The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-27
Boynton's Braggadoclo Boom
Doesn't Receive Much Encourage
ment.
sherman's Answer to the Charges
And Boynton's Reply 10 the Same.

~ the pLhSo VI tuo oSeSi0bSig VI WhLt Jal
2Sth, 1880, brought to notice Of the Pres
dent February Sd, 1880, and on Februar
18th, 1880, directed by the President to b
referred TO General Sherman:
WAR DEPARTMENT, Feb. IS, 1880.
Respectfully referred to the General {
the Army for such remarks as he ma
deem proper to make.
[Signed1 ALEX. RAMSEY,
/ Secretary Of War.
Upon reaching General Sherman h
endorsed them as follows:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY U. S.,
WASHINGTON, February IS, 1880. J
Hon. A. Ramsey, Secretary Of Var:
Sir: l have this moment received 70
the first time the communication OF H. V
Boynton, addressed to you under date o
January 2S, 1880, inclosing charges ant
specifications against General W. I. Sher
man, with his volume marked exhibit B
recognize this manuscript document Al
substantially the same as has been pub
lished in all the newspapers for the pas
two weeks, and herewith return it Will
the few remarks deem proper to make
The charge itself is an insult to my
office, my past record OF public services
and name which has stood sixty year,
without single imputation on my honor
or integrity. The two first specifications
involved purely the civil otiiense OF libel
or slander, compressed into the short let
ter wrote him under date OF January lG,
1880, every word Of which is true and
which l am prepared to justify. AS Ia
the third specification / have never heard
that Generals Grant, or Thomas, or Logan
or Blair or any OF the great men whom
he assumes to defend have ever appointed
General Boynton as their attorney.
To the living and to the friends OF the
dead, am ever responsible for every word
spoken or written. lyeld TO no man in
my love and veneration OF my comrades,
and have been for ID years on all suitable
occasions their eulogist. All men have
their good qualities and their human de:
iects, and In accounting for actual events
OF terrible civil war, was forced, like
every commander OF an army, to account
for actual results. II ever in my life al
any time, have done injustice to any per.
SONS whomsoever, (which deny) / will
cheeriully submit the matter to an umpire
and abide by his judgment. l have made
this proposition again and again, and will
renew It publicly at our next army meet.
ing. These meeting are composed OF the
very men who knew and felt the case re-
ferred to, and compose the rightiul tribu'
nal.
As for the mattor set forth in
the third. and last specifications, l ad
nit the right Of H. v. Boynton OF
any citizen to prefer these or any charges,
and am glad he has reduced his com.
plants to tangible form. He has nc
right, however, to impose on the United
States the heavy cost OF military trial
OF witnesses from distance and necessa-
ry attorneys fees. regard his premature
publication OF these matters OF scandal
as in the line OF his profession, and meant
precisely to avoid the only trial which Ia
right and proper, namely, in one OF the
many civil tribunals which exist in the
District OF Columbia for this very purpose.
l beg, therefore, that you will understand
that l am abundantly ready to answer be.
fore any court that which a month ago
this Boynton publicly threatened me with
suit. employed as my attorney the Hon.
Matthew Fl. Carpenter, who is ready to
answer in my name at any and all times.
l have the honor to be your obedient
servant, W. 7. SHERMAN, General.
BoYNToS's REPLY.
WASHINGTON, February 90.
To Hon. Alexander RaHsey, Secretary of Var:
SIR:-1 have the honor OF acknowledge
ing the courtesy OF your note OF yesterday
enclosing copies Of various official endorse.
ments upon the charge and specifications
preferred against Gen. w. 7. Sherman for
conduct unbecoming an officer and q
gentleman" and also OF your note OF the
Gath, informing me OF the final action oil
the President in the matter. Inotice that
Gen. Sherman admits the right OF a citi.
zen to prefer these charges, in which his
opinion agrees,with the rulings OF Judge
Advocates Generals Office. l notice fur.
ther that Gen. Sherman, instead OF avail.
ing himself OF the opportunity extended
TO him OF exercising his right to ask fol
military court, In which the gross
charges which he publicly made against
my character could be tested, and where
advantages would be altogether on his
side, sets forth various reasons why pro
ceedings should be had instead OF before
civil tribunal as "the only trial which Il
right and proper"
General Sherman also declines, wheI
this opportunity is offered him, to ask tha
the character OF his memoirs, over which
he forced the pending controversy, may
submitted to the Military Court, in which
alone they can be eiIeCtually tested, anC
takes the somewhat novel ground tha
the rightiul tribunal to try the specilca
tions relating to this branch Of the sub
iect is an army reunion.
On the other hand the President, who
has authority to order court under suct
circumstances as attend this case, whether
an accused officer does or does not desire
1t, has decided that the civil remedies arr
ample, and that the civil courts are oper
for the trial OF crime, OF slander and libel
and Is not q matter OF doubt as to need {
high official decision, but my attempted
proceeding, recognized both by the Judgt
Advocate General and by General Sher
man himselfas legal, was for militar.
offence OF conduct unbecoming an Office
and gentleman, an offence not known Il
the civil courts.
BY the Presidents decision, no mill
tary officer will hereafter injure his army
standing, at least during the term OF thii
administration, by denouncing any citizel
through the public press In language Q
the ioulest abuse, even though he repea
this language to the President ofIicfall
against decision which justities thi
construction, |, asa citizen, most respect
/ fnllv nrotest. Whila this dnci1inn In n
terms is as broad as the army, the hig
sense Of honor which always actuates th
great body Of Its officers renders 1t certai
that the Presidents indulgence will b
rarely II ever needed by any officer belo'
It's General.
Thanking the Secretary OF War for hi
courtesy from first TO last In this business
\ am, very respectfully, yonr obedient SCI
want, H. v. BoYSroN.
4 ParneIi and Dillon.
ST. PAUL, February 96.-Psrnell an