Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1865-02-08 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

GENERAL SHERMAN ON THE WAR AND THE UNION.  General Sherman Las written the following letter in reply to certain inquiries from a citizen of Georgia : Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi in the Field, Saysnnah, Jan. 8. N \V—„Esq —Dear Sir,—Yours of the 3rd inst is received, and in answer to your inquiries I beg to state I am inetely a military commander, and act only in that capacity; nor can I give arty assurances or pledges affecting eivil matters in the future. They will be adjusted by/Congress when Georgia is again represented there as of old. _ .  Georgia is not out of the Union, and therefore the talk of ' reconstruction' appears to me inappropriate. Some of the people have been and still are in a state of revolt ; and us long as they remain armed and organised, the United States must pursue them with armies, and deal with them according to military law. But as soon as they break up their armed organisations and return to their homes, I take it they will be dealt with by the civil courts. Some of the rebels in Georgia, in my judg. ment, deserve death, because they have committed murder and other crimes, which are punished with death by all civilized governments on earth I think this was the I course indicated by General Washington, in reference to the Whisky Insurrection, and a like principle seemed to I be recognised at the time of the liurr conspiracy. As to the union of the States under our government, we have the high authority of General Washington, who bade us be jealous and careful of it, and the still more emphatic words of General Jackson, The Federal Union, it must anti shall be preserved. Certainly Georgians cannot question the authority of such men, and should not suspect our motives, wit.. are simply fulfiliing their commands. W herever necessary, Mice has been used to carry out that end; and you may Mit assured that the Unison will be preserved. cost what it may. And if you are sensible men you will conform to this order of things or else migrate to some other country. There is no other alternative open to the people of Georgia.  MNIMMMNI  My opinion is that no negotintions are necessary, nor commissioners, nor conventions; nor anything of the kind. Whenever the people of Georgia quit rebelling against their goyim:mint and elect members of congreas and s nature. Ind r hese go :00l take their seats, then the Sat e of Georgia will have 10111111nd her functions in the Union. Three are merely niy minion., but in cnnfirma. Lou iif them, as I think, tile people of Georgia may well :allowing worth ref•rring to ilia people of the rebellious States, which I (vote from the ?paint annual in,ssoge of President Lincoln to Congress at its Fresent aession : r' They can at any moment have peace by simply laying 110,1,11 the r arms and submitting to the notional authority under the CO.ti,Uliotl. After so much, the governs meld Cr, it it WWII& tri tuttle err against them. The it.. al people would not sustain rir allow it. If questions should remain, he %%amid adjust them by the peaceful means of legislation, conference, courts, rind votes. Operating only in constiiutionol and lawful channels, some Certain and other possible questions are and would be beyond the executive power to adjuqt, as, for instance, the mbniesion of mrmbers into Coneresa, and whatever might require the appropriation of money."  The Prea(delft then alludes to the general pardon and amoesty offered for more thin a year past upon specified and more liberal terms to all except certain designated clasaes, even these being " still wiihin contempt ttion of special clemency," and add.: " It is still so open to all, hut the tim us ty come when public duty shall demand that it be closed, and that in lieu more vigerious tneas mires than heretofore sholl be adopted." It seem., to me shot it is time for the people of Gr•orzia sot for hem.lvei and return is time to their duty to the giwernment -I their father,.  Itespectlu:ly yqur—ob;ii,.at .ervant, W. T. SHERI/ M .jr-General.