The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-17

the Supreme Court with men absolutely
loyal to the principles for which the wal
was fought"
why, then, did you not allow your
name to be used as candidate in
1882"
Because the Supreme Court is still
composed IN great part of men strongly
imbued with National principles, and |
did not think my term as President,
given the ordinary chances of life, would
alter the complexion of the Court"
The highest civil honor in the world
lay within easy grasp, and Gen. Sher-
man, true to his long-cherished purpose
of living and dying an officer of the
United States Army, cast aside, without
one regret, the ambition which had
proved fatal to so many of the great
Americans who had preceded him. In
fact, Gen. Sherman stands quite alone in
the utter abnegation of the highest civil
station, and died as he had lived, sol
dier.
THE FRY CONTROVERSY.
In September of this year began what
tnown at the time as the Fry Con-
.ro sy. Gen. James B. Fry had stated,
iu Tork on the Operations of the Army
Ju3de- Buell., in reference to the battle of
shi ], in April, 1862, that Buell. res
Grants army at the battle Of
shiloh, and converted the disaster of the
ftst lay into victory Oh the second
day
Gen. Sherman having taken exception
to lis and other expressions in Gen.
j book, controversy followed, one
a consequences of which was that
C4n Fry, in an article called /" An
Acquaintance with Grant" asserted that
Ger Sherman had said "had c. T.
S~h lived, Grant would have disap-
~ Il to history after Donelson." In a
Iuent letter to private person
Gen sherman said that / could have
81. N the positive expression, that had
& - Smith lived Grant would have dis
2rpeared to history after Donelson, is an
in9ossibility." Gen. Fry published an
,act from letter of Gen. Sherman's
Gil. L. n. Scott, Custodian Of the War
Eec3rds, in which the obnoxious words
lily occurred. Gen. Sherman imme-
c embodied his explanation Of the
f inan address to the Loyal Legion,
read at their meeting in Cincinnati,
-, FEB. 10. Owing to the death of
@ w. S. Hancock, the character OF
ha meeting was changed, and the ad-
dress undelivered, was given to the pub.
rough periodical.
IN. Sherman here warmly insists,
ale admitting the use of the terms in
go on, that the employment of de-
tacAed phrase from private letter is
Go. Iir when invoked as an expression
ol opinion, but must be taken in connec-
tioa with the context, and that the whole
laes in question is not inconsistent
his constant LOYALTY to Gen. Grant.
aen quotes at length his letter to
t1l Scott, one sentence of which, para
aed by him, is fair gloss on the
eonaoverted phrase: "From Feb. q,
1852, till July II, 1862, five long, bitter
fngHshs, Grant was under q cloud, but
iaas tested and strengthened the quail
which Were in him, and which pro-
da1 such fruits" The cloud in cues
s.on MAS raised by the bounding of news
men, and of clique of officers
who rendered Gen. Grants position, as
imself said, unbearable The next
ae Gen. Sherman met Gen. Fry the
1slends of both were naturally somewhat
nargpus as to the result of an interview.
sse Sherman, on perceiving his literary
adversary, advanced with hi. quick step
and frank, open way. saving, How are
you, Fry? We've had our fight, now
let bygones be bygones." Those who
knew him best will smile to think how
characteristic this was of the man.
ACCUSATION AGAINST DAVIS.
In December, 1884, Gen. Sherman
made speech at meeting of the
Frank Blair Post of the Grand Army
of the Republic, in St. Louis. during the
course of which he said that he had seen
papers which convinced him that Mr..
Davis, the President of the Southern
Confederacy, had, during the progress
OF the war, changed his States Rights
doctrines and had threatened to use
force-even Lees army-should anv
State of the Confederacy attempt to Sc
cede from that Government.
This speech, "much improved by the
intelligent reporters, was printed by the
st Louis papers, al | called forth card
from Mr.. Davis, in which he spoke of
Sherman as slanderer.
The matter was banded about in the
press till Gen. Sherman compiled and
sent to the Secretary Of War his letter
Of Jan. 6, 1885, embodying the docu-
mentary evidence in proof of his allega-
ton. This letter in extenso was en-
braced in President Arthurs message
OF Jan. IL, 1880, to the Senate Of the
United States.
The document most damaging to
Mr.. Davis which Gen. Sherman pro-
duced was letter from Alexander III.
Stephens, Vice President of the Con.ed-
eracy, an extract from which reads:
N bIEa i IL. MT .,,l ,,o..a- l. -