National Republican., 1880-02-27

and gentleman, and the closing correspond.
once with tho War Department on the subject
Received Office Secretary of War January
2S, 1880. Brought 70 notice of the President
February g. 1880, and on February II, 1880,
directed by the President to DO referred to
General Sherman;"
WAR DEPARTMENT, February 1s, 1880.
Respectfully referred to the General OF tho
Army for such remarks as he may deem proper
to make.
ALEX. RAMSEY, Secretary Of War
Upon reaching General Sherman, he u-
dorsed them rs follows
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE)
UNITED STATES,
WAsHINGroN, February Is, 1880.
Hon. A. Ramsey, Secretary Of Var:
SIR: | have this moment received for the
first time the communication of II. V. Bryn.
ton, addressed to you under date of January
2S, 1880, inClosing charge and specifications
against General w. T, Sherman, with his vol
ume marked exhibit b. Irecognize this man.
uscript document rs substantially the same as
has hoen published in all tho newspapers for
the past two weeks, aud herewith return il
with the fow remarks l deem proper to
make"
The charge" itself is an insult to my office,
my past record of public services, and a name
which has stood sixty years without single
imputation on my honor or integrity.
The two first specifications involve purely
the civil offense of libel or slander compressed
into the short letter l wrote him under date of
January 16 1880, every word of which is true
and which 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 as their attorney. To tho
living, and to tine friends of the dead, am
ever responsible for every word spoken or
written. yield to no man in my love aud
veneration of my comrades, and have been for
fifteen years on all suitable occasions their
eulogist. All men have their good qualities
and their human defects, and in accounting
for the actual events of q terrible civil war,
was forced, like every commander of an
army, to accoont for actual results. If ever in
my life, at any time, have done injustice to
any person whomsoevcr (Which dcny), will
cheerfully submit tho matter to an umpire
and abide by his judgment. l have made this
proposition again aud again, and will renew
ii publicly at our next army meeting. These
meetings are composed of the very mon who
knew and felt the causes referred to, and COM
pose the rightful tribunal for the matters set
forth in the third aud lust specifications.
l admit the right of H. V. Boynton or any
citizen to prefer these or any charges, aud
that | am always amenable to q court-mar-
tial, and nm glad he has reduced his COM
plants to tangible form. He has no right,
however, to impose on the United States tho
heavy cost of military trial, of witnesses
from distance and the necessary attorneys
fees regard his premature publication of
these matters of scandal us in the line of his
profession, and meant purposely to avoid the
only trial which is right aud proper, viz In
one of the many civil tribunals which exist
in the District of Columbia for this very pur-
pose.
beg, therefore that you will understand
that am abundantly ready to answer before
any COURT that when month ago this BOyn-
ton publicly threatened me with suit l em-
ployed as my attorney the Hon. Matt. II. Car
penter, who Is ready to answer in my name
at any and all times.
l have tho honor to be your obedient servant,
w. Il. SHERMAN, General.
WAsnINGToN, d. c., Feb. 20, 1850.
Hon. Alexander Ramsey, Secretary Of Var:
SIR: l have tho honor of acknowledging
the courtesy Of your note of yesterday iuclo5.
ing copies OF the various official Endorsements
upon q charge and specifications preferred
against General w. T. Sherman for conduct
unbecomiug an officer aud a gentleman" aud
also of your note of the oath instant inform
ing me of tho final action of the President in
the matter.
notice that General Sherman admits the
right OF citizen to prefer these charges, in
which his opinion agrees with the rulings OF
the Judge Advocate. Generals Office.
notice, further, that General Sherman in-
stead of availing himself Of the opportunity
extended to him Of exercising his right to ask
for military court, in which the gross charges
which he publicly made against my character
could be tested, aud where the advantages
would be altogether on his side, sets forth
various reasons why proceedings should be
had, instead, before civil tribunal, as 'the
only trial which is right and proper"
General Sherman also declines, when this
opportunity is offered him, to ask that the
character of his Memoirs" over which he
forced the pending controversy, may be sub
mitted TO military court, in which alone
they can bo effectively tested, and takes the
somewhat novel ground that tho "righttu
tribunal to try the specifications relating to
this branch Of the subject is an army re.
union,
On the other hand, tho President who has
the authority to order court under such cir
cumstances as attend this case, whether an
accused officer does or does not desire it, has
decided that the civil remedies are ample.
That the civil courts are Opsu for the trial of
the crimes orslander aud libel is not q matter
of such doubt as to need high official decision,
But my attempted proceeding recognized both
by the Judge Advocate aud by General
Sherman himself as legal, was for the military
ofIcnse of f"coHduct unbecoming an officer aud
a gontcman," an ohonso not known to the
civil courts.
BY the Presidents decision, no military oili-
Ger will hereafter iniure his army standing, St
least during the term Of this Administration,
by denounciug any citzou through tho public
press in language of tile foulcst abuse, oven
though ho repeat this language to the Presi.
dent in official form. Against a decision which
fully justifes this construction, |, as citizen,
most respectfully protest.
Whilo this decision, in It's terms, is as broad
as the army, the high sense of honor which
always actuatcs the great body Of its officers
renders 1t certain that the Presidents indul-
scnco Will he rarely, if ever, needed by any
officer below its General.
Thanking the Secretary of War for his cour-
,esy from tho first to the last of this business,
am, very respectfully, your obedleut servant,
IL. V. BoYNToN.
Suit for SANDER.
H..