The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-05
Defence of Gen. Sherman

BY GEO. FRANCIS TRAIN, IN A SPEECH AT WEST
CHESTER, PA
There are two kinds of men ahoat, positive
and negative. One goes down stream and
nobody sees him the other goes up and all
cheer. Sherman belongs to the positive ord
or. He says anything can float out with the
stiakThg hsn, pOHa laGghtefT,s al ytkiagh, sat
it is only strong fish that swims against
the current. 1t is the salmon that jumps up
the falls. Applausel. Sherman is an entire
man hundred FOUNDER among the pocket
pistol generals. Laughter There is
nothing more contemplate in the American
character than this thinking in battahons--
This forming opinion in masses is disgusting
to individuality. When shall We be able to
separate the goats from the sheep? Laugh
ter. Is it fair for the great general, whom
Europe Endorsed, Asia admired, and America
cheered, to be branded unheard as a mad
man? a usyrper? traitor =? because he
breaches from the new testament instead of
the old? Because ne prefers the doctrine of
the Saviour, which Is love, to that of Moses,
which is force? Because he points out that
the sermon On the Mount does not speak of
Samuel cutting up Agag? Laughter.
Is this distinguished American to be sent
down to infamy because, believing that the
children of Ham have received tor the last
quarter of q century so much attention, he
thinks it no more than fair to look out for the
children of Japhet? Laughter and applause
ls his brilliant campaign under Grant at
Vicksburg, at Port Hudson, and all along
the southwest, to be forgotten? Were his
brilliant victories at Chattanooga, at Atlanta,
and his startling march to Savannah, the
acts of mailman? No. Was outaanking
Hood, outmanoeuvrIng Eardee, outgeneral
ing Beauregard, the acts of an usurper2
Was the taking of Charleston, the capture
of Columbia, of Charlotte, OF Raleigh, the
act of q traitor? [Cries of s'No." Shame on
our miserable forgetfulness of great deeds,
great success, great talents. simply because
he dared to stand by the president in the
coffin as well as at the White House Mr..
Lincoln was merciful SO was Sherman. Mr.
Lincoln did not wish to make a Venice, a
Hungary, Poland, an Ireland in the south
neither did Sherman.
Mr.. Lincoln wished to stop the river of
blood; 80 did Sherman, and he has stopped
1t In spite of the bowling of the Christian
Marass, and Robespierres, who are crying
still for the guillotine. Sherman has done
more by his dash, his pluck, his tact, his
magnificent audaoity, in breaking Lees back
and increasing Davis speed laughter than
any forty generals in the army. Applause
Grant is too noble, too generous, too grand
in his modest demeanor under victory to
slaughter bis lieutenant Grant is not the
"Othello" or the "Iago" in this matter nor
is Sherman the ''Cassius, - otherwise should
suppose that this unmilitary, ungenerous act
was the old Atheuian game of Marathon-of
Themistocles playing out bis second in com
mand, Aristides 1t is pitiful to see gener-
al who has warmed himself in the White
House, and never fred pistol at the foe,
insulting one of the bravest men of the north
Applause. Shame ON Gen. Halleck I'm
like Gen. Sherman. his pen is no more nigh
tier than his sword. Laughter
What has Sherman done? Where is the
boasted independence of the American press,
that they have not pointed out that Sherman
has planted one foot on the American flag,
another on the constitution. and proclaims
that peace shall reign from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande only by the death of rebellion, and
that rebels can only become citizens again by
obeying the laws. He leaves all to the con-
stitution and the supreme court.
He believes that the people of the south
are American citizens when they throw dow
their arms. So does Mr.. Seward. So did
Mr.. Lincoln. Are we to hang thousand
men 2 Are we afraid Shame on the cry, to |
martyrizs those leaders? As christians hate |