The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-11-21
General sherman on the
Situation.

DclOW VIC ptlbN Nu0 '"e'Vt ~ ''O''
f.the very interesting speech OF
Gen1 w. Il. Sherman, deliyered
before the Society'of the Army of
the Tennessee, at its meeting in
st. Louis on the 18th inst. This
portion comprises what the Gene
raj had to say or the general stu
alton of public affairs, and is, as
far as it goes.a gratifying exposl-
ton of his views He certainly
gives nolaid or comfort TO tho po'
litical enemies of the RcpnbIic, re-
pudiators, rebels or copperheads.
We copy from the Cincinnati
Commercials report:
Ihave often been asked by my
| follow soldiers, when troubled BY
the reports Of the disturbed
condition OF things at the South,
whether, after all, our labors bad
not been in vain? Whether We
might not again be called on TO re.
! peat the scenes OF 1863 and 1861?
Or whether the rebels, defeated in
battle, might not, in the hurry
burly Of time and politics, regain
their "lost cause" and their lost
pride?
! On these points feel no great
solictude, but whether | can con
vey TO your minds the same con
viction, / will not say. History
rarely goes back ward, and events
in tho past are usually as real as
the granite rock' ou which we
stand. Surely no men ever had a
more glorious cause than We. And
never, in my Judgment, did war so
completely fulfill its natural Office
Whom We laid down our arms and
each man returned to his chosen
VOC ton. not an armed rebel re
NAMED to question the national
authority, and it perfect subordi
nation and tranquility have not
resulted, we must look for tho cause
in the nature Of things, or in the
civil administration OF lonr Govern
ment. The former lays within my
province, but the latter is not q
fair topic Of discussion for tho sol.
der, who is sworn to obey the
laws of his country, duly enacted
and the orders Of his Supporters.
That questions of great interest
should have resulted from our wal
was to be expected, such rs con
cern tho rights Of States, and The
rights oi the citizens therein. On
these questions you, who wero for
mcrly officers and soldiers, but ar,
now citizens, should iorth and ex
press your opinions as free men, un
biased by the olam0r of the hour
and should leave TO others IN eqna
right, bearing in mind that there
il room for doubt, and that rAei
may differ and differ widely, anC
yet be honest ; but when Il conclu
sion is once arrived Mt by du,
course of law the subject is no long
er an open question for discussion
but should bo submittedsto simply
because it is the law Of tho land
Each and every one Of you can rc
call periods in your own history
:" when you supposed those in au
thority were acting wrong; but by
a patient, silent discharge Of YOU
own rIy-dednc duty, you saw
| these doubts and confusions cleal
away like mist cloud and revea
to you tho truth triumphant. t. S,
, will IL be in your civil expcriorco
, when similar acquioscnco in e
vents will produce tho same re
suits.
But for a moro comprchenslv,
understanding oi these importan
questions, We must turn from on
mitod'cXpcrionce 10 that Of othor
recorded in history.
DR.. Draper, an eminent Ameri
J can author, has likened the growll
! Of people or Of q nation to tina
, Of tho human body, and has show
that itsintelligcneo aud political do
velopmcht arc governed by natur
Al laws MS clear of demonstration II
, those ofary physical science
/, lie also likens our systom Il
3 government to that OF tho sun
/, which first in the beginning was
nero confused mass Of nebnlou
= matter and force, BY natural op
4 eraLons, II condemnation onsucd
I aud one after another, with muthc
, maticNl precision, orb after orb wa
cast of from tho revolving mass
and u family Of worlds, tho soIa
system, arose.
4, Round The. central sun these 0
bodiont worlds, with all thor sor
vitor satellites, pursue their courses
There was no hanging back in tn
movement, no vagrant, wantol
| wandering, 10 revolt.
Q Through unutlCrablo agcs thi
union was, rs now, an exhibition
of uncomfortable energy, mathcma
tical precision, paramount and pro
dominating Jaw.
.Ho farther pursues the compar
{ ison, that inasmuch as every atom
Of matter has its just influence il
the system, so every State, overy
county, every msn, woman an,
child, and ovory conceivable hu
man interest, has It's just inAuenc,
under our system,
A, But, unfortunately, man, in th,
, individual or in the aggregate, il
!. not q moro passing subject, Though
endowed with vitality capable o
, infinite good, he is Liable to wild,
: ohnrrntinna Nvhi,h nItnn Land him