The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-20
GEN. W. r. SHERMAN.
He Pats On His War Paint and Sails Into
Charles A. Dana and General Fry.

Interview at Pittsburg.
That expression with regard to the press,
which sou refer to, made use of in the privacy
of my own rooms There was no reporter pres
ent that know of. thought 1 was only sur
rounded by few friends. and in the discussion
over the charges made by Charles A Dana, that
had endeavored to arrange a total cessation of
hostilities by representing to General Johnston
and the rebel forces that I was arranging with
she authorities at Washington for an acknowl-
sdgement of the right of the South to hold
slaves made use Of these words: And isn't
1t true that the power Of the press is
very great and used too often to coeree peo
ple2 It has become 50 that public
man is afraid to express an opinion upon
any subject because of the manner in which his
utterances are so often distorted and not unfre-
quently purposely perverted. Then those peo
pie In Washington who want to secure votes,
they stand in great awe of the press, and dare
not incur it's ii-wil. The absurdity of Dana's
attempt Is too great to be spoken of seriously.
AL you have to do is to refer to my testimony
before Ben Wade's committee, which was APP
pointed in 1865 to investigate the conduct of the
war. Volume VIII of the committees report,
think, contains my testimony, which covers
was made at the close Of the war. when every
thing was fresh in the minds of the public, and
the committee gathered every fact they could
lay hands on.
"Itis pretty thing to represent, twenty years
after this investigation, that was in favor Of
slavery. Charles Dana is very fond Of saying
we think this and we think that He followed
ctr army during the war as spy. 1t was gen.
orally understood that he tolerabie spy.
Dana talks about my favoring slavery. Indeed!
nv ,NAH fhof ~ao4 ,nf le1~
to his one We all know that Lincoln intended
the rebel soldiers should 60 home and resume
their occupations after swearing allegiance to
She government He told me so personally, and
Grants conduct at Appomattox was in the line
of this policy. We all recognized it. both North
ern and Southern men, and Joe Johnston knew
as we'll as did that the Proclamation of Emanci
patton meant the freedom Of all slaves in the
South. The fact is here the Generals eyes
swinkled with mirth] those letters which were
published were written to sound the administra-
non upon the slavery question. You Lin
coins death occurred only q short time before,
and we did not know what the sentiment of the
new administration might be upon this question,
30 those letters we're written as a sort of feeler
as to what the line of conduct of the new admin
istration would be- I could not have q confer
ence with the rebel forces at the time, as they
were at Charlotte think, while Twas at Greens
boro These stories like that of General
Fry"
Has he furnished you with the authority for
the quotations he ascrbes to you: Had C. F.
Smith lived, Grant would have disappeared to
history after Dolelsonq" inquired the reporter.
Yes replied General Sherman, II have Sc
cured the article. The sentence occurs in a let
ter written by me to Lieutenant Scott, having
charge Of the records at Washington. / knew
that could not have written anything intended
as disparagement of General Grant General
Smith was brave officer. / knew that he had
hurt his limb in getting into yawl. The wound
disabled him and terminated fatally. When he
found he was unable to take charge of the forces
he sent for General Grant In writing that sem
tence / meant that Grant had gone down, down,
down, and now the opportunity had presented
itself which gave him a chance to rise by his
own merits If Smith had lived, il
is questionable whether the opportunity
would have come to Grant by which he was
able to bring into play the forces of his charac-
ter. Fry never made q record. He was never in
North Carolina His record is on paper, and to
keep that up he must seek notoriety It is ridic-
ulous to suppose that meant to detract from
Grants fame. The sentence occurs in letter
written, to Lieutsnant Scott. to obtain some
records which 1 desired to use in preparing
enlogy of General Grant, which delivered be-
fore his old comrades of the Army of the Ten
nessee at its reunion in Chicago. on Sept and
10, 1883 This letter was written three days be-
fore. on Sept 6, as 1t was necessary should
have some data. Is it at all probable that l
would seek to detract from his excellence when
was preparing his eulogyf Here is the letter it.
self. You can read it, but will not let you copy
1t, as intend to publish it in full in the March
number of the North American Review"
The reporter read the letter and observed that
passage at its close spoke of Grant as having
rested under cloud from January until June,
1862, which only seemed to strengthen and de-
velop the true greatness of his character.
"You can take sentence from the Bible.
continued General Sherman. land so twist it
that it will seemingly uphold the very thing it
condemns. So that sentence, taken without the
- c-f- - - IL
be conveyed by me. am willing any man with
common sense shall take this letter and pass in
judgment upon it whether it defames Grant or
not. | wouldn't have paid any attention to
General Fry had / not known that he is gener-
ally correct, but in this matter he has evidently
garbled by saying in a willful manner-you see
he surs me by saying: General Sherman goes
SO far as to have said since Grants DEATH, etc.
Since Grants death. you will observe, is used to
make my fanced offense all the more heinous"