The Red Cloud chief., 1892-04-22
STANTON.

Hon. G. C. Gorham Takes Exceptions to Ger.
tain Portions OF Senator sherman's Re-
marks on Gen. W. T. sherman.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-Hon. Geo. C.
Gorham, who is engaged on a biography
Of the late Secretary Stanton, has written
an open letter to Senator Sherman il
which no excerpts to the following in
the senator's late eulogy upon Gen.
Sherman:
"'Gen. Sherman believed in and
sought to carry out the policy of Abra-
ham Lincoln. The terms of the surren-
were entirely subject to the supervision
of the executive authorities but instead
of being submitted to the generous and
foreiving patriot who had fallen they
were passed upon in the shadow of n
great crime by stern and relentless enc
mics, who had not consented to the on
ditions imposed by Gen. Grant and who
would have disregarded them had not
Gen. Grant threatened to resign upon
the refusal to carry out his terms.
"'When the arrangement with Gen.
Johnston was submitted to President
johnson and Mr.. Stanton, it was reject
ed with the insulting intimation that it
proceeded from either cowardice II
treachery. The old cry against Gen
Sherman was again started 1t was
even imputed that he would attempt to
play the part of a Crowell OF a military
uSurper.
1.-The generous kindness of Grant
came to his relief. New terms were
agreed upon and the war closed
Mr.. GOrham says:
sYou would have it understood by
this that while Gen. Sherman was en-
gagged in a praiseworthy ami purely
military act, which President Lincoln
would have desired him to perform had
he lived, he was set upon and insulted
and his arrangements set aside by Pres
ident johnson and Edwin Stanton,
then secretary of war, in a mean and
narrow spirit of revenge, because of the
assassination of Mr.. Lincoln and that at
this juncture, the generous kindness of
Gen. Grant interposed between him and
these alleged enemies and that the two
generals agreed on new terms and ended
the war. You state all this as though
you had approved Gen. Sherman's
After quoting from many letters and
showing the error of Gen. Sherman's
position the letter closed with the fol-
lowing:
I'm conclusion allow me TO quote one
more authority in support of MIR. Stan
toms view and in condemnation of Gen.
Sherman's fearful mistake. The
authority will not be seriously ques-
toned by you. 1t reads as follows:
SENATOR sHEEMAN's LETTER
"'MY DEAR SIR am distressed be-
yond measure at the terms granted
Johnston by Gen. Sherman. They are
inadmissible. There should now be
literally no terms granted. We should
not only brand the leading rebels with
infamy, but the whole rebellion should
wear the badge of the penitentiary; for
this generation, at least, no man who
has taken part in the war dare justify
or p~alliate it.
yet with these views L feel that
gross injustice has been done Gen. Sher-
man, especially by the press. The most
that can be said about him is hat he
granted the rebels too liberal terms. |
The same may be said, but in a less de-
gree Of Mr.. Lincoln and Gen. Grant in |
their arrangement with Lee. Gen. Sher- /
had not understood the political
bearing of that agreement. 1t is his
that he believed the prom
Uses. of these men, and looks upon the
contest in a simple military view.
He thought the disbanding of their
is the end Of the war. while we !
knew to arm them with the elective
franchise and state organizations is to
renew the war.
Il feel so troubled at this matter. fol- |
so closely Oh the death of Mr..
Lincoln. that l was inclined to drop ev-
erything and go to Raleigh, but 1 prom
ised to join the funeral cortege here,
and ON Saturday week have agreed to
deliver a eulogy in honor of Mr.. Lincoln
at Mansfield. This over, 1 will gladly
go to Washington or anywhere else,
where / shall do the least service.
Il do not wish Gen. Sherman to be
unjustly dealt with, and 1 know that
you will not permit it. Especially 1 do
not want him driven into fellowship
with the copperheads. His military
services have been too valuable to the
country to be stained BY any such fell
lowship. If you can, in your multiplied
engagements, drop me a line pray do S {.
You can if you choose show this to the
president, or indeed to anyone. Very
truly yours JOHN SHERMAN"
Il cannot find in this letter any ref
ererce to the insult with which yOu
now assert hat Gen. Sherman's terms
were rejected by President Johnson and
Mr.. Stanton, but / do find in it an as
surance from You to Secretary Stanton
that you knew he would not permit
Gen. Sherman to be unjustly dealt with.
"You could not have said this had you
thought Mr.. Stanton himself had al
ready dealt unjus.ly by him, by pub
fishing the reasons above quoted, and
which had been in print in every lead
ing newspaper of the country for o
days before you wrote Your letter.
honored and admired Gen. Sherman. /
knew him personally and enjoyed the
honor of his friendship.
"But / also honored and admired Mr..
Stanton, whose biography l have I'M
dertaken and whose private papers are in
my keeping; and l cannot remain silent