The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-01-28

| GEN, SHERMAN's VIEWS OF THE = A
TuRE OF TIVE REBELLIoN.-The following
| letter was written by Gen. sherman, ~ -
ply to certain inquiries from citizen Oh
| Georgia:
HEADQUARTERS Mn. DIV. of THE
MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD.
SAVANNAH, Ga, Jan. :, $50.
". p, Esq. - County, Gto'pG
DEAR SrR-Yours Of the Be- irs:. j. re-
eeived, and in answer to your ibq lries,
beg to state am merely military COM
nander, and act only in that capa ny no1
can give any assurance Or PIECES ai,s ~,
ing civil matters in the future. "hey VIII
be adjusted by Congress, when Georgia 10
again represented there as OF old. "a,
Georgia is not out Of the tlil3n ana
therefore the talk Of "recOnstrE".'on ap-
pears 20 me inappropriate. Some o. me
people have been, and still are. n asiate q
revolt: and As long az they remain armed
and organized the United States nluss pnr-
SIZE them with armies. and deal With them
according TO military law. Blu. rs soon as
they break upthelr organizations and re-
turn to tier homes ! take il they Will %
deal: with by the civil courts. Some Of The
rebels IL Georgia, in my judgment, deserve
death, because they have committed muir
der AMI other crimes, which are punished
with death by all civilized governments on
earth. think this was the course icdi-
Gated by Gen. Washington in reference to
the Whisky Instruction, and like p-in-
ciple seemed 10 be recognized at he time
Of the Burr conspiracy.
As 20 the Uniou OF The States under our
Government, we have the high authority
or Washington, who babe us be ieal-
Gus NnF careful Of il, and the still more
emphatic words OF Gen. jackson, 1.-The
Federal Union, il must and shall be pre-
served" Certainly, Georgians cannot
question tie authority Of such men, ana
~ ,ntyH ynU W
simply fulfilling their commands. Wher-
ever necessary, force has been used 10 car
ry OIL; that end; and you may rest assured
the Union will he preserved. cos. what It
may. And If you are sensible men you
will conform TO this order Of thinCs1r else
migrate to some other country. There Is
no other alternative open to the people of
Georgia.
My opinion Is that no negotiations are
| necessary, nor Commissioners, nor Cen
v-n.;ons, nor anything nf the kind. When
ever the people OF Georgia qUi: rebeiIng
against their Government, aud elec. mem-
bprs of Congress and Senators, and these
go and take their seats, then the state OF
Georgia will have resumed her functions
| in the Union.
These are merely my opinions, hut, in
confirmation OF them, as think, the peo-
pie OF Georgia may we'll consider the .ol-
lowing words, referring TO the people cfthe
recent annual message Of President Linz
/ coin 10 Congress at it. present session:
They can, a; any moment, have peace,
simply by laying down Their arms, ana
submitting 10 the national authority under
the Constitution. After 50 much .ba Gov
ernnaent would not. if i could, maintain
the war against them. The loyal people
wou.d not sustain 0ra,iow i. + Questions
should remain, we would adjust hem by
the peaceful means of legislation, cor FER
ference, courts and vo.es. Opera.ic. only
IN constitutional and lawful char r els, some
certain and other possible questions are,
and would be, yond the Executive power
20 adjust; &c. for instance, the adU'ssioa OF
mem bers into Congress, and whatever
nigh, require the appropriation &. money.
The rresiden: then allu9es 70 ine geaer-
a! pardon and amnesty offered .vr more
than q year past. upon specified and r,ore
liberal terms, to all except certain desicra-
i ted classes, even these being 'stEl within
contemplation Of special ciemeHcr," anti
adds:
II: is still 50 open to ali, b.. the time
may comew when public duty stall demand
that i, be closed and that IN lieu, 70 ore vig-
Orous measures than heretofore E.ay be
adopted"
Ii seems to me that il is time for the peo-
pie OF Georgia 20 act for themselves, and
return, IN time. 20 their duty 70 the Gov
eminent OF their fathers.
Respectfully. your obedient servant.
w. T. SHERMAN, MAJ. Gen.