The Indianapolis journal., 1892-03-30
HIGH TRIBUTE TO SHERMAN
Orator Depew Enlogizes the Great War
riOr Before the New York Legislature.
Career Of the Hero Of the March TO the Sea Re-
viewed in Masterly Manner - Character.
istics That Made Him Man Above Others.

thousand persons listened to Chauncey NJ.
| Depew's Grafton on the occasion of the
memorial services in honor of Gen. William
| i. Sherman. under the auspices of tho Leg
isIature of the State of New York, which
were held here tonight in Bleecker Hail.
| The members of the Legislature met in the
Assembly chamber at 7:30 o'clock and pro-
ceeded To the hall in q body, where
seats were reserved on the stage.
large portion of the audience
was ladies. The members of the
Burgess Corps acted as ushers of honor.
Those occupying the front OF the stage
were Gen. Martin +. McMahon. of New
York. with Channcey NJ. Depew and Lieu
tenant-Governor Sbeehan on his left and
| Gen. Henry w. SlOcum. of Brooklyn. and
Speaker Bush on his right The Rt Rev.
Francis McNierney. Bishop of Albany.
opened tho exercises with prayer. Mr.. Nc
MahOn introduced General Slocum as chair
man. Chauncey NJ. Depew. on being intro
duced by Chairman Slocum, delivered the
| oration. He spoke substantially as follows:
"AIl through the career of General Sher-
man.the spirit OF Cromwell and the Cove
nantcr was the motive power OF his action.
| His principle of war was to use up and
| consume the resources of the enemy. The
| destruction of Atlanta and the dev astating
| march through Georgia and the Carolinas
were upon Puritan lines. The enemies or
his country were as much to his mind the
enemies of the Lord were the Cavaliers
| of Prince Rupert to Cromwell and his
| lrOnsides. He was by nature the most
| genial, lovable and companIonable of men.
but the mailed hand and merciless purpose
! followed any attack on things he held
| sacred. This appears not only In his cam
paigns. but also in his dispatches to
| Generals Grant and Halleck. Il will make
| the interior of Georgia feel the weight of
| war; The utter destruction of its roads,
| houses and people will cripple their mill
tary resources i attach more ImpOr-
tance to these deep incisons Into the
| enemy's country, because this war differs
from European wars in this particular:
| We are not only fighting hostile armies:
| but hostile people. and must make old
and young. rich and poor, feel the hard
| hand of war as we'll as their organized
| armies Aud in his letter demanding the
surrender of Savannah. he says: Should |
| be forced to assault. or the slower and
| surer process OF starvation, shall then
feel justified in resorting to the harshest
| measures and shall make little effort to
restrain my army. burning to avenge the
national wrong. which they attach to
| Savannah and other large cities which
| have been 30 prominent In dragging our
country into civil war;
| The same qualities made him the most
| amiable and lOvable of men. and the most
rigid of disclplinarlans. His heart was
easily touched. and his syupathies aroused
| by the distress, or want, or sorrow OF
! others, but he vas the incarnation of the
| vengeance of the law upon military crimes.
| a corps commander of the Army OF the PO-
tomac once said to him: General Sher-
| man. we had trouble in enforcing strict
obedience to orders, because the findings
| of the court-nartials had to be sent to
| President Lincoln for approval in extreme
cases, and he would never approve. a SEN
Il ton nf hat do9t ahnf
them first. was the grewsOme reply.
| THE sMARTEsT OF THE FAMILY.
1.-THE Generals father, Judge Sherman.
died suddenly, leaving his widow with
| little means. and a family of eleven chill
| dren. The Lelplessness of the American
| family when thrown upon their own re-.
| sources. and the ready and practical SYM
pathy of American communities. SO ex-
pllment. has no better example than in the
story of this household and the success in
| life of its members. The bench and the
bar felt that the boys were the wards of
and United States Senator. tho Hon.
| Thomas Ewing. said. Give me one,
but the brightest and the brothers and
sisters of the future captor of Atlanta
Tns iurst ans ksee see
observer of character saw the future Gen.
eral In this quick, nervous. intelligent, pug
nacious boy. with his Indian warrior name.
and appointed hT to sn1 We,s and po,nr M
| mind pushed its inquiries into too many di-
rections. and explored fields too diverse for
| that methOdical and accurate mastery of
the curriculum which makes a valedicto-
| rian. but not alway a man. Nevertheless.
he stood sixth in his class and was its most
| original and attractive member. He had
a fOndness for Typographical studies. and q
| keen eye and natural and trained instinct
| for the opportunities for defense and attack
| which couid be utilized in the places where
he was stationed and the country over
| which be Travelled.
He was selected by the State of Louisi-
ana to be the superintendent and organ
izer of her State Military School. The
veteran who could bring to the business of
| banking little more than answering in
tegrity and failed. and whose directness of
| purpose and transparent candor were dis
| gusted with the law found in this field of
| instruction q most pleasant and cOngenial
cupation. He was at the head of q uni
versity which was fitting youth for careers
| IN civil life. and training them, II needs be.
| to fight for their country. The institution
| grew so rapidly and wisely that the at
tention of the State authorities was at
| tracted To It's able and brilliant principal.
| He did not suspect treason, and they were
| organizing rebellion. To capture this born
| leader of men was to start with an army.
Social Establishments. political pressure
| and appeals to InbltIOn were skillfully
| applied TO his purposes and principles.
| Suddenly the truth burst upon his frank
| nature. lie was poor. and had large and
| helpless fnmily. Ho held OH honorable,
congenial, lucrative and permanent posi-
| ton. The future. If he abandoned his
! place, was dark and doubtful. but the
Union was in danger. and he did not hesi-
| tate moment.
| PATRIOT TO TIE CORE.
| "His letter of reslgnation to the Governor
| of Louisiana reads like o bugle- call of
patriotism: AS occupy quasi-military
position under the laws of the State.
deem it proper to acquaint you that &C
cepted such position when Louisiana was
State in the Union. and when the motto
| of this seminary was inserted in marble
over the main door, by the liberality of
| the general government of the United
| States The Union Esto Perpetua." Recent
events fOreshadOw q great change. and it
| becomes all men TO choose. lf Louisiana
| withdra VS. from the federal Union. prefer
to MAINTAIN my allegiance to tho Constitu-
| tion as long as fragment of it survives.
On no earthly account will do
any act or think any thought hostile to or
| in defiance of the old government of the
United States
Events move ra pidly in revolutions, and
| the situations arc always dramatic. Capt.
sherman is in Washington. offering hls
4 A.