Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-07-25

FOURTH OF July TALK BY GEN. SHERMAN.
At celebration at 5 .lem. in Southern
Illinois, on the Fourth, Gen. Sherman made
one of his characteristic speeches. He dwelt
upon the early history of the country, the
causes of the recent conflict, and defended
his Atlanta Campaign. We quote:
II know that all the world over, there are
parties that deuounce me as being inhuman.
&. That's so'-can't see it.'') L appeal to
you to say if have not always been kind
to you. e. That's SOY L care not what
they cay, but say that 1t ceased to be our
duty TO guard their cities any longer, and had
| gene on stringing out our column, htlle by
little, httle by little, some of your Illinois
regiments would have never got pack home,
and you would have been crushed Therefore,
let go the whole country /, took one army
myself and gave my friend George II. Thomas S
one, and we whaed them both. (Great ap-
plause
Therefore, if Atlanta were destroyed, and
COlu NIB a and Savannah, and all the cities OF
the South had been destroyed, | say It would
have been right, because 1t was necessary to
produce the results in view 1t did produce
the result and now, ladies, you see your
young friends returned 10 you wives see
their husbands. and all are reunited here IN
this handsome grove In Illinois, and God
but ii you are called forth, L know you will
respond quicker than you Gic before, If pos
sibie (Cheers.)
As TO the future, | assure you have been
all over that part of the country which IL
assigned to me, aad L have never yet during
any part of my history seen the country
boxing as prosperous, the grain growing as
we'll the people a5 we'll dressed, 5he houses
as neatly furnished, the tables az bountltully
spread, and that 5CO, away out on the plains
of kans where six years ago 1t required an
escort of two or three hundred men to guard
an officer going 10 pay OF a garrison, and now
| can 90 with single horse away out OF the
limits of Kansas to Coiarado without al
escort, and that, to, IN the midst of long
and terrible war.
SO say that We are prog ressing, We are all
pursuing one end and whether the politicians
statesmen will call tnem-the judges and
the lawyers labor In the pr 3ductlon OF results,
| do not much care. because | know it will
be done anyhow. l say If the farmers anu
mechanics and business men 90 on, attending
TO their own business, the people OF Missouri
viii do the same and Iowa the same-the
same way all over the country-and the poll
ticlaus and the lawyers will be compelled to
adapt their policy TO that end, and that Is the
true thing IN my view TO secure the pros
| perIty of our country.
Therefore Ii Is unnecessary tor me even 10
refer TO the position IN which national affairs
are placed, though l do not pretend to COM
prehend or understand them. Ii not my
task. My task Is to use the force that Is
placed at my disposal to put down opposition
10 the laws quickly and forever. (Applause J
| Whenever the United States Marshai comes
to me and tells me that MS laws and his
power are resisted, and shat he has not civil
power enough TO execute those laws, If |
have soldiers will 90 and make MS laws and
DEGREES enforced and, my friends, il that
rule Is enforced throughout tie land, If the
laws OF Congress are enforced wherever this
flag floats, then are We truth u nation TO
ali intents and purposes at home and abroad
| (Cheers }