Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-24
GFNrRAL suEnw~

49, ~ @H @@@m
Rev. a. r. winfield, Camden, ARK.
G. G. Joy. Bolivar, Tenn.
GENERAL SHERMAN.
We make the following extracts from
the speech OF General SHERMAN, at the
late meeting of the officers Of the Army
Of Tennessee at st. Louis:
Ihave often been asked by my fellow.
soldiers, when troubled by the reports OF
the disturbed condition Of things st the
South, whether, after all, our labors had
not been IN vain? Whether we might
not agaiB be called upon 10 repeat the
Genes Of 1858 and 1854? Or whether the
rebels, defeated 10 battle, might not, in
the hurly-burly OF time and politics, re.
gain their " lost cause - and their lost
pride? On these points I feel no great
sOlicitude, but whether I can convey TO
to your minds the same conviction, !
will not say. History rarely goes back.
ward, Snd vents in the past are usually
IS resl As the granite rock on which we
stand, Surely no men ever had a more
glorious aus than We. And never, in
my Judgment, did war so completely full
I'LL its natural office. When We laid
down u arms and each man returned
% MS chosen vocation, not an armed
rebel remained to question the National
authority, and if perfect subOrdinatiOn
and tranquility have not resulted, we
must look for the cause in the nature Of
things, or 10 the civil administration
Of our Government. The former
lays within my province, but
the latter is not a fair topic Of dis
CUssiOu for the soldier, who is sworn to
obey the laws Of his country, dHly en-
acted, and the orders Of his superiOrs.
That questions Of great interest should
have resulted from our wars is to be eX-
Dected, such as concern the rights Of
States, and the rights Of citizens therein.
On these questions you, who were for
merly officers and soldiers, but are now
citizens, should form and express your
opinions Is freemen, unbiased by the
clamor Of the hour, and should leave to
others an equal right, bearing in mind
that there Is room for doubt, and that
men may differ, and differ widely, and
vet be honest but when a conclusion is
once arrived at by due course of law the
subject is no longer an open question for
discussion, but should be submitted to
simply because it is the law Of the land.
Each and every one Of you can recall
periods in your own history, when you
supposed those in authority were acting
wrong but by 3 patient, silent discharge
OF your own clearly-defined duty, you
saw these doubts and conclusions clear
away Ike q mist cloud, and reveal to you
the truth triumphant. So will il be 10
your civil experience, when a similar
acqUiescence in events will produce the
same results.
The invention Of the cotton gin did
more 10 fix slavery upon rs than any
amount Of pr0hibitOry legislation, or q
amount OF anti-slsvery agitation, so that
7 have always felt that both Old Eng
land and New England had much 70 90
in fastening slavery upon Us as a people, I
and should have q Just share in the re-
sp0nsibility for its baneful result. Under
these Influences cotton became a power
i1 the land. 1t WIS proved arrogant,
and claimed TO be king. Il dictated its
terms, and threatened war unless its i'm
periOUs demands were granted. II
claimed the right 70 90 where il pleased.
and 10 extend itself Over lands, such as
Kansas and California, not adapted to it
or slave labor at all and at last it re-
beIled, and set Up a government Of its
own. whose very COrner-stOnes were Cot
ton and Slavery. Nothing on earth
could justify such a rebellion, and I only
mention these facts in the past to show
that others than the people OF the South
were partially responsible, and should
share the natural consequence Of their
own acts. And /, born OF Connecticut
parents, bearing IN affectionate remem-
brAnCe the virtues Of nv honorpd
ancestors, and yielding to no
man il admiration Of the inteHi-
gence, refinement, industry and thrift,
OF the people Of New England, do hon ]
estly believe that they, in common with
all the great North who shared in the
original causes and enjoyed q large part ,
OF the profits resulting from cotton and J
slave labor. should be charitable and lib /
eral il the final distribution Of the natu- [,
raj penalties. II slavery, then, vas the
aus OF o. civil war, or even the =
preteZt for IL, and il children must in j
lerIt the sins Of their fathers, even in the I
third and fourth generations, then none 3
Of Us who trace origin back to the 3
earlIer days of this Republic caue seape J
this mathematical and philosophical
conclusion or, in the language OF DR.. f
- Guilty, then, both Of US in the n
sight Of God, let Us not veX each other =
mutual crimination, hut bear our u
punishment with humility How has c
this punishment been paTtitiOned BY the I
results or the Wer2 We Of the North D.,
have 10 MOURN the loss Of fathers, broth !.
s0Ds, and friends, and are burdened II
q vast atioualdebt, binding on US in /
fact. in law and in honor. never, I hone. b
b. be questioned Dy any honorable man 4.
10 America till every cent il paid. Look !,
10 the South, and you who went with me U
through that land can best say IL they. .
have not been fearfuIly punished. C,
Mourning IN every household. desola- u
ton written in broad characters "
aH|HH cha WHAHA To- H. n
country, cities ia ashes, and fields r
aid waste, their commerce gone. their Z
.ysJem Of labor anuihilated and de- 7
lLr0ysd. Ruin, poverty, and distress .
sverywher~, and now pestilence adding 4
he very c~ap-sheaf &c their stack Of mis- b
her proud men begging for pardon q
nd appealing for permission to raise -
'0Od for their children. her 5,OOO.O0O =
laves free, and their value lost to their "
'ormer masters forever. Hon. ann South fl
gentlemen, gCiH these facts. plain and N
JufDH5ie, eUerylghere staring him iH the 1,
ace, and recorded forever IN the b0OEOf "
"a still boast Of his " lost cause - G.
" speak Of e az language other than Of Ct
ltQHgc and sOTTOU, passes Hy under
funding, and instead Of beiag reUiUed, I
that their lost cause UiH sink dgeUer
ilfIHgg Us time more keenfV probes
ts hidden mysteries and reUeaZs them 10 =
he liQht Of d0V. Now that slavery is
zone, and gone forever, with its unhappy
wrecks left beEind, and all danger Is
jassed, II any set OF men again appeal 70 :
var when they have courts 10 secure =
heir rights q redress their wrongs.
would trust our national destiny again 10 $,
hose grand old national laws which
aised our country through the long. n
ediOus ~yassalsge Of colonization which =
US safely through the Ordealof our =
evolutionary War, made our flag famous H.
the high seas in 1872; led cur con-
armies 70 the gates Of Mexico ia
.S47, and has borne Us gloriOUsly through
our years Of as hard war as ever tested
be manhood Of any people. Let us re- Il
lew, as far as lies in our individual per- 10
that system which Bancroft tells US A
cur fathers before the Revolution. ID
the system which has been revealed ia Il
uCIa the system which combines and d
the symbolic wisdom OF the b.
orient and the reflective genius Of J.
ireece the system conforming to rea- IN
on, vet kludliuE with enthusiasm, ST
ways fastening reform, yet always OF
Conservative; prOclaimiuR absolute )
quality among men, yet not suddenly 81
polishing b unequal Institutions Of p
Jcisty guaranteeing absolute freedom, Q
ct involving memorable restrictions Of q
uty in the highest degree theoretical, ol
Weakening the inner man to a conscious k
ess Of Eis destiny, and yet adapted with "
harmony 70 the outward world at b.
nee divine and human" This system 70
prOfessed IN every part Of our widely th
gtended country, and Graded our free %
1m. With such q spirit p~srvRding all in
lr country M mOre-With our popu- III
ton increasing thirty-three per cent. 10
ten years; with our national wealth sli
sveiOpiDg in even D greater ratio
it'll our frontiers pushing back in every th
rectiOn with farms and villages and
ties rapidly covering our vast national to
lmaiu with mines OF gold and silver Re-
ID iron and coal pouring out wealth NJ
ster THAI ever did the cotton fields Of AZ
e Soutb, with 40,030 miles Of finished