memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第80章

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red　to　command；　which　means；　to　control　for　the　interest；　welfare；　and　glory　of　the　whole　Government　of　the　United　States。

Personalities　in　a　newspaper　are　wrong　and　criminal。　　Thus；　though　you　meant　to　be　complimentary　in　your　sketch　of　my　career；　you　make　more　than　a　dozen　mistakes　of　fact；　which　I　need　not　correct；　as　I　don't　desire　my　biography　to　be　written　till　I　am　dead。　　It　is　enough　for　the　world　to　know　that　I　live　and　am　a　soldier；　bound　to　obey　the　orders　of　my　superiors；　the　laws　of　my　country；　and　to　venerate　its　Constitution；　and　that；　when　discretion　is　given　me；　I　shall　exercise　it　wisely　and　account　to　my　superiors。

I　regard　your　article　headed　〃City　CouncilGeneral　Sherman　and　Colonel　Slack；〃　as　highly　indiscreet。　　Of　course；　no　person　who　can　jeopardize　the　safety　of　Memphis　can　remain　here；　much　less　exercise　public　authority；　but　I　must　take　time；　and　be　satisfied　that　injustice　be　not　done。

If　the　parties　named　be　the　men　you　describe；　the　fact　should　not　be　published；　to　put　them　on　their　guard　and　thus　to　encourage　their　escape。　　The　evidence　should　be　carefully　collected；　authenticated；　and　then　placed　in　my　hands。　　But　your　statement　of　facts　is　entirely　qualified；　in　my　mind；　and　loses　its　force　by　your　negligence　of　the　very　simple　facts　within　your　reach　as　to　myself：　I　had　been　in　the　army　six　years　in　1846；　am　not　related　by　blood　to　any　member　of　Lucas；　Turner　&　Co。；　was　associated　with　them　in　business　six　years　（instead　of　two）；　am　not　colonel　of　the　Fifteenth　Infantry；　but　of　the　Thirteenth。　　Your　correction；　this　morning；　of　the　acknowledged　error　as　to　General　Denver　and　others；　is　still　erroneous。　　General　Morgan　L。　Smith　did　not　belong　to　my　command　at　the　battle　of　Shiloh　at　all；　but　he　was　transferred　to　my　division　just　before　reaching　Corinth。　　I　mention　these　facts　in　kindness；　to　show　you　how　wrong　it　is　to　speak　of　persons。

I　will　attend　to　the　judge；　mayor；　Boards　of　Aldermen；　and　policemen；　all　in　good　time。

Use　your　influence　to　reestablish　system；　order；　government。　　You　may　rest　easy　that　no　military　commander　is　going　to　neglect　internal　safety；　or　to　guard　against　external　danger；　but　to　do　right　requires　time；　and　more　patience　than　I　usually　possess。　　If　I　find　the　press　of　Memphis　actuated　by　high　principle　and　a　sole　devotion　to　their　country；　I　will　be　their　best　friend；　but；　if　I　find　them　personal；　abusive；　dealing　in　innuendoes　and　hints　at　a　blind　venture；　and　looking　to　their　own　selfish　aggrandizement　and　fame；　then　they　had　better　look　out；　for　I　regard　such　persons　as　greater　enemies　to　their　country　and　to　mankind　than　the　men　who；　from　a　mistaken　sense　of　State　pride；　have　taken　up　muskets；　and　fight　us　about　as　hard　as　we　care　about。　　In　haste；　but　in　kindness；　yours；　etc。；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General。




HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION；　MEMPHIS；　TENNESSEE；　July　27；　1882。

JOHN　PARK；　Mayor　of　Memphis；　present。

Sir：　Yours　of　July　24th　is　before　me；　and　has　received；　as　all　similar　papers　ever　will；　my　careful　and　most　respectful　consideration。　　I　have　the　most　unbounded　respect　for　the　civil　law；　courts；　and　authorities；　and　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　restore　them　to　their　proper　use；　viz。；　the　protection　of　life；　liberty；　and　property。

Unfortunately；　at　this　time；　civil　war　prevails　in　the　land；　and　necessarily　the　military；　for　the　time　being；　must　be　superior　to　the　civil　authority；　but　it　does　not　therefore　destroy　it。　　Civil　courts　and　executive　officers　should　still　exist　and　perform　duties；　without　which　civil　or　municipal　bodies　would　soon　pass　into　disrespectan　end　to　be　avoided。　　I　am　glad　to　find　in　Memphis　a　mayor　and　municipal　authorities　not　only　in　existence；　but　in　the　co…exercise　of　important　functions；　and　I　shall　endeavor　to　restore　one　or　more　civil　tribunals　for　the　arbitration　of　contracts　and　punishment　of　crimes；　which　the　military　have　neither　time　nor　inclination　to　interfere　with。　　Among　these；　first　in　importance　is　the　maintenance　of　order；　peace；　and　quiet；　within　the　jurisdiction　of　Memphis。　　To　insure　this；　I　will　keep　a　strong　provost　guard　in　the　city；　but　will　limit　their　duty　to　guarding　public　property　held　or　claimed　by　the　United　States；　and　for　the　arrest　and　confinement　of　State　prisoners　and　soldiers　who　are　disorderly　or　improperly　away　from　their　regiments。　　This　guard　ought　not　to　arrest　citizens　for　disorder　or　minor　crimes。　　This　should　be　done　by　the　city　police。　　I　understand　that　the　city　police　is　too　weak　in　numbers　to　accomplish　this　perfectly；　and　I　therefore　recommend　that　the　City　Council　at　once　take　steps　to　increase　this　force　to　a　number　which；　in　their　judgment；　day　and　night　can　enforce　your　ordinances　as　to　peace；　quiet；　and　order；　so　that　any　change　in　our　military　dispositions　will　not　have　a　tendency　to　leave　your　people　unguarded。　　I　am　willing　to　instruct　the　provost　guard　to　assist　the　police　force　when　any　combination　is　made　too　strong　for　them　to　overcome；　but　the　city　police　should　be　strong　enough　for　any　probable　contingency。　　The　cost　of　maintaining　this　police　force　must　necessarily　fall　upon　all　citizens　equitably。　　I　am　not　wilting；　nor　do　I　think　it　good　policy；　for　the　city　authorities　to　collect　the　taxes　belonging　to　the　State　and　County；　as　you　recommend；　for　these　would　have　to　be　refunded。　　Better　meet　the　expenses　at　once　by　a　new　tax　on　all　interested。　　Therefore；　if　you；　on　consultation　with　the　proper　municipal　body；　will　frame　a　good　bill　for　the　increase　of　your　police　force；　and　for　raising　the　necessary　means　for　their　support　and　maintenance；　I　will　approve　it　and　aid　you　in　the　collection　of　the　tax。　　Of　course；　I　cannot　suggest　how　this　tax　should　be　laid；　but　I　think　that　it　should　be　made　uniform　on　all　interests；　real　estate；　and　personal　property；　including　money；　and　merchandise。

All　who　are　protected　should　share　the　expenses　in　proportion　to　the　interests　involved。　　I　am；　with　respect；　your　obedient　servant；

W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Major…General　commanding。



HEADQUARTERS　FIFTH　DIVISION；　MEMPHIS；　August　7；　1862。

Captain　FITCH；　Assistant　Quartermaster；　Memphis；　Tennessee。

SIR　：　The　duties　devolving　on　the　quartermaster　of　this　post；　in　addition　to　his　legitimate　functions；　are　very　important　and　onerous；　and　I　am　fully　aware　that　the　task　is　more　than　should　devolve　on　one　man。　　I　will　endeavor　to　get　you　help　in　the　person　of　some　commissioned　officer；　and；　if　possible；　one　under　bond；　as　he　must　handle　large　amounts　of　money　in　trust；　but；　for　the　present；　we　most　execute　the　duties　falling　to　our　share　as　well　as　possible。　　On　the　subject　of　vacant　houses；　General　Grant's　orders　are：　〃Take　possession　of　all　vacant　stores　and　houses　in　the　city；　and　have　them　rented　at　reasonable　rates；　rent　to　be　paid　monthly　in　advance。　　These　buildings；　with　their　tenants；　can　be　turned　over　to　proprietors　on　proof　of　loyalty；　also　take　charge　of　such　as　have　been　leased　out　by　disloyal　owners。〃

I　understand　that　General　Grant　takes　the　rents　and　profits　of　this　class　of　real　property　under　the　rules　and　laws　of　war；　and　not　under　the　confiscation　act　of　Congress；　therefore　the　question　of　title　is　not　involved　simply　the　possession；　and　the　rents　and　profits　of　houses　belonging　to　our　enemies；　which　are　not　vacant；　we　hold　in　trust　for　them　or　the　Government；　according　to　the　future　decisions　of　the　proper　tribunals。

Mr。　McDonald；　your　chief　agent　in　renting　and　managing　this　business；　called　on　me　last　evening　and　left　with　me　written　questions；　which　it　would　take　a　volume　to　answer　and　a　Webster　to　elucidate；　but　as　we　can　only　attempt　plain；　substantial　justice；　I　will　answer　these　questions　as　well　as　I　can；　briefly　and　to　the　point

First。　　When　ground　is　owned　by　parties　who　have　gone　south；　and　have　leased　the　ground　to　parties　now　in　the　city　who　own　the　improvements　on　the　ground　？

Answer。　　The　United　States　takes　the　rents　due　the　owner　of　the　land；　does　not　disturb　the　owner　of　the　improvements。

Second。　　When　parties　owning　houses　have　gone　south；　and　the　tenant　has　given　his　notes　for　the　rent　in　advance？

Answer。　　Notes　are　mere　evidence　of　the　debt　due　landlord。　　The　tenant　pays　the　rent　to　the　quartermaster；