Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-06-01

sonal rudeness might affect the public es-
innate of the character and conduct of a
public man but that time has passed for
ever. No human being will think the bet
ter of General Sherman as a soldier for in
sulting Mr.. Stanton but thousands and
hundreds Of thousands will think less of
him as a gentleman of discretion, self-reli.
ance and good sense.
And this would be true if all General
Sherman's complaints of Mr.. Stanton's con-
duct were just. But this is not the case,
nor can he make the American people be-
lieve for a single moment that these COM
plants are well founded. 1t is mere folly
for General Sherman to accuse Mr.. Stanton
Of Intentionally suppressing his official re-
ports for the purpose of damaging his
reputation; and it is infinitely worse than
folly for him to brand the Secretary of
War, and all who with him disapproved
the terms of his truce with Johnston, as
towards, laggards,' mere non-comba-
tants, men who become brave when dan
ger is past and men who stab dead bodies
to appropriate honors for deeds that were
never done' This is mere scolding-and
scolding, too, Of very undigni6ed and dis
creditable sort. General Sherman may
justly pride himself upon his courage and
his patriotism; but he does not enhance
either by branding others with opprobious
epithets.
General Sherman has no reason, in any
public act of his life, to suspect the Secre.
tary of War Of any personal hostility to him
as man or an officer. He has published
bis reports, chronicled and praised his sue
cesses, and given him every possible aid in
the prosecution of his military plans and
purposes. He did disapprove the terms of
his capitulation with the Rebel General
Johnston, and so did President johnson
and every member of his Cabinet, and nine
tenths Of the loyal people of the United
States. General Sherman is greatly mis-
taken if he believes that he can change
that sentiment in any way and his mis-
take will prove disaster if he seeks to
change it by personal menaces towards Mr..
Stanton or anybody else.
The capitulation was felt universally to
be an error, and the Government would
have been overwhelmed with indignant cen
sure if it had failed to arrest and end it on
the instant. If in doing this, terms toe
harsh were used, or less respect was paid to
General Sherman's motives than they de-
served, it would be far more Just and man.
ly to ascribe this error to lack of time and
information, and to the excited and alarm.
ed condition of the public mind, than tC
such paltTy personal notices as General
Sherman ascribes to his superiors.
We hope that General Sherman will pause
before he plunges into the mad crusade
which some who claim to be his friends are
preparing for him. He has won reputa
tion which nothing but his own mistake.
can mar. The history of the last four year,
is full of warming upon this very point
No General ever yet relied in vain upon tn,
American people for the full redress of in
Justice and wrong; and no one ever at
tempted to exalt his own claims above thu
authority of the Government, without be
ing made to feel that individuals are grea
only from the greatness of their devotion t,
the public good.