The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-24
A PROMISING CONTROVERSY.

IL Is quite evident tuAb bHb 1fb'lhi vi VIC
Army Ia not one Of the sort OF men that desire
their opponents to do all the book making.
He has never been known to enter the some
what familiar appeal: 80 that mine enemy
might write - book r On the contrary, 1t is
pretty clear that he would prefer to do the
most OF the writing as well 30 the talking
himself especially In matters concerning the
Sherman family In general and William Tt-
cumseh In particular. But for that matter
talking as well as writing seems to run In the
Sherman blood. and may be regarded more In
the light of an inherited than an acquired
gift. 1t, therefore, happened when the civil
war ended that the military branch OF the
Shermans felt 1t incumbent upon him to
years of unpleasantness, such as might be of
value to the historians OF the future. In do
Ing so he merely followed some illustrlous
precedente prominent among which may be
mentioned the great Austrian diplomat, Prince
Metternich. whose memoirs have lately been
given to the world. The precedence In this in
stance, however, ends with the writing uf the
m moirs; for while Metternich positively
forbade the publication of his until twenty
five years after his death, Sherman sent his
to the press at once and thus enjoyed the
satisfaction of "seeing himself in print" as
h wished others might see him. Having
thus forestalled his enemies In the matter of
writing and publishing his memoirs, he,
without doubt considered himself as master
OF the situation, overlooking the fact that
carplng critics were sure to arise who would
consider his literary contributions legitimate
eynsr ffsr tow
OF tho Sherman memoirs" was Gen
Ii. V. Boynton. the well-known cor
respondent OF the Cincinnati Gazette, who,
having received a military educa-
ton and served throughout the civil
war; was presumed to possess peculiar quail
fications for the task. After reading the book
Gen. Boynton claimed to have discovered
numerous inaccuracies, which subsequently
q to an extensive review, wherein he handled
the memoirs of the General OF the Army with
out gloves. This review, which was published
la book form, received wide circulation and
gave great offense to Gen. Sherman, who re-
Gently took occasion to express some very un-
complimentary opinions OF Boynton to the
Washington correspondent of an Ohio news
paper. among which the following may be
cited as examples
B1yntons garhIne of the Confederate records
W u most Daipable and shameless. But what
could YOU expect from the MAJ? Fv,ryb tdy
Knows him 70 bsa notorious plauderer Yon
g 1uld hire him to do anything for money.
man Of character and a
Christian. bah He is entirely wi hout charac-
ter. why Tor $1,000 he would SANDER his own
mother
These utterances having been reproduced
In q Washington newspaper, Gen. Boynton
on the seventeenth instant, publishes card,
In which he asks the privilege of saying to
Gen. Sherman and SO many OF the public as
take an interest In the matter: II will select
tribunal and form Of action, which, without
lnilicting any personal indignity, will afford
him ample opportunity to establish the truth
OF his charges; or III he fail, will exhibit him
to all the world as reckless slanderer." It
Is. therefore, quite likely when the court
comes to investigate the charges against
Boynton It will be called upon to look some
what into the history OF the great rebellion as
cnronlcled by Sherman la his memoirs. In
which event the public may have the
satisfaction Of being informed more def
nitely as to the military pretensions
OF the General Of the Army. While 1t Ia
very awkward for Gen. Sherman to be called
upon to verify his historical statements. It
Will afford him an opportunity to silence
charges of similar nature In the future and
guarantee him quiet and peaceful ending OF
somewhat busy and eventful career. If.
however, he should fail to establish bis
charges against Gen. Boynton, as we'll as to
olsprove the latters charges against himself |
ne will have the satisfaction OF knowing that |
II cannot anect his tenure Of office, and that
even II slightly disfigured" In the contest,
ne may consider himself still In the ring" as
General OF the Army, with princely salary |
ana a faint prospect of being the brother OF |
the next President.