The National tribune., 1897-07-22
SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS.
fCoutiutled from first page.)

pared for you, showing the route by which his
division entered the city Of Savannah. being
the first troops to occupy that city. l ntw SEND
it to you.
avail myself of the opportunity also to in
close you copies Of all my official orders touch
ing trade and intercourse with the people OF
Georgia. as well rs for the establishment OF the
negro settlements.
Delegations of the people of Georgia continue
to como in, and | am satisfied that. by judicious
handling. and by little respect shown to their
prejudices, we can create a schism III JeH
Daviss dominons. All that | have convcrsed
with realize the truth that slavery as an insti-
tuition is defunct. and the only questions that
remain are. what disposition shall be maze OF
the negroes themselves. / confess myself un-
able to offer n complete solution for these
questions. and prefer to leave it to the slower
operations of time. We have given the IuIiia-
tive, and can afford to await tho working Oh
The experiment..
As To trade matters ! also think it is 70 our
interest to keep the Southern people somewhat
dependent on the articles of commerce 10 which,
they have hitherto been accustomed. Gen.
Grover is now here, and will. think. he able
to handle this matter iutiieiousiy. and may
gradually relax and invite cotton to come IN
IN large quantities. Bur ut first VIC should
manifest no undue anxiety Oh that sr0re. for
the rebels would at once make use of it as
power against us. Wo should assume a tone OF
perfect contempt for cotton AMI everything else
III comparison with the great object of tho war
tho restoration of the Union. with all its
rights and power II the rebels burn cotton as
war measure they simply play into our hands
hy taking away the only product OF value they
have TO exchange in foreigIt ports for warships
and munitions.
By such a course. also, they alisnate the
fu,l = l.. Il. e., yttn
look to their little parcels of cotton 20 0exchange
for food aud clothing for their fnmilies hope
the Government will not manifest too much
anxiety TO OBTAIN cotton in large quantities,
and especially that the President will not IN
dorse the contracts for the purchase of large
quantities Of cotton. Several contracts, invoiv-
ing from 6.000 to 10. coo bales, Endorsed by Dir.
Lincoln. have been shown me, but were not In
such q form as to amount to All order to compel
me to facilitate their execution.
AS to Treasury Agents, and agents to take
charge Of confscated and abandoned property,
whose salaries depend on their fees, can only
say that. as a general rule, they are mischiev-
ons aud disturbing elements 10 a military gov
erunlent, and it is almost impossible for us to
study the law and regulations so as to under
stand fully thcir powers and duties. rather
think tho Quartermastcr's Department Of the
Army could better fulfill all their duties aad
accomplish all that is aimed 1T by the law.
Yet on this subject / will leave Gems. Foster
and Grover to do the best they can.
I am, with great respect, your obedient
servant,
w. T. SHERMAN, Major General command
ing.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF
THE MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD, SAvAS-
NAH, Ga, Jan. 2, 1865.
Hon. EDWIN n. STANTON, Secretary Of War,
Washington, ID. e.
SrE: bave Just received from Leut.-Gep.
Grant copy OF that part Of your telegram 10
| him Of Dee. 26 relating to cotton, copy OF
| which has been Immediately furnished TO Gen.
| Easfon. Chief Quartermaster, vino will be
strictly governed by it.
/ / had already been approached by all the
| Consuls and half the people of Savannah on
| this cotton question. and my in variable answer
| was that all the cotton in Savannah was prIzs
/ Of war, belonged to the United States, and no.
| body should recover a bale Of it without my
consent THAT, as cotton had heen one Of the
| chief causes OF this war; it should help TO pay
its expenses; that all cotton became tainted
! with treason from the hour the first act OF hos
| tility was committed agairst the United States
some time in December, 1860. and that no bill
| of sale subsequent to that date should convey
title.
NV orders were that an officer of the Quar-
| termastcr's Department, United States Army,
might furnish the holder, agent. or attorney a
mere certificate of the fact Of seizure, with de-
scriptien of the bales marks, etc. the cotton
then to be turned over to the agent of the
| Treasury Department, to be shipped to New
| York for sale. But since the receipt of your
dispatch | have ordered Gen. Easton to make
the shipment himself to the Quarte.master at
New York. where you can dispose OF it at
| pleasure. do not think the Treasury Depart
ment ought to bother itself with the prizes OF
| captures of war.
representing Mr.. 3lolyneux, former Consul
here, but absent a long time. called on me with
reference to cotton claimed by English sub jects
| He seemed amazed when told him / should
pay no respect to Consular certificates; that in
no event would treat an English subject with
more favor than one of our own deluded citi
Zens, and that for my part / was unwilling tt
| ight for cotton for the benefit of EnalishMes
openly engaged in smuggling arms and instru
ments Of war to kill us; that, OH the contrary
it would affosd me great satisfaction to conduc
| my army to Nassau, and wipe out that nest o.
pirates.
explained to him. however, that I was moi
| a Diplomatic agent Of the General Government
Of tho United States, but that my opinion. sc
| frankly expressed, was that of a soldier, which
it would be well for him to heed. 1t appeared
investment of Savannah. which, of course. wal
pilaged, and for which he expected me to Civ,
! some certificate emitting him to indemrifica
ton. which declined emphatically.
| l have adopted in Savannah rules concernin.
| property-severe but just-fOunded upon ths
| laws Of nations and the practice Of civilized
Governments, ands Jam clearly Of opinion tia
we should claim all the befligerent rights ovci
| conquered countries, that the people may
| realizs tho truth that war is no chids play.
| embrace in this copy of a letter, datcG
Dec. 81, 1864, in answer to one from Solomon
Cohen Ia rich lawyer) to Gen. Blair, his per
sonai friend, as follows:
Mai. Gen. f. 2. BLAIR, commanding Seven
tsenth Corps.
GENERAL: Your note, inclosing Mr.. Cohen
| of this date, is received, and answer franl;l
through you his inquiries.
1. No one can practice law as an attorney j,
the United States without acknowledging thu
supremacy oe our Government. If am not il
error, an attorney is as much an officer of th
court as the clerk, and it would be move
thing in Government to have court to ad
minister law which denied the supremacy o
the Government ITSELF
9. No one will be allowed the privileges of
merchant, or, rather, to trade is q privilege
which no ono should seek of the GovernEIen
without in like manner acknowledging it
supremacy.
8. If Mr. Cohen remains in Savannah as
denizen his property, real and personal, viii
not be disturbed unless its temporary use b.
necessary for the military authorities of th'
city The title to property will not be dis