The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-17

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such papers. | would willingly sup
press them were it possible to do so, hut
IN human nature there is so much OF the
mule left, that prohibition of a newsspa-
per only increases its circulation. the
press is a power in the land. For quar-
ter of century past it had been sowing
the whirlwind, and now we reap lhe
storm. 1t is my opinion that the iree-
dom Of the press to publish mlschiev0us
matter, like personal SANDER, libel, false
statements of facts, or other matter cal
culated to promote assertions In the
army. or designed to give information to
the enemy. should be regulated by
statute law, At present we are going
through the expensive but natural pro-
cess which may result in resort to the
knife and pistol for the defence of repu-
tation. 1t is already demonstrated, we
must use the military power to put down
the circulation of newspapers hurtful to
the public service. ".
"The suppression Of the few papers
mentioned by General Mlroy, would be
something like undertaking to dam up
the tributaries of the Ohio to stop the
flood of the Mississippi. IfGeneral Mil.
roy finds anybody selling mischievous
publications within the sphere of his au-
thority, he might give him a good
thrashing, or put him in the stocks; but
he cannot reach the editors and publish.
ers, who are making money by the pub.
!ication in New York, Chicago or Lou.
isville.
Each military commander, subject
to me, may suppress all disorders and
immoralities in the sphere of his com.
mand as best he can; but my belief is,
the proper remedy is to punish the men
who publish the Objectionable matter, il
residing in his Jurisdiction or ifabsent,
then the party who circulates the papers.
Give good hOrsewhipping to any man
who would dare advise soldier to de-
sert This is all the notice would take
of such things at this epoch of the war;"
SHERMAN ON HORsE-STEALING. -"
General Sherman did not always write
in the vehement style. Some of his let
lets have spice of humor in them quite
refreshing, as the following specimen
will show. The gentleman to whom it
was addressed was a chaplain in the
rebel army, who had been captured at
Chattanooga, and released from capture,
and, as it would seem, was relieved of
his horse at the same time, which latter
fact he felt to be great hardship
and when Sherman arrived at Atlanta
the chaplain applied by letter, sent
through our lines, foran order to compel
the fellow who deprived him of his horse
to restore him, or the General to send
another one in his stead. This was the
Generals's decision, dated at Atlanta, ON
the 10Th of September, 1854: N"I
DEAR SIR: Your letter of Septerl.
hor Nth 10 rnnofunh nn1,
ton involving title to a horse, with
Difference for the laws of war; That
mysterious code, of which we talk SO
much but know so little, is remarkably
silent on the horse He is a beast so
tempting to the soldier--to him of the
wild cavalry, the fancy artillery, or the
patient infantry-that find more diff
Guilty in recovering worthless, spa
vined beast than in paying a million of
'greenbacks; SO that fear I must re-
duce your claim to one of finance, and
refer you to the great Board of Claims
in Washington, that may reach your
case by the time your grandchild be-
comes great-grandfather
Privately, think it was shabby
thing in the scamp of the Thirty-first
Missouri who took your horse, and the
colonel or his brigadier should have re-
stored him. But I cannot undertake to
make good the sins of omission of my
own colonies and brigadiers, much less
of former generation. when this
cruel war is over and peace once more
gives you parish, win promise, if
near you, to procure, out of one of Uncle
Sans corals, a beast that will replace
the one taken from you so wrongfully !;
but now it is impossible. We have a
big journey before us, and need all we
have, and, I fear, more too; SO look out
when the Yanks are about, and hide
your beasts, for my experience is that all
soldiers are very careless in search af-
ter horses" %