memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第115章

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t。　　In　the　letter　herewith　I　confine　myself　to　purely　private　matters；　and　will　not　object　if　it　reaches　the　public　in　any　proper　way。　　My　opinion　is；　the　President　thinks　Mrs。　Sherman　would　like　to　come　to　Washington　by　reason　of　her　father　and　brothers　being　there。　　This　is　true；　for　Mrs。　Sherman　has　an　idea　that　St。　Louis　is　unhealthy　for　our　children；　and　because　moat　of　the　Catholics　here　are　tainted　with　the　old　secesh　feeling。　　But　I　know　better　what　is　to　our　common　interest；　and　prefer　to　judge　of　the　proprieties　myself。　　What　I　do　object　to　is　the　false　position　I　would　occupy　as　between　you　and　the　President。　Were　there　an　actual　army　at　or　near　Washington；　I　could　be　withdrawn　from　the　most　unpleasant　attitude　of　a　〃go…between；〃　but　there　is　no　army　there；　nor　any　military　duties　which　you　with　a　host　of　subordinates　can　not　perform。　　Therefore　I　would　be　there　with　naked；　informal；　and　sinecure　duties；　and　utterly　out　of　place。　　This　you　understand　well　enough；　and　the　army　too；　but　the　President　and　the　politicians；　who　flatter　themselves　they　are　saving　the　country；　cannot　and　will　not　understand。　　My　opinion　is；　the　country　is　doctored　to　death；　and　if　President　and　Congress　would　go　to　sleep　like　Rip　Van　Winkle；　the　country　would　go　on　under　natural　influences；　and　recover　far　faster　than　under　their　joint　and　several　treatment。　　This　doctrine　would　be　accounted　by　Congress；　and　by　the　President　too；　as　high　treason；　and　therefore　I　don't　care　about　saying　so　to　either　of　them；　but　I　know　you　can　hear　anything；　and　give　it　just　what　thought　or　action　it　merits。

Excuse　this　long　letter；　and　telegraph　me　the　result　of　my　letter　to　the　President　as　early　as　you　can。　　If　he　holds　my　letter　so　long　as　to　make　it　improper　for　me　to　await　his　answer；　also　telegraph　me。

The　order；　when　received；　will；　I　suppose；　direct　me　as　to　whom　and　how　I　am　to　turn　over　this　command；　which　should；　in　my　judgment；　not　be　broken　up；　as　the　three　departments　composing　the　division　should　be　under　one　head。

I　expect　my　staff…officers　to　be　making　for　me　within　the　hour　to　learn　their　fate；　so　advise　me　all　you　can　as　quick　as　possible。

With　great　respect；　yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lieutenant…General。



To　the　President。

DEAR　SIR：　It　is　hard　for　me　to　conceive　you　would　purposely　do　me　an　unkindness　unless　under　the　pressure　of　a　sense　of　public　duty；　or　because　you　do　not　believe　me　sincere。　　I　was　in　hopes；　since　my　letter　to　you　of　the　31st　of　January；　that　you　had　concluded　to　pass　over　that　purpose　of　yours　expressed　more　than　once　in　conversationto　organize　a　new　command　for　me　in　the　East；　with　headquarters　in　Washington；　but　a　telegram　from　General　Grant　of　yesterday　says　that　〃the　order　was　issued　ordering　you〃　（me）　〃to　Atlantic　Division〃；　and　the　newspapers　of　this　morning　contain　the　same　information；　with　the　addition　that　I　have　been　nominated　as　brevet　general。　　I　have　telegraphed　my　own　brother　in　the　Senate　to　oppose　my　confirmation；　on　the　ground　that　the　two　higher　grades　in　the　army　ought　not　to　be　complicated　with　brevets；　and　I　trust　you　will　conceive　my　motives　aright。　　If　I　could　see　my　way　clear　to　maintain　my　family；　I　should　not　hesitate　a　moment　to　resign　my　present　commission；　and　seek　some　business　wherein　I　would　be　free　from　these　unhappy　complications　that　seem　to　be　closing　about　me；　spite　of　my　earnest　efforts　to　avoid　them；　but　necessity　ties　my　hands；　and　I　must　submit　with　the　best　grace　I　can　till　I　make　other　arrangements。

In　Washington　are　already　the　headquarters　of　a　department；　and　of　the　army　itself；　and　it　is　hard　for　me　to　see　wherein　I　can　render　military　service　there。　　Any　staff…officer　with　the　rank　of　major　could　surely　fill　any　gap　left　between　these　two　military　officers；　and；　by　being　placed　in　Washington；　I　will　be　universally　construed　as　a　rival　to　the　General…in…Chief；　a　position　damaging　to　me　in　the　highest　degree。　　Our　relations　have　always　been　most　confidential　and　friendly；　and　if；　unhappily；　any　cloud　of　differences　should　arise　between　us；　my　sense　of　personal　dignity　and　duty　would　leave　me　no　alternative　but　resignation。　　For　this　I　am　not　yet　prepared；　but　I　shall　proceed　to　arrange　for　it　as　rapidly　as　possible；　so　that　when　the　time　does　come　（as　it　surely　will　if　this　plan　is　carried　into　effect）　I　may　act　promptly。

Inasmuch　as　the　order　is　now　issued；　I　cannot　expect　a　full　revocation　of　it；　but　I　beg　the　privilege　of　taking　post　at　New　York；　or　any　point　you　may　name　within　the　new　military　division　other　than　Washington。　　This　privilege　is　generally　granted　to　all　military　commanders；　and　I　see　no　good　reason　why　I　too　may　not　ask　for　it；　and　this　simple　concession；　involving　no　public　interest；　will　much　soften　the　blow；　which；　right　or　wrong；　I　construe　as　one　of　the　hardest　I　have　sustained　in　a　life　somewhat　checkered　with　adversity。　　With　great　respects　yours　truly；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Lieutenant…General。



WASHINGTON；　D。　　C。；　2　p。m。；　February　19；　1888。　Lieutenant…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　St。　Louis；　Missouri：

I　have　just　received；　with　General　Grant's　indorsement　of　reference；　your　letter　to　me　of　the　fourteenth　（14th）　inst。

The　order　to　which　you　refer　was　made　in　good　faith；　and　with　a　view　to　the　best　interests　of　the　country　and　the　service；　as；　however；　your　assignment　to　a　new　military　division　seems　so　objectionable；　you　will　retain　your　present　command。

ANDREW　JOHNSON。


On　that　same　19th　of　February　he　appointed　Adjutant；　General　Lorenzo　Thomas　to　be　Secretary　of　War　ad　intemim；　which　finally　resulted　in　the　articles　of　impeachment　and　trial　of　President　Johnson　before　the　Senate。　　I　was　a　witness　on　that　trial；　but　of　course　the　lawyers　would　not　allow　me　to　express　any　opinion　of　the　President's　motives　or　intentions；　and　restricted　me　to　the　facts　set　forth　in　the　articles　of　impeachment；　of　which　I　was　glad　to　know　nothing。　　The　final　test　vote　revealed　less　than　two　thirds；　and　the　President　was　consequently　acquitted。　　Mr。　Stanton　resigned。　　General　Schofield；　previously　nominated；　was　confirmed　as　Secretary　of　War；　thus　putting　an　end　to　what　ought　never　to　have　happened　at　all。



INDIAN　PEACE　COMMISSION。

On　the　20th　of　July；　1867；　President　Johnson　approved　an　act　to　establish　peace　with　certain　hostile　Indian　tribes；　the　first　section　of　which　reads　as　follows：　〃Be　it　enacted；　etc。；　that　the　President　of　the　United　States　be　and　is　hereby　authorized　to　appoint　a　commission　to　consist　of　three　（3）　officers　of　the　army　not　below　the　rank　of　brigadier…general；　who；　together　with　N。　G。　Taylor；　Commissioner　of　Indian　Affairs；　John　B。　　Henderson；　chairman　of　the　Committee　of　Indian　Affairs　of　the　Senate；　S。　F。　Tappan；　and　John　B。　　Sanborn；　shall　have　power　and　authority　to　call　together　the　chiefs　and　head　men　of　such　bands　or　tribes　of　Indians　as　are　now　waging　war　against　the　United　States；　or　committing　depredations　on　the　people　thereof；　to　ascertain　the　alleged　reasons　for　their　acts　of　hostility；　and　in　their　discretion；　under　the　direction　of　the　President；　to　make　and　conclude　with　said　bands　or　tribes　such　treaty　stipulations；　subject　to　the　action　of　the　Senate；　as　may　remove　all　just　causes　of　complaint　on　their　part；　and　at　the　same　time　establish　security　for　person　and　property　along　the　lines　of　railroad　now　being　constructed　to　the　Pacific　and　other　thoroughfares　of　travel　to　the　Western　Territories；　and　such　as　will　most　likely　insure　civilization　for　the　Indians；　and　peace　and　safety　for　the　whites。〃

The　President　named　as　the　military　members　Lieutenant…General　Sherman；　Brigadier…Generals　A。　H。　Terry　and　W。　S。　Harney。　Subsequently；　to　insure　a　full　attendance；　Brigadier…General　C。　C。　Augur　was　added　to　the　commission；　and　his　name　will　be　found　on　most　of　the　treaties。　　The　commissioners　met　at　St。　Louis　and　elected　N。　G。　Taylor；　the　Commissioner　of　Indian　Affairs；　president；　J。　B。　Sanborn；　treasurer；　and　A。　S。　H。　White；　Esq。；　of　Washington；　D。　C。；　secretary。　　The　year　1867　was　too　far　advanced　to　complete　the　task　assigned　during　that　season；　and　it　was　agreed　that　a　steamboat　（St。　John's）　should　be　chartered　to　convey　the　commission　up　the　Missouri　River；　and　we　adjourned　to　me