National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-12

finally 81. Louis. Hero In the summer Of
1865, all wero collected together by
AdIutant General Sawyer and Rochester,
properly filed and indexed. At that date
there WAS no such thing as a separate
bureau Of war records, and each division
and department kept Its own papers
Col. Rochester is still living but Sawyer
died at 81. Louis nt his post Dec. p6, 1866,
and was succeeded by Adiutsnt General
w. A. Nichols, who had charge Of these
records till February, 1860, whom ] was
transferred to Washington. and my sue
ccssor, Con. Sheridan, removed the head
quarters of the division, with It's records
to Chicago, whore his Office and most Of
Its contents were consumed In the great
fire Of 1871. Whether the particular LETT
ter referred TO was consumed In that fire.,
/ know not, but do know IL existed in
1865, and believe that its substance will
be revealed when Mr.. Davis supplies TO
tho bureau of war records copies OF his
own letters during tho years ls0i-5.
fool for Senators Brown and Vance
strong personal respect, and believe thoir
action during the war, and SINCE has
boon manly and fair; but thore was cor
respondonCe between the governors OF
states in rebellion with the Richmond
authorities about tho "conscript law, the
suspension of the writ of habaas corpus,
and the uso of state troops" which, IL
published, would be valuable contribu-
tion TO the "history Of our times"
never had any feelings of bitterness
toward tho soldiers of the south who
fought and took oil the chances Of battle,
because l knew the influences which
had made them believe they we're fight
ing for their own country and for free
dom; but toward the original oonspirators
/ did feel wrath somewhat akin TO that
of Mr.. Stephens, in April, 1864, which he
described as enough TO burst 10000 bot
ties. Yet even AZ to them, il convinced
that / have been deceived or "bam-
boozled," shall not hesitate to admit II;
though IL will take moro deninls than
any | have yet heard or seen in print.
have mover been personally acquainted
with Mr.. Davis, because / was in Cali
fornia during the whole period of his ad-
ministration of tho War Department
(1S53.57), but during the civil war aud
since, his name has been used universally
as synonymous with treason and with the
cause Of the rebellion, with its lists Of
hundreds of thousands OF tho bravost
youth Of our land dead or msngled, with
tho necessary wastes and devastation of
property, with an awful national debt,
and with o pension roll of $60,000,000 at
this very date. If ! Am prejudiced
against him personally IL arises from the
fact that he, more than any living man,
has brought reproach on the military
academy and the regular army, with
which he WAS associated from 1924 to
1886, by impairing the fair fame they
had earned for fidelity to their oaths, to
recover which we have had to battle with
an adverse public opinion over since.
Whilst he was a cadet and an army Of
6cer he must have taken the customary
oaths to support, maintain. and defend
the constitution of the United States
against all her enemies and opposers
whomsoever," and whilst Secretary of
War, and Senator In Congress, he must
Gonspire with others as early as
January, 1861, after Mr. Lincoln
was fairly and constitutionally elected
president Of the United States, to destroy
the very government which he had sworn
to defend, and he did set up another gov
ernmont necessarily hostile to 1t. of which
he became the head, and did while prosi-
dent of the southern confederaoy ''chsnge
his states rights principles" the very doc
trine on which he had justified secession
from the United States aud then opposed
state sovereignty. These are plain. palpa-
BILE facts, not likely to be forgotten by the
| probbub bcneIhtlOu OF Iuo uoAt ii over.
/ say, therefore, with full knowledge
of tho consequences he enrolled his
name with those Of Arnold aud Burr, in
stoad Of, as he might have done, with
Washington and Lincoln.
This Is all propose to say at this time.
Meantime the government will, l trust,
go on TO publish the records and corre-
spondence Of the war, both union and
confederate, and can await the result
with perfect composure. The Grand
Army of tho Republic also, with Its 1900
posts and 254,45 old union soldiers, will
continue to meet to interchange their
thoughts, sing their patriotic songs, and
perpetuate the memories and traditions
Of the war Of tho rebellion, quite as i'm
portant and quite as lasting as can be the
more formal documentary history. No
nation can afford to put fidelity and
treachery on par and hope to survive;
and that this government means TO sur
vive and perpetuate its invaluable ad-
vantages, have abundant faith. i will
also append to this letter copies Of docu-
ments, one of which-the "secrep mes
sage of Mr.. Davis of Feb. 3, 1864, to the
confederate congress has never before to
my knowledge boon published. The
original was captured, and is held by O
friend, who claims ii as trophy. am
with great respect, your obedient servant,
w. T. SHERMAN, General.