Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-09-28
General sherman 20 the People of
GeOrEfn.


General Sherman, in his letter to the
Mayor and City Council of Atlanta, who
protested against the removal of the pOPu-
latlon on the ground of its hardships,
makes the following reply, in part, which
is significant in view of the negotiations
which may be nowprogressing in Georgia;
War is cruelty, and you cannot refine 1t;
and those who brought war on the country
deserve all the curses and msledlctlons
people can pour out. / know had no
handin making this war, and l know 1
will make more sacrifices to-day than any
of you to secure peace. But you cannot
have peace and 8 division of our country.
If the United States submits to division
now, it will not stop, but will go on till we
reap the fate of Mexico, which IS eternal
war. The United States does and must
assert its authority wherever it has power;
if it relaxes one bit to pressure it is gone,
and know that such is not the national
feeling.
Thisfeeling assumes various shapes but
always comes back 70 the Union. Once
admit the Union, once more acknowledge
the authority of the National Govern
ment, and instead of devoting your houses
and roads and streets to the dread uses OF
war, I, and this army, at once become your
protectors and supporters, shielding you
from danger, let it come from what quar-
ter it NAV. know that a few individuals
cannot resist q torrent Of error and passion
such as has swept the South into rebel
lion but you can poiut out, so that we
NAV know those who desire Government
aud those who insist on war and its desc
lation.
You might as we'll appeal against the
thunderstorm, as against the terrible hard
ships of war They are ines-isaDleI Hi'I s.,o
only "sy-4lA neople Of Atlanta can nope
to live in peace and quiet at home Is TO
stop this war, which can alone be done by
admitting that it begun in error and is
perpetuated in pride We don't wan't your
negroes or your horses, or your houses OF
your land, or anything you have; but we
do want and will have a Just obedience tc
the laws of the United States. That we
will have, and if it involves the destruction
of your improvements, we cannot help it
You have heretofore read public sentiment
in your newspapers, that live by falsehOod
and excitement, and the quicker you seel
for truth in other quarters the better fol
you.
1 repeat, then, that, by the original com
pact of the government, the United State!
! had certain rights in Georgia which have
} never been relinquished, and never will be
that the South began the war by selzinG
. forts. arsenals, mints, custom-houses, etc.
long before Mr.. Lincoln was installed, anc
before the South had one iot or title o
/ provocation. 1 myself have seen IN Mis-
souri,, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississip
ri hundreds and thousands of women ant
children fleeing from your armies and des
, peradoes, hungry and with bleeding feet
In Memphis, Vicksburg, and in Mississippi
we feel thousands upon thousands Of tht
! families of rebel soldiers left on our hands
and whom we could not see starve. Nov
that war comes home to you, you feel yer!
| difereht-you deprecate its horrors, bu
! did not feel them when you sent carload
of soldiers and ammunition, and moidet
shot and shell to carry war into Kentucky
and Tennessee, and desOlate the home
OF hundreds and Thousands Of good people
who only ask to live in peace at their olt
. homes, and under the government of thei
inheritance. But these comparisons ar
: idle. want peace, and believe it car
be reached through Union and war, and
will ever conduct war purely with view
l to perfect an early success.
Rut nv daa---:.s, when that peace doe
come, you may call on me for anything
Then will l share with you the last crack
, er, and watch with you to shield you
. homes and families against danger iron
every quarter. Now, you must go, anC
take with you the old and feeble; feed ant
nurse them, and build for :hem in NOR
quiet places proper habitations to shielC
them against the weather, until the MAD
passions of men cool down, and allow tn
Union and peace once more to settle ol
your old homes at Atlanta.
Yours, in haste,
W. T. SHERMAN, Msjor-Gen.