The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-05-06
GEN. suERMAN ON THE sourHERs. SIR.

GEN. SHERMAN ON THE SOUTHERN SRI.
UAT1oN. The. late address, OF Gen. .Sher.
man to RSpuRJicantsspolitic9l Club in
New Orleans, .i1' which he hlIqded to
come. OF the leading iquesfionsspf the
day, has been 'sppken;of as remarkable
and signifoapt. i Referring to the sur
render OF Gen. Joe Johnston and tho
Confederate army under bis command,
Gen. Sherman snid:
II believe this Government will keep
on growing until it spreads itself over
| the entire American continent; but in
order to gain this much desired end,
and to maintain onraclves MS free aud
independent republic, we have got TO
show more charity toward each other.
It has been remarked by some gentleman
who has preceded mo that it whs gener:
ally conceded by the soldiers OF both
armies ut the close Of the late civil war
that if tho questions and all matters OF
the settlement Of the differences between
the North and South were left to the
armies, it would be settled ut once, and
everything would become quiet and or.
derly. / SO believed, and, before sign
ston, I called together all the generals
under my commund, and without dis
senting voice they agreed with me. I
believed they surrendered in good faith,
and would have lived up to the very lct-
ter OF the agreement; and, in my opih-
ion, if there had been no Reconstruc.
tion Acts of Congress, and the armies
had. been left ,nt the time TO settle all
Questions or difference between the diff
ferent sections Of tho count try, the peo-
| pie would have at ouce become quiet and
peaceable.
| Tho above We believe to be true to the
letter. The. terms offered By General
Sherman were not only worthy of the
soldier, but the statesman. The spirit
that inspired them was not only mag.
nanimous. butwise; and If 1t had been
permitted to shape tile policy of tue
Government towards the Southern
States. would have effected long ago q
renl comciliation. Probably, in that
event. the Union wonld, at this moment,
be stronger in the affections OF its peo-
pie than it ever was before We believe
also, with General Sherman, that if the
fighting men of the two armies had been
authorized to settle the differences be-
tween the North and South, it would
have been done at once. Certain it is
that those on both sidcs who have beoh
most impracticable since the war was
ended were those who took little or no
part in its hardships and dangers The
reader has but to recall to hia mind the
most prominent Of those politicians who
arc seeking to keep alive the fires of the
late frntricidal strife, and he,will realize
the truth of this statement General
Sherman, who wos probably the ablest
Federal soldier. is type Of one class,
aud Senator Morton of!another. The
most radical enemies Of; reconciliation
of the American people are those who
wore the fleece of the sheep while hos
tilities were being winged, and only ex-
changed it for the tigers skin upon the
announcement of peace.
Upon the matter Of the necessity fol
military rule in the Southern States,
Gen. Sherman expresses himself as op-
posed to it. ~
Let it be borne in mind that this is the
testimony OF the General of the army OF
the United States, WHO has better means
OF knowing, through the reports OF his
subordinate officers, the fucts Of Ku
Kluxism than noisy politicians in Con-
gress. These views are in accord with
those of the most candid and dispassion.
ate observers of events in the South.
and also with the probabilities OF the
case.
Gen. Sherman deserves the respect OF
the country, not only because OF his mi
litary courage. but for his moral courage.
He has the sngacity to appreciate the
true policy OF the Govern ment, il il
would make this country happy and
prosperous, aud the manliness to pro-
claim his real convictions.
Baltimore SIN.
PosTMAsTRns. One of our nntry eS