The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-01-12
General sherman and JeGersOn

The letter of General William t. Sher-
man TO Secretary Lincoln, on the subject
of the Hon. Jefferson Davis and his aim in
the management of the Southern Con-
federacy during the late war, has been
made public. II contains number Of
letters and vast amount Of data intended
TO show that Mr.. Davis hoped to make an
independent government of the Confeder-
acy and himself dictator Of it; that he was
so dictatorial all through the war, crowd
ing States in the incipiency of the trouble
into secession, and later preventing those
desiring to become loyal from doing SO,
that he became generally feared and
thoroughly despised.
General Sherman asserts that Governor
Vance and other officials Of North Carolina
desired to take that State out of the Con-
fcderacy but they we're afraid Of Jefferson
Davis and wanted protection. He bases
his statement of fact upon conversations
held with prominent citizens throughout
the South during the war, upon letters ad-
dressed to and written by Mr., Davis which
were captured, and upon an analysis of the
Confederate Presidents movements.
He then goes on to say that he has
strong personal respect for Senators Brown
and Vance, believing their actions during
the war and since to have been manly and
fair. He also disavows any feelings of BIT
terness toward the soldiers of the South
generally.
OF Mr.. Davis, personally, he says
have never been personally acquainted
lNuN dual nl ltrtl tlernr md
since his name has been used universally as
synonymous with treason and the cause OF the
rebellion, with its lists OF hundreds OF thou
Bands OF the bravest youth OF our land dead or
| meDgled, with the necessary waste and devas.
tation OF properly, with an awful debt and
with pension roll OF $50, 1000, 900 at this very
| date. II Bm prejudiced against him person
| ally II arises from the fact that he more than
| any living man has brought reproacn on the
| Military Academy and Regular Army, With
| which he was associated from 1924 10 1895,
by impairing the fair fame they had earned
| for fidelity TO their oathe, to recover which We
have had to battle with an adverse public
| opinion sver since. While he was a cadet and
| an army of1cer he must have taken
the customary oaths to support, main
tain and defend the Constitution of the United
| States against all her enemies and opposers
| whomsoever, and while Secretary OF Wal
| and Senator in Congress he must have taken
similar oath; yet he did consplre with 9th
ers as early as January, 1851, after Mr.. Lin
| coin was fairly and constitutlonally elected
| President OF the United States, to destroy the
| very Government which ne had sworn 10 de,
fend, and he did set up another government
necessarily hostile TO fl OF which he became
the head, and did, while President OF the
| Southern Confederacy, Change his states
! rights principles, the very doctrine on which
| he had justified secession from the United
States, and then opposed State sovereignty
| These are plain, palpable facts, not likely Il
be forgotten by the present generation or thi
| next, II ever. i say, therefore, with ful
knowledge OF the conse1ue euces, tnat he en-
rolled his name with those of Arnold an
Burr, instead of--as he might have done-witl
| Washington and Lincoln.