Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/580

 570 Southern Historical Society Papers.

had devolved upon another. Thomas was a Virginian, and had, as many other good and patriotic men had, great doubts as to the ability of the government to coerce the States back into the Union that had, by their legislatures, formally withdrawn, but having that night decided to remain with the Union, from that time forward there was no doubt, no hesitancy, no wavering, but an earnest, hearty support to the side which had for its interest the Union, and to-day his name is among the brightest, best and purest of its military he- roes. If Fitz John Porter was to any extent instrumental in saving this great name to our list of military heroes, I ask, Should not this country be grateful to him ? I think it should."

General Sherman's Slanders of Confederate Leaders. — Time does not seem to soften the bitterness of the " Great Bummer " and Burner of the war, but he seems to lose no opportunity to vent his spleen against " Rebel conspirators " and "Traitors." And in his blind malignity he shows a reckless disregard of the truth, which is utterly amazing. At the formal opening of the new hall of the Frank Blair Post of the Grand Army ol the Republic, a few weeks ago, General Sherman, in the course of his address, stated that President Davis ("Jeff, Davis," he rudely calls him), " was a con- spirator a the opening of the rebellion, and that his aim was to make himself dictator of the South, and that, in a letter to a man who is now a United States Senator, he had said he would turn Lee's army against any State that might attempt to secede from the Southern Confederacy."

This statement brought out the following reply from our patriotic, chivalric chief:

Beauvoir, Miss., November 6, 1884.

Editor St. Lotas Republican :

Dear Sir, — I have to-night received the enclosed published ac- count of remarks made by General W. T. Sherman, and ask the use of your columns to notice only so much as particularly refers to myself, and which is to be found in the following extracts. The following is taken from the St. Louis Republican :

" Frank P. Blair Post, G. A. R., opened their new hall, corner of Seventeenth and Olive streets, last evening. General Sherman said the people of the North would have all been slaves."