New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-03
SOLDIER AND STATESMAN.
THE SHERMAN CORRESPONDENCE

THE SHERMAN LETTERS C9rrespOnd.s rons i Bs
tween General and Senator ThorndiRs
Octave Do 3as New-York. Charles Scrbner
Sons.
This is a unique collection OF letters, rlch IN
material Cor future historical study and nvesti-
CATION and vitality interesting as a series OF uh-
conscious self-reveatons Of two eminent men OF
original power and strong characteristics II
covers a period of over fifty years. from General
Shermans cadet life at West Point to his dea'h
in 1891 His daughter has shown excellent )udg-
roent in allowing the letters to speak for them
selves without other adventurous aid than Driel
and commemorative predatory notes requisite Ior
explaining the circumstances In which they were
written Such volume cannot rival IN interest
General Sherman's Memoirs" with his mature
reflections upon momentous events nor VIII IL
have the same value as complete cdi'oh Vi
Senator Cherman's public papers ana speec"eS'
but IL serves the double purpose or FURNISHING d
rough a nd ready commentary upon poh'ic" an"
military history by two famous actors III 'ie
American conflict. and also Of revealing WIFI
realistic effect two strong and dissimar cndi az
tiers brothers in heart as we'll as In name MOI do
they were when on dr. SIS parade or Oh 'he "'oi'
NJ conpross hut as they were when communihg
together with the candor. simplicity anu co"i
dence Of Homer's men. Valuable as this book
a
period. it has the charm ana Iascina"oi Vi "
enthraliing character study.
The earliest letters from Cadet sherman WITT
ten AT West Point. are boyish. dull and common
Mace His brother, John. who at the age Vi
fourteen was Junior rodman in an engineer corps
engaged in the improvement of the Muskinghah
River Ohio was favored with much auVlce lro'"
the military student respecting cholce OF pio-
fession winter studies and business ope"'"e''
The cadet took full advantage of his three years
seniority to deprecate the young engineer ue-
termination to study law. and suggested FARMING
as more Independent. honest ana hohoi"o'c
employment On the eve or graduation iI"''
West Point he disclosed a preference Oh MS o""
for farming and announced that he would ueNo'e
himself TO agriculture in Iowa II his experience
of army life should not be agreeable Appdie"''
this was boyish whim for he did not buy
Western farm although his garrison WORK was
disniriting and tiresome. His first post was FORT
1,iarce Florida. where he had glimpse Of Indian
warfare; and then for four years he was s'a-
TONED at Fort Moultrie. Charleston. where ne
was surfeited with what he called the hippancv
Of social discriminating with people in whohi
you feel no permanent interest. smirks ana si'ies
when you feel savage tight boots wheh !oui
fancy would prefer slippers Meanwhiie' HIS
Younger brother had gone into politics ana ihaue
q hit on the stump. but had not passed pesohu
.he range of counsel and admontiOn from the
cynical army officer.
His Southern life and associations Increased
CAPTAIN Shermans impatcnce to be sent 10
Texas at the outbreak Of the Mexican " ar Out
he paid the penalty for premature zeai anu
ANXIETY when he was detailed for duty in Cali
fornia. which involved a protracted voyage
around Cane Horn. If he lost coveted oppor-
arI-ice @
of the witnesses Of the earliest gold discoveries
and the accounts which he sent to Ohio in letters
IN his brother must have melted gold fever
among all his friends. Returning in 1850 TO the
Fast with dispatches TO the War Department, ne
married about the time Of President Taylor
death. and in the next year resigned his commas
sion in the army and went 10 San Francisco as d
partner in a banking house. His army life had
been uneventful and mono;onous and had OF
fered no opportunities for developing the mill
tary genius which was subsequently 10 cnti'e
him to recognition one Of the great captains
of modern warfare. Perhaps 1t was tlhse Oh
disappointment over the barren results OF MS
own military profession that coored his COM
n,ents upon his brothers increasing activity IN
notifies While he was proud Of that brothers
success In securing election to Congress- ne
had a soldiers contempt for lawyers and pohu-
c,ans and failed 10 comprehend the fascinations
Of public life.
From 1854 10 the close Of the civil war the
Shermans constantly exchanged letters in which
public affairs were Familiarity discussed; bu'
while from the outset they differed radically IN
Judgment and temper Of mind they were each
tolerant Of the others opinion and were mutually
helpful The conservatism and optimism OF 'e
elder brother exercised a wholesome restraint
upon the younger in the anti-slavery agitation
Gas a young member" he wrote. Il hope you
will not be too forward. especially on the SUD-
feet of slavery, which 1t seems IS rising more
snd more every wear into a question of real dan
ger, notwithstanding the compromises Having
lived good deal in the South, think know
practically more Of slavery than you DO. II IL
were a new question. no one now would contend
.. ,r.roducine II: but Il Is an old and historical
<ac, that YOU must take you find it, In this
sn,r,. ne proceeds to describe slavery as fact.
chargeabe on the past and not 10 be abolished
except by the breaking up OF the Government
and TO contend that the North ought to be con-
tent with restraining its further growth. Kan
sas will be a free State. so will Missouri ana
Kentucky In time; but the way TO accomplish
that is to let things go on as now. showing the
eminent prosperity Of the free States. while the
slave States get along slowly II the younger
Sherman was too practical a student Of public
affairs TO be beguiled into belief that slavery
could ever be abolished through philosophical
contemplation Of object lessons OF that kind he
undoubtedly profted by the elder Shermans
keen discernment OF the forces Of public opinion
disclosed In such Inland comments as these:
"Inless people both North and South, learn more
moderation we'll sights in the way Of civil
war OF course. the North has the strength
and must prevail though the people OF the South
could and would be desperate enough. Au-
gust. 1855.
In 1859 John Sherman was In Europe visiting
the battlefelds In Italy and contrasting his I'M
pressions OF the gayety Of Paris and the rural
.cenerv OF England while William T sherman