The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-01-26
General sherman's Views on.the Nature
OF the Rebellion.

General sherman's Views on.ths nature
OF the Rebellion.
The following letter was written by
General Sherman, in reply to certain
inquiries from a cititizen of Georgia.
HEADouAarERs.MiuTARYD DIVISION OF TnE)
MississiPPI, IN Tlm FIELn,
SAVANNAH, GEOnGIA january 8, 1905.
N. W, Esq County, Georgia:
DEAR SIR-Yours of the Sd instant
is received, and in answer to your in
quiries, l beg to state am merely q
military comman"tr and ne; only in
that capacity; nor can | give any as.
surance or pledges affecting civil mat.
ters in the future. They will be ad-
justed by Congress, when Georgia is
again represented there as Of old.
Georgia is not ont of the Union, and
Therefore the talk Of "rccoHstruction"
appears to me inappropriate. Some of
the people have been, and ssill are in q
state Of revolt; and as long As they
remain armed and organized, the
United States must pursue thcm with
armies, and deal with them according
to military law. But as soon as they
break up their armed organizations
and return to their homes, L take it,
they will be dealt with by the civil
courts. Some of the rebels in Georgia.
in my Judgment, deserve death, be-:
cause they have committed murder,
and other crimes, which are punished
with death by all civilized governments
On earth think this was the course
indicated by General Washington, in
reference 10 the Whisky Insurrection,
and like principle seemed to be re-
cognized at the time of the Burr con-
spiracy.
AS to the Union of the States under
our Government, we have the high au-
thority of General Washington, who
bade us be jealous and careful of it,
and the still moro emphatic words Of
General Jackson, "The Federal Union,
it must and shall be preserved" Ger
tainIy, Georgians can not question tho
authority OF such men, and should not
suspect our motives, who are simply
fulfilling their commands. Wherever
necessary, force has been used to carry
out that end and you may rest assur-
ed the Union will bo preserved, cost
what it may. And if you are scnsi--
Bile men you will conform to this order
of things or else migrate to some other
country. There is no other alterna-
tive open to the people of GEORGIA.
My opinion is that no negotiations
are necessary, nor Commissioners, nor
Conventions, nor any thing of the kind.
Whenever the people in Georgia quit
rebelling against their Government,
and clcct members of C0hgross and
Senators, and these 60 and take their
seats, then the State of Georgia will
have resumed her functions in the
Union. t
These are merely my opinions. In
confirmation of .hem, as think, the
pcoplc of Georgia may well consider
the following words, referring to tho
people of the rcbelious States, which
| quote from tho recent annual mes
sage of President Lincoln to Congress,
at its present session:
"They can, at any moment, have
peace, simply by laying down their
!. arms: and submitting TO the national
authority under the Constitution. AZ
ter so much, the Government could
not, if it would, maintain the war
against them. The loyal people would
not sustain or allow it, If questions
should remain, we would adjust them
by the peaceful means of legislation,
conference, courts and votes. Opera
ting only in constitutional and lawful
channels, some certain and other pos
sible questions are, and would be. be-
yond the Executive power to adjust /;
as, for instance, the admission Of mom-
bers in Congress, and whatever might
require the appropriation of money"
The President then alludes to tho
general pardon and amnesty offered
for moro than year past, upon speci-
fed and more liberal terms, to all OK.
ccpt certain designated classes, even
these being "still within contemplation
Of special clemcncy," and adds:
ut is still so open to all, but tho
time may como when public duty shall
demand that it be closed, and that in
lieu, more vigorous measures than here
toforc shall be adopted"
1t scoms to me that it is time for the
people Of Georgia to act for themselves,
and return, in time, to their duty to
the Government of their fathers.
Respectfully, your obcdient servant,
W. 4. SHERMAN, Maj. Gen.