The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-04-30

would advise the commanding officers
at Huntsville, and such other towns as are
occupied by our troops, to assemble the in
habitants and explain to them these plain.
self-evident propositions, and tell them
that 1t is for them nOs0 to say whether thew
and their children shall inherit the beautf.
full land, which, by the accident of nature.
has fallen to their share. The Government
of the United States has in North Alabama
any and all rights which they choose to en-
force in war, to take their lives. their
homes, their lands, their everything. be-
cause they cannot deny that war does ex.
ist there, and war is simply power unre-
stra1ned oy constitution or compact. If
they want eternal war, we'll and good-we
will accept the issue and dispossess them.
and put our friends in possession. know
thousands and millions of COED people
who, at simple notice, would come to North
Alabama and accept the elegant houses
and plantations now here. IF the people
Of Huntsville think different, let them per-
sast in war three years longer, and then
ago. by little reflection and patience.
they could have had hundred years Of
peace and prosperity, but they preferred
war; very well, last year they could have
saved their slaves, but now it is too late
all the powers of earth cannot restore to
them their slaves any more than their
dead grandfathers. Next year their lands
wlli De taken; for in war we can take them,
and riOhtfutly, too, and in another wear
they may beg in vain for their lives. A
people who will persevere in war beyond
certain limit, ought to know the cOpse.
Quences. Many, many people, with less
pertinacity than the South, have been
wiped out Of national existence.
Ny own belief is that even now the nom
n 10 MI inn O1 ~~E
atlng from their associates in war. Already
hear elimination. Those who have prop
erty left shonld take warning in time.
Since / have come down here, have seen
many Southern planters who now hire their
negroes, and acknowledge they knew not
the earthquake they were to make by ap-
Healing 70 secession. They thought that
that they could part in peace. They now
zee that We are bound together as one ma
ton, by indissoluble ties, and that any in
terest or any people, that set themselves I'D
in antagOnism to the nation, must perish.
While would not remit one jot or title
Of our nations rights, in peace or war, do
make allowances for past political errors
gress and Supreme Courts are the proper
arenas in which to discuss conflicting opin-
ions, and not the battlefield.
You may not hear from me again, and il
you think it will do any good, call the peo-
pie together, aud explain these, my views.
You may even read to them this letter, and
let them use it, go as TO prepare them for
my coming.
To those who submit to the rightful law
and authority, all gentleress and forbear-
ance, but to the petulant and persistent Sc
cessionists, why, death is mercy, and the
quicker be or she is disposed OF, the better.
Satan. and the rebellious saints Of heaven,
- r.
hell, merely to swell their just punishment.
To such as would rebel against a govern
ment SO mild and just as ours was in peace,
q punishment equal would not be unjust.
We are progressing well In this quarter.
Though have not changed my opinion
that we may soon assume the existence of
our National Government, yet years will
pass before rufianism, murder and rob-
berry will cease to afiiict this region Of our
country. Truly your friend,
(Signed) w. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General Commanding.