii
lt ever conduct war purely with view to perfec
y: and early success.
~ But, my dear sirs, when that peace does com,
you may call on me for anything. Then will
~ share with you the last cracker, and watch will
:" you TO shield your homes and families agaius
T.. danger from every quarter. Now, you must go
H. ami take with you the old and feeble; feed anI
nurse them, and build for them In more quie
70 places proper habitations 10 shield them aRans
IN the weather until the mad passions Of men COO
down, and allow the Union and peace once NOR
r. To settle on your old homes at Atlanta.
You're, In haste,
z, W. T. SHERMAN, Maj. Gen.