The Northern Pacific farmer., 1880-03-11
GEN. SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS.
Yle Latest Chapter in the Boynton-Sher.

NE Latest Chapter in the Boynton-Sher.
man Correspondence.
. WASHINGTON, February 26.-The fol-
lowing are the spficial Endorsements
upon the charges preferred against
General Sherman for ''conduct unbe-
coming an officer and a gentleman" and
the closing correspondence with the
War Department on the suiect:
Received at the Office of the Secre-
tary of War, January %, 1880.
Brought to the notice of the Presi-
dent February 8, 1880, and, on Febru-
AIRY II, 1880, directed by the President
to be referred to General Sherman.
WAR DEPARTMENT, February 18.-Re-
spectfully referred to the General of
the Army for such remarks as he may
deem proper to make.
- ALEX. RAMSEY,
( Secretary of War.
Upon reaching General Sherman, he
Endorsed them as follows:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED
STATES, WASHINGTON, February 1S-
1he Hon. A. Ramsey, Secretary Of War.
SIR: have this moment received, for
the first time, the communication of
Fl. V. Boynton, addressed to you under
date of January %, 1880. inciosing the
charges and specifications against Gen
erai w. T Sherman, with his volume
marked 'Exhibit B." I recognize the
manuscript document as substantially
the same as has been published in all
the newspapers for the past two weeks,
and herewith return it with the few
remarks l deem proper to make. The
"charge" itself is an insult to my Office,
my past record of public service, and a
name which has stood sixty years with
out single imputation on my honor
or integrity.
The first two specifications involve
purely the civil otfense of libel or sland-
er compressed in the short letter I wrote
him under date of January 16, 1880,
every word of which is true, and which
l am prepared to justify.
AS to the third specification, have
never heard that General Grant or
Thomas or Logan or Blair or any of the
great men, whom he assumes to defend,
have ever appointed General Boynton
az their attorney.
c.Wo the living and to the friends of the
dead, I am ever responsible for every
word spoken or written. yield to no
man in my love and veneration of my
comrades, and have been for fifteen
years on all suitable occasions, their
eulogist. All linen have their good quail
ties and their human defects, and IN &C
counting for the actual events of ter
rible civil war, I was forced, like every
commander OF an army, to account for
actual results. If ever in my lite at any
time Ihave done injustice 10 any per-
sons whomsoever (which deny), will
,cheerfully submit the matter to an UNI
pire and abide by his Judgment. I have
made this proposition again and again,
and will renew it publicly at our next
army meeting. These meetings are
composed of the very men who knew
and felt the causes referred to, and COM
posed the rightful tribunal for the mat
ter set forth in the third and last speci-. !
fcations.
II admit the right of H. V. Boynton
or any citizen to prefer these or any
charges, and that I am always amen
able to court-martial, and am glad
he has reduced his com plants to g. tan
gible form. He has no right, however,
to impose upon the United States the
heavy cost of military trial, of witness
scs from distance, and necessary at
torney's fees. I regard his premature
publication of these matters of scandal
as in the line of his profession, and
meant purposely to avoid the only trial
which is right and proper, viz: in one
otthe many civil tribunals which exist
inthe District of Columbia for this very
purpose.
I beg, therefore, that you will under
stand that I am abundantly ready to
answer, before any court; that, when
month ago this Boynton publicly threat
ened me with a suit, I employed as my
attorney the Hon. Matt III. Carpenter,
who is ready to answer in my name at
any and all times.
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, General.
ALErTER FROM BoYNToN. &
WASHINGTON, February 26.-To Hon.
alexander Ramsey, Secretary Of War:
;S1R-I have the honor of acknowledging
the courtesy of your note of yesterday,