The National tribune., 1881-09-24
GENERAL SHERMAN'S LETTER,
WASHINGTON. d. C.. Sent 10

W WASHINGTON, ID. w. sept ~, 1881.
Hon. GEO. C. GoRHAM, National Republican,
MY DEAR SIR: You and / have been comrades
in civil brois and strife in California, when vigi-
lance committees assumed rule, and we know, or
think we know how good, honest people have
done some acts of violence under an honest con-
viction that they were doing the right thing, and
we believe that Time, the great physician, Will
cure all things to the patient.
/ have occasionally and recently heard the
same arguments on the streets, the same scraps
of wisdom enunciated, and now, at the dread hour,
when our noble brave President is lying in the
very agonies of death at Long Branch, and the
cowardly, miserable wretch Guiteau is covering
in his cell at the public Jail, it to me that
you and [ should in our respective spheres make
profitable use of our past experience.
No man on earth holds in higher esteem the
noble qualities of James A Garfield than myself
| was on the point of starting for Chattanooga
tonight to do honor to the heroes of Chicka-
mauga, of whom he was one most prominent,
but was stayed by the untavorable report from
his bedside at noon, and | shall remain here at
my post of duty till the last moment of hope.
At Chickamauga eighteen years ago, Garfield was
chief of staff to General Rosecrans, whose right
wing was broken back by the vehement charges
of Bragg's forces, and was carried along with the
broken masses almost into Chattanooga when he
begged for the privilege of returning to join
General George III. Thomas, whose guns told him
that that heroic man stood fast with his left
wing. General Rosecrans gave him leave and he
did return, running the gauntlet, joining General
Thomas and serving close to his person till night
enabled them to fall back in good order to Chata-
no0ga. That was General Garfelds last fight,
in which he felt especial pride; and | know that
he intended to be at Chattanooga next Wednes-
day to celebrate the event But it is ordered other
wise for he now lies by the seashore on his death
bed from a wound inflicted by the miserable
wretch Guiteau.
For this man Guiteau ask no soldier, no citi-
zen to feel one particle of sympathy. On the con-
trary could / make my will the law, shooting, or
hanging would be too good for him. But do ask
every soldier and every citizen to remember that
we profess to be the most loyal Nation on earth
to the sacred promises OF the law There is no
merit in Obeying an agreeable law, but there is
glory and herOism in submitting gracefully to an
oppressive Our Constitution reads: NO
person shall be held to answer for a capital Or
otherwise infamous crime unless present
ment or Indictment of grand jury and in all
criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the
right to speedy and public trial by an impartial
jury of the State and district wherein the crime
shall have been committed" This is the solemn
contract Of Government, binding on the con-
sciences Of all. Should our President die the muir
derer is entitled to a speedy trial by jury, and
| hope he will have justice done him.
But it is not my office or yours or anybOdys
except the regular courts of this District, which
are in undisputed power. Violence in any form
will bring reproach on us all-upon the country
at large, and especially Us of the District of
Columbia
All the circumstances Of the shooting. of the
long heroic struggle for life, impress me so
strongly that | would be ashamed of my country
men if they mingled with their feelings of grief
any thought of vengeance. "Vengeance is mine,
saith the Lord"
trust the public press will use its powerful in
fuence to maintain the good order and decorum
which have prevailed since the saddest OF all days
in Washington, July :, 1881. Sincerely your
friend ". Z. SHERMAN.