The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-12

1lIS. AT TINS epoch tuO yOuu8cs oAosA.sA
was . man of national reputation, while
Tecumseh was little known outside OF the
when the civil war broke ont, Tecum-
oeh, though living ct the South, and some
what affected by his associations with
6outhsrners, vas strong In his determine
ton to support the Union: wnns !onn r..
. bitter partisan. The letters that passed
between them at this crisis are full OF
patriotism, honorable sentiment ana
brotherly affection. They show that both
were clear-hesded, both anxious to do
what Was right. and each also anxious for
played . lively interest in his brothers adj
vancsment, while the senator. able from
his position TO do more, left nothing un-
done to serve the soldier.
Tecumseh became . general early In 1901
and his after career IL part OF the nations
history; John remained in the senate ana
was one Of its most important members.
Il % here that am able to testify to the
continuance Of brotherly regard that was
moro than ordinary. The senator watched
closely over the changing circumstances OF
the soldiers career; he did not unduly
thrust himself forward ~ champion:
there could be no charge of favoritislm or
sonally interested In the great achieve
msnts which were making their name his
torical, while the general retained the
warmest regard for the politician, believed
in his Judgment, appreciated his ability,
relied on his constancy, appealed to him
always when he needed support and some
times when he wanted advice.
Nv position with Gen. Grant q military
secretary, and Grants intimacy with Sher-
man, gave me unusual opportunities 70
study 6hsrman's character, which was In
reality more fascinating than Grants.
Sherman wrote and talked to Grant
with extreme freedom; he wrote semi
official letters which l was allowed TO zee:
and he talked 1t Grants mess table and
camp fire with that remarkable openness
which all who ever met him will remem-
Der. was besides sent to him with inn
poytant messages. sometimes when he was
LOCO miles away, and then, of course, he
spoke in peculiar confidence. 1t was on
occasions like these that found out his
feeling for John Sherman" As ne always
called the senator.
When tho ..march to the sea" was over
the enthusiasm of the country was such
that q movement was set on foot to make
Sherman lieutenant general as well al
Grant, 90 that he might be eligible to COM
mand the army. but sherman at once
wrote to his brother in the senate to put
IN enc to all such efforts, and the senator
acted a. the general desired. Indeed,
throughout the war John Sherman be-
haved toward Gen. Grant with some of
the magnaminity that his brother al
ways showed. Sherman, SO near tho
top. and doubtless conscious OF an ability
more striking, At any rate, than Grants.
never allowed himself to be placed in .
position Of rivalry with his chief; his 10y
atty was superb, and his brother, who
might have been pardoned for . family
preference, abstalncd absolutely from any
manifestation of such feeling. His pa
triotism was proof against the ambitious
sentiment.
During the reconstruction period, when
President johnson strove to put Gen.
Sherman into the position OF secretary of
war, above Grant, the soldier consulted
his brother and received the same advice
which his own judgment had already
given-to reject the offer. Indeed. their
judgments were almost invariably in ac-
cord in matters that concerned the action
of either. Gen. Sherman, II 10 we'll known,
was inclined to q moro conservative treat
ment of the Southerners alter the war
than WAS adopted by the Republican party.
but Senator Sherman was always ono of
tho cooler heads in that party. and their
views, perhaps. were not 20 far apart a.
they seemed. The senator, OF course, sup
ported Grant for the presidency in his two
candidacies, but the general always adj
vised his chief to remain in tho army, al.
though he himself would succeed to the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS whenever Grant be-
came president.
During Grants presidency the brothers
were still very prominent, the elder as
head Of the army. the younger a. senator,
and ct the time of Hayes inauguration
they were in absolute harmony. The gen.
ersl took soldiers notion of standing by
authorities. and recognized the action Of
the electoral commission ~ decisive; he
had especial instructions from President
Grant TO maintain order at the capital, and
took every measure to secure . peaceable
inauguration. The senator was one Of the
visiting statesmen sent by Grant to inspect
the situation at the South. and aftsrward
entered Hayes cabinet, 80 that in their
civil ana military capacities they were
both associated with the government at q
critical emergency. Indeed, about this
time the general agreed more closely with
the purely political sentiments Of his
brother than at an earlier period. have
letters from him full OF hostility to the
Democratic majority tina; ruled the lower
Hayes administration. Whether this hos
tility came from intimate association with
his brother. q member Of the government
assaulted by Democrats. or from some other
cause, il might be difficult to determine.
but the fact is worthy of record.
But there came q time when Gen. Shcr-
man was placed in hard predcament-
rivals for the nomination TO the presi-
dency. He wrote me several letters in
1879 and 1850 which show how keeniy he
felt the embarrassment of his situation.
1t Was after he had himself declined the
nomination and several times put aside
the suggestion which most men would
have accepted. He probably would have
been elected. but he positively did not
want the place, while his brother, who
has coveted il all his life, will 90 to his
grave without succeeding. The general
could not appreciate the anxieties or as
pirations either of Grant or John Sher-
man. He wrote to me July 49, 1879:
"John Sherman IS ambitious and strong
has more hold on the respect OF tho
country than its affections, and NAV drift
TO the position Of candidate. 1 don't IN
derstand why anybody aspires 10 he presi-
dent for four years. l would rather hold
my office tgeneral-in-chieD, even If
stripped OF It's proper functions, than TO be
subject TO the bullets and abuse of presi-
dent. and what Is worse. the torture of
appeals for places and Office. | happen TO
he most dellca,eiy placed. Here at this
nomen: my brother is deeply concerned
IN the success OF the Republican candi-
dates Foster and Hickenlooper, whereas
my brother-in-law, Gen. Thomas Ewing.
il the opposing candidate. And further.
things seem 20 be drifting towards the
other conclusion that my brother John
and my personal friend Gen. Grant will be
contestants for the nomination Of presi-
dent. l can or Will advocate neither and
the result may hs that get the kick. and
cutss OF both. So the world goes. aud We
can only drift with it."
Again. the next year-May I. 1880. he