Page images
PDF
EPUB

FOURTH ANNUAL MESSAGE.

365

the national authority, on the part of the insurgents, as the only indispensable condition to ending the war on the part of the Government, I retract nothing heretofore said as to slavery. I repeat the declaration made a year ago, that "while I remain in my present position I shall not attempt to retract or modify the emancipation proclamation, nor shall I return to slavery any person who is free by the terms of that proclamation, or by any of the acts of Congress." If the people should, by whatever mode or means, make it an executive duty to reenslave such persons, another, and not I, must be their instrument to perform it.

In stating a single condition of peace, I mean simply to say that the war will cease on the part of the Government whenever it shall have ceased on the part of those who began it.

REPLY TO AN ILLINOIS CLERGYMAN.

"WHEN I left Springfield I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg, and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ. Yes, I do love Jesus."

[graphic][merged small][merged small]

Representing a body of infantry soldiers on the march. They are fired upon from some covert place, and the color-bearer killed. The captain raises the colors with one hand, and with the other points to the enemy and orders a bayonet charge, which the private on his right is in the act of executing. The drummer-boy becomes excited, loses his cap, throws away his haversack, puts one drumstick in his belt, draws a revolver and engages in the conflict. The exploded shell indicates that they are on ground that has been fought over before.

W. T. SHERMAN.

367

MEMOIRS OF GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN.

[EXTRACT.]

KNOW, when I left him, that I was more than ever impressed by his kindly nature, his deep and earnest sympathy with the afflictions of the whole people, resulting from the war, and by the march of hostile armies through the South; and that his earnest desire seemed to be to end the war speedily, without more bloodshed or devastation, and to restore all the men of both sections to their homes. In the language of his second inaugural address he seemed to have "charity for all, malice toward none,” and, above all, an absolute faith in the courage, manliness, and integrity of the armies in the field. When at rest or listening, his legs and arms seemed to hang almost lifeless, and his face was care-worn and haggard; but the moment he began to talk his face lightened up, his tall form, as it were, unfolded, and he was the very impersonation of good-humor and fellowship. The last words I recall as addressed to me were that he would feel better when I was back at Goldsboro'. We parted at the gang-way of the River Queen about noon of March 28th, and I never saw him again.

Of all the men I ever met, he seemed to possess more of the elements of greatness, combined with goodness, than any other.

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »