Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-06-13
sHERmAN versus STANTON.


ably been the sacred duty of every loyal
citizen. So we have held, and so we have
taught.
Few Of all our noble men have stood |
higher, or filled larger place in the pub
lie eye than the matehless War minister,
and the brilliant General and never,
until recently, have we had any but words
Of honor and praise for either. The ad-
miration of the whole country-yea, Of
the world-has been called forth in view
of the unprecedented executive ability of
the one, and the bold and successful mill
tary genius of the other. And this makes
it all the more lamentable, that at the
very close of their specific labors con-
nected with the rebellion, there should be
personal differences between them, stand
ing out SO prominently before the public
eye.
1t was scarcely possible that there
should be war conducted on scale so
vast as ours, where such variety of mind
and talent was to be called into service,
without many personal difficulties and as.
perities of feeling; but good taste and
duty to the country alike required that
these, so far as possible, should be kept
from the public eye and ear. When,
therefore, Gen. Sherman, in a recently
published letter, descended to the lowest
and grossest personal abuse of the Hon.
Secretary of War, he betrayed weak
ness Of character, lack of self-control,
that the people of this country could
scarcely believe as attaching to the hero
of such grand campaigns and such mighty
battles. And, as if this were not enough
to reduce him in the popular esteem, he
deliberately refused to take the profered
hand of his superior in the presence of the
assembled thousands in the nations capi-
tai, and that on day of rejoicing, when
he and his army were being reviewed, and
when all llpersonal asperities and jealousies
should have been banished into forgetful.
ness. How clearly and openly did he
then and there show that he who could
conquer armies, and call forth the admi
ration and applause even of his enemies
had never been equal to the work of con
quering himself And why all this ebul
lition of childish temper and groundles
rage? Simply because of fancied injus
tice done him by Secretary Stanton, i
the issue Of an order backed by severa
points of explanation, and unanimously
endorsed By The President and entire Ctt5i
net.
And here we take occasion to say, tina
in the letter supposed to have emanate(
from his brother, the Senator, Gen. sher
mans ease is sadly prejudiced both by it
reasoning and logic, and by its Who'll,
temper and spirit; and the distinguished
General may hereafter pray to be save,
from his kindred as well as friends.
The public are quite slow to believ,
that there has been disposition on tn
part of the irsscible chieftain to create
popular and partisan enthusiasm in hi
favor, now, just at the termination Of tn
war; and yet it may not be though
strange if our incredulity is somewha
shaken in view Of such pronouncements a
the following; "As to myself, | ask n
popularity, no reward but l dare th
War Department to publish my ofiicia
letters and reports. I assert that mn of
efaI reports haze been purposely suppressed
0tiIe all The pOaOer of The press has bee
Indignantly turned against me-"
> IT. however, popular favor were h
mark, the shaft has fatally missed it.
In his recently published report and az
companying testimony, Gen. Sherma
adds nothing to his reputation as civ
u diplomat or negotiator; and surely, if b
character and reputation are to be Judge
in history by the spirit and style of thi
report, his friends are not to wonder
u that judgment should be by no NEAR
g fattering. He attempts, in vain as v
think, to defend the very course that I'll
: entire Cabinet, and the Lieut.. Genera
and the whole loyal people, judged fats
b to a safe and proper settlement of ou
difficulties, and seems petulant that all eve
: do not see the matter in the same ligh
But for this persistent determination I
8 make personal issue with his superior
: in the Government, the generous peopI
t who were ever so loud in his praise woul
have banished forever the very memor
t of his well-nigh fatal amnesty blunder.
# We hope fer the sake of his honorabl
+ name and illustrious military record, tb,
e the hero of the Western armies will recol
slider his hasty judgments.
l. AS for Mr.. Secretary Stanton he nee(
y no defense from us there is his record
e the grandest that any war-minister eve
i yet made in history. Let the world reno
e He was man expressly fitted by natur
culture, and experience, for the GRE,
/, emergencies which called him forth
Few men in the world would ba,
proved equal to such a place. With
massive intellect, and powerful physic,
, , frame to sustain it; with exhaustlo
: energy, great resources of power, an
fertility of expedients, capable of grasl
ing great questions, and analyzing the
| aInnast a., L,.:.A.;4. N,