The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-05-18
Important Letter from Gen. Sher-
man-His views on the War and

Important Letter from Gen. Sher-
man-His views on the War and
the Present Situation,
The Legislature Of 1.ouisiana having
passed resolutions of thanks 20 Gen.
Sherman and his army, the General has
responded in the following letter, which
is important as showing the views Of that
distinguished commander:
HEADQUARTERS Mt. Div. OF THE Mss
/ In rig FiELD,
G LpsboRo, n. c., April 5, 1868
To his Er:c'ieFcg Mieicl Hahn, Cor.
erRor If Louisiana, Nsc Orleans:
DEAE SIR: Ihad the honor 70 receive
your letter Of March 8 u, enclosing the
cngrosscd COPY OF the resolutions at the
Legislature OF Louisiana approved March
81. 1868. wall publish them in general
orders OF the army, and think that it will
be source cl pride for the officers and
men TO see the deep interest that is felt
in them by the constituted authorities Of
your favored State.
thSnk YOU kindly Cor recalling TO me
the events that ATTENDED me at AloNan.
drlu, at the outset OF this war. No man
actually present at the South can com.
prohcnd the tolls and snarrs laid Ivy old,
willy, aud m:schi,yuu traitors to cnsnare
the young and creduluus. Truth was
perverted, prriudiccs Eindlcd into wild
passion, aud false pride bcgottcu, cal.
ruidtcd TO mislcad the youth aud even
old men into a belief that the who'll
fabric Of our Government was weak and
,Ott,ring, aud was about TO TALL with q
crosh that would ruin all VINO clung 10 it,
fortunes. cannot pretend TO superior
wisdom, hut In the retirement of the piuc
woods OF Rapids Parish, my diy dreams
stllrestcd ON the high seas, in California,
on the broad plains of Kansas, I, Q
majestic Valley of the Mississippi ii aad the
Atlantic slopes with their busy, indus.
trious people, whore had roycd in for
mcr days; everywhere realizing the TACT
that our geacral Government was kind
aud patcrnal, and that its ftrlts, IL any,
arose from an excess Of leuicncy aud
forbcarance, and could not be made to
bcliav, that it shJulI yield the destiny
OF our future TO the guidance of the fcw
Disconnected dcmagogucs of the South,
or its conceitcd cotton planters or negro
owners.
| am willing 10 say, however, that
regard the Constitution as a bargain; that
We Of the North should respect slave
property without going into its abstract,
merits Of defects; aud had the Southern
people abidcd by the common laws aud
tribunals, would have fought to maintain
such property; but the moment they
Ignored the contract aud appealed to war,
we were no longer bound in law or honor
to respect that obnoxious species Of
property. As soon Us war is.ovcr, be.
!cvr that good men can rc-adiust the
affairs of the country so that slaves will
never again be bought aud sold, anu yet
the labor of all be directed again to the
development of the vast agricultural
wealth that lies in the fertile fields of tIp
South. Accept my hearty thanks FOR
considering me still citizen OF Louisiana,
aud | beg you TO foster aud encourage all
its native population to adapt their
thoughts and feelings to the new order OF
things, which will soon effect the dread
ravages of war, aud make Louisiana once
more the safe guardian of the outlet Of
the mighticst river on earth.
With great respect, your friend aud
servant
. w. 7. SHERMAN, Mai. Gen.