New-York tribune., 1891-02-15
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE CAREER OF GENERAL SHERMAN AT
THE CAPITAL.
HIS BRILLIANT neutrality-suspicious. FOR


Of General Sherman there disappears the last OF
the three great figures of the war, Grant, Sheri-
dan aud Sherman. None of the who are
still living is worthy TO be classed in the slme
rank These three heroes. after the war, llNci
tor many years At the National Capital ana oe-
came identified with its society. Ii was mere
that they were tie bcst known and appreciated
General Sherman came in closer touch with soccer!
at large than the other two generals. lie was
fonder Of general company and was more reauy
70 become acquainted with strangers. Grant was
cOmpsnionable only with his ntimates. Inc
same could be said of Sheridan. lie was even
more retiring than Grant lie detested going out
in general society, while society was the atmoS-
phere which General Sherman needed in order 10
live. The latter was fond of gatherings OF any
kind lie loved to be the centre Of bright,
cheerful group. lie had sympathies which reached
out in every direction. While he had strong
likes aud dislikes, he had few preiudiccs. LIKE
all of the leading men who fought in the mon
Army, lie had more sympathy for the South thah
any of the Northern politicians. Yet, he DE-
lievcd that sternCr measures should have peeh
employed during the period Of reconstruction -tS
a friend to the South he believed that II W0ui"
have been better if the laws had been more
rgidly enforced by the Federal authority. ana
if the States had not recovered local sel-contFol
so early. They should have received bacK
their old rights only when they had given the most
solemn guarantees to enforce the laws p'Saeu
for the protection of the RIGHTS of the coloTed
people Even then, this authority should have
been granted only temporarily and only made
permanent when it clear that the State
was going To act throughout in good faith
General Sherman had more brilliant intellectual
qualities than his two great associates. In this
I do not speak of him as a soldier, but as man.
His position as a soldier has been long ago de1cr-
mined by the first military critics of the world
The intellectual advantage that he had over DIS
associates was in his readiness OF expression. lie
was an easy and elegant writer upon almost any
topic of the day He was also a ready speaker.
He had n dircctness of style and a blunt coquence
which always captvated an audience. lie was
50 direct and honest as to produce with the
simplest phrases the proioundcst impression. lie
was one OF the most upright of men. Tie was
patriotic TO the verge of passion No one who
has been in the public life of this country was
ever more devoted 10 lis highest and best interests
Upon this subject he was always eloquent. His
character was noted for lis strong quality of
common sense. At the height Of his popularity
as General of the Army he was never tempted
for a moment by any Of the flatterinG offers
of the politicians to permit his great name TO he
used in politics. lie said often that this was the
mistake which Grant made. When Grant came
out of the war, he was al the highest pinnacle
Of success When he resigned from the Army
and became President, General Sherman always
said he began career Of misfortune. General
Sherman would often say TO the politicians:
Il am a soldier out and out For that ! am
trained. and for that career | am III led. | have
to-day arrived at the climax of my ambition.
] am General Of the Army and nj It's head. |
desire nothing more do not propose 10 risk
t,oNn ort1f IN lp flo Bpfp ia
] want TO leave my reputation free from tarnlsh
10 my children
From this resolution General Sherman never
swerved. lie was never more sorely temr;ed than
during the period of the Chicago Convention
which nominated MIR. Blaine The politicians
then came 10 him and said:
with your name carry the convention
The combination which came TO the General
was strong one. Ii controlled certainly enough
votes 10 have tempted any with Presidential
ambitions, but General Sherman said No" from
the first. The committee which called him
told him fatty and frankly that they should not
consider his refusal. but that they should 90
ahead and use their own Judgment. 1t then
that tie General sat down and dictated that
brusque letter which ex-senator Henderson caused
to I've read TO the convention. and which showed
clearly 10 every one that no possible combination
of circumstances could force General Sherman to
accept nomination
The General was hot-tempered. He de-
spised petty technicaities. When he was in the
War Department. the bureau people frerted him
with the endless red tape which of necessity came
10 him when he took charge of the great army
machine. lie would often write orders for the
direction OF affairs in the West which would be in
direct conflict with the civil law Once, when
his attention called 10 this by the Adiutant-
General in some particular order issued by the
General concerning Indian territory, The General
replied to the assertion that this was against the
law:
So much the worse for the law Go ahead
1t only with difficulty that he was coaXcd
into changing the order While be was imperious
and h1gh-tempered, he was, withal. one OF the
Nndest-hearted and most just of men, He would
apologize for any hasty word with the earnest
vigor Of a manly man convicted of having made
mistake. The bureau people apparently took
great pleasure in frettinS the General and TWO or
three Of them, whom il is needless to name now
were responsible for the celebrated controversy he
had with the Secretary of War under IIayes
General Sherman could not reconcile himself TO
the fact that a civilian Secretary of War should
be his superior in purely military matters II
was no wonder that he held this view Mr. Nc
Crary, who was Secretary OF War at that limo
was a respectable eX-Nlember Of Congress- from
Iowa. He knew more about military matters
than any one who had always been occupied with
civil affairs When he came into the Departments
the small bureau people who loved to fret General
Sherman were continually forcing the Secretary
to show his authority. Sherman would say
What does this Iowa chap mean by always in
tcrferng?" He was too blunt and outspoken 10
get along. He was too impatient 10 re diplomatic
and so he challenged outright the authority of the
Secretary. Technically the Secretary of War was
correct and the President was Obliged 10 sustain
him. II Mr. McCrary had been greater man. he
would undoubtedly have seen some way 10 have
avoided a controversy with this distinguished
general Any right-minded Secretary would have
been only too glad TO have given General Sherman
full sway Mr.. McCrary. however, was Of the