The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-09-20
Soldiers in the South.
THE VIEWS OF GENERAL SHERMAN.

| WASHINGTON, Sept ID. The nneasiness re
ported to exist in some sections OF the South
| ern States is at present a subject of considera
| bic discussion in army circles here. Gen
| Sherman in conversation, has expressed thu
opinion that it would be far better to leave the
preservation of order under the direction O.
the civil authorities of those States, if willing
to use it, and to employ the army merely as
subsidiary. He says in time of peace. and
under the laws as they stand, the army can dc
nothing towards coercing pacifcation of the
disturbing clements. The army, he says, can
arrest, but can neither try criminal nor
punish him. After his arrest he must be
turned over to the civil authorities and if ii
-honld happen that tn. trial, which would
have to be by jury, was before a j ~ Of per
sons IN sympathy With tn movement which
prompted the act Of the party accused il
would be folly to expect punishment.
Inc only condition ot things undlr which
the army could arrest, try and punish.
would be he declaration Of martial law III the
disturbed localities. The General was under
the i'm preSsion, however, that Congress had
deprived the President Of that power, and
that, being so, he could not see how etfectiy.
work could be done il the population persisted
IL opposition. OF course. il the troubles
broke out into armed hcstili,ies thu necessities
Congress conld be converted and grant the
necessary money, men and material. The
General does not anticipate any acts of hos
tilitv toward, the army. If the people were
driven to this the forces now in the South
could not take part in an aggressive III we
ment, and it is doubtful. whether they could
even maintain the defensive. Nothing more
is anticipated, however. than the employment
OF troops in making arrests. At this date the
Whole cavalry force of the army j. in the
Indian country or on the Mexican frontier
The artillery, numbering trihe above three
thousand men, is IN the seabori, g,rrsonng
the principal forts: and of the twenty-five
regiments OF infantry egh. are in the South
distributed as follows: The second in Georgia.
Alabama and Tennessee; the third in the De.
partment of the Cult: the tenth in Texas: the
eleventh in Texas and the. IAdan country. the
sixteenth III Tennessee. Kentucky, MISSISSIPPI
ri and Arkansas: the eighteenth in South
Carolina and Georgia: the twenty-fourth IN
Texas, and the twenty fifth in Texas and the
Indian country.
The aggregate OF this force is abou. .i,e
thousand men. The General of the army is
now making such disposition of this force as
to secure the NEST ctiieen. service in maxim.
arrests. if n ceesary. The strongest force will
be concentrated Ill proximity to the section in
which the civil authorities are less disposed to
enforce the laws and preserve quiet. In Ten
nessee. vince the Governor and the count,
officers have shown an inclination to arrest
aud punish offenders fewer troops will be sta.
toned. The Gener Il is IN ardent believer in
the effectiveness OF the posse contains. and
an honest jury for civil diSturDlu res IN tines
of peace, holding the military ro,s's. ." der
Aler XeSQlt.