memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第37部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ly　used；　at　length　the　Governor　called　to　me；　saying：　〃Colonel　Sherman；　you　can　readily　understand　that；　with　your　brother　the　abolitionist　candidate　for　Speaker；　some　of　our　people　wonder　that　you　should　be　here　at　the　head　of　an　important　State　institution。　　Now；　you　are　at　my　table；　and　I　assure　you　of　my　confidence。　　Won't　you　speak　your　mind　freely　on　this　question　of　slavery；　that　so　agitates　the　land？　You　are　under　my　roof；　and；　whatever　you　say；　you　have　my　protection。〃


I　answered：　〃Governor　Moors；　you　mistake　in　calling　my　brother；　John　Sherman；　an　abolitionist。　　We　have　been　separated　since　childhoodI　in　the　army；　and　he　pursuing　his　profession　of　law　in　Northern　Ohio；　and　it　is　possible　we　may　differ　in　general　sentiment；　but　I　deny　that　he　is　considered　at　home　an　abolitionist；　and；　although　he　prefers　the　free　institutions　under　which　he　lives　to　those　of　slavery　which　prevail　here；　he　would　not　of　himself　take　from　you　by　law　or　force　any　property　whatever；　even　slaves。〃

Then　said　Moore　：　〃Give　us　your　own　views　of　slavery　as　you　see　it　here　and　throughout　the　South。〃

I　answered　in　effect　that　〃the　people　of　Louisiana　were　hardly　responsible　for　slavery；　as　they　had　inherited　it；　that　I　found　two　distinct　conditions　of　slavery；　domestic　and　field　hands。　　The　domestic　slaves；　employed　by　the　families；　were　probably　better　treated　than　any　slaves　on　earth；　but　the　condition　of　the　field…hands　was　different；　depending　more　on　the　temper　and　disposition　of　their　masters　and　overseers　than　were　those　employed　about　the　house；〃　and　I　went　on　to　say　that；　〃were　I　a　citizen　of　Louisiana；　and　a　member　of　the　Legislature；　I　would　deem　it　wise　to　bring　the　legal　condition　of　the　slaves　more　near　the　status　of　human　beings　under　all　Christian　and　civilized　governments。　　In　the　first　place；　I　argued　that；　in　sales　of　slaves　made　by　the　State；　I　would　forbid　the　separation　of　families；　letting　the　father；　mother；　and　children；　be　sold　together　to　one　person；　instead　of　each　to　the　highest　bidder。　　And；　again；　I　would　advise　the　repeal　of　the　statute　which　enacted　a　severe　penalty　for　even　the　owner　to　teach　his　slave　to　read　and　write；　because　that　actually　qualified　property　and　took　away　a　part　of　its　value；　illustrating　the　assertion　by　the　case　of　Henry　Sampson；　who　had　been　the　slave　of　Colonel　Chambers；　of　Rapides　Parish；　who　had　gone　to　California　as　the　servant　of　an　officer　of　the　army；　and　who　was　afterward　employed　by　me　in　the　bank　at　San　Francisco。　　At　first　he　could　not　write　or　read；　and　I　could　only　afford　to　pay　him　one　hundred　dollars　a　month；　but　he　was　taught　to　read　and　write　by　Reilley；　our　bank…teller；　when　his　services　became　worth　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　month；　which　enabled　him　to　buy　his　own　freedom　and　that　of　his　brother　and　his　family。〃

What　I　said　was　listened　to　by　all　with　the　most　profound　attention；　and；　when　I　was　through；　some　one　（I　think　it　was　Mr。　Hyams）　struck　the　table　with　his　fist；　making　the　glasses　jingle；　and　said；　〃By　God；　he　is　right！〃　and　at　once　he　took　up　the　debate；　which　went　on；　for　an　hour　or　more；　on　both　sides　with　ability　and　fairness。　　Of　course；　I　was　glad　to　be　thus　relieved；　because　at　the　time　all　men　in　Louisiana　were　dreadfully　excited　on　questions　affecting　their　slaves；　who　constituted　the　bulk　of　their　wealth；　and　without　whom　they　honestly　believed　that　sugar；　cotton；　and　rice；　could　not　possibly　be　cultivated。

On　the　30th　and　31st　of　July；　1860；　we　had　an　examination　at　the　seminary；　winding　up　with　a　ball；　and　as　much　publicity　as　possible　to　attract　general　notice；　and　immediately　thereafter　we　all　scatteredthe　cadets　to　their　homes；　and　the　professors　wherever　they　pleasedall　to　meet　again　on　the　1st　day　of　the　next　November。　　Major　Smith　and　I　agreed　to　meet　in　New　York　on　a　certain　day　in　August；　to　purchase　books；　models；　etc。　　I　went　directly　to　my　family　in　Lancaster；　and　after　a　few　days　proceeded　to　Washington；　to　endeavor　to　procure　from　the　General　Government　the　necessary　muskets　and　equipments　for　our　cadets　by　the　beginning　of　the　next　term。　　I　was　in　Washington　on　the　17th　day　of　August；　and　hunted　up　my　friend　Major　Buell；　of　the　Adjutant…　General's　Department；　who　was　on　duty　with　the　Secretary　of　War；　Floyd。　　I　had　with　me　a　letter　of　Governor　Moore's；　authorizing　me　to　act　in　his　name。　　Major　Buell　took　me　into　Floyd's　room　at　the　War　Department；　to　whom　I　explained　my　business；　and　I　was　agreeably　surprised　to　meet　with　such　easy　success。　　Although　the　State　of　Louisiana　had　already　drawn　her　full　quota　of　arms；　Floyd　promptly　promised　to　order　my　requisition　to　be　filled；　and　I　procured　the　necessary　blanks　at　the　Ordnance…Office；　filled　them　with　two　hundred　cadet　muskets；　and　all　equipments　complete；　and　was　assured　that　all　these　articles　would　be　shipped　to　Louisiana　in　season　for　our　use　that　fall。　　These　assurances　were　faithfully　carried　out。

I　then　went　on　to　New　York；　there　met　Major　Smith　according　to　appointment；　and　together　we　selected　and　purchased　a　good　supply　of　uniforms；　clothing；　and　text　books；　as　well　as　a　fair　number　of　books　of　history　and　fiction；　to　commence　a　library。

When　this　business　was　completed；　I　returned　to　Lancaster；　and　remained　with　my　family　till　the　time　approached　for　me　to　return　to　Louisiana。　　I　again　left　my　family　at　Lancaster；　until　assured　of　the　completion　of　the　two　buildings　designed　for　the　married　professors　for　which　I　had　contracted　that　spring　with　Mr。　Mills；　of　Alexandria；　and　which　were　well　under　progress　when　I　left　in　August。　　One　of　these　was　designed　for　me　and　the　other　for　Vallas。　Mr。　Ewing　presented　me　with　a　horse；　which　I　took　down　the　river　with　me；　and　en　route　I　ordered　from　Grimsley　&　Co。　a　full　equipment　of　saddle；　bridle；　etc。；　the　same　that　I　used　in　the　war；　and　which　I　lost　with　my　horse；　shot　under　me　at　Shiloh。

Reaching　Alexandria　early　in　October；　I　pushed　forward　the　construction　of　the　two　buildings；　some　fences；　gates；　and　all　other　work；　with　the　object　of　a　more　perfect　start　at　the　opening　of　the　regular　term　November　1；　1860。

About　this　time　Dr。　Powhatan　Clark　was　elected　Assistant　Professor　of　Chemistry；　etc。；　and　acted　as　secretary　of　the　Board　of　Supervisors；　but　no　other　changes　were　made　in　our　small　circle　of　professors。

November　came；　and　with　it　nearly　if　not　quite　all　our　first　set　of　cadets；　and　others；　to　the　number　of　about　one　hundred　and　thirty。　We　divided　them　into　two　companies；　issued　arms　and　clothing；　and　began　a　regular　system　of　drills　and　instruction；　as　well　as　the　regular　recitations。　　I　had　moved　into　my　new　house；　but　prudently　had　not　sent　for　my　family；　nominally　on　the　ground　of　waiting　until　the　season　was　further　advanced；　but　really　because　of　the　storm　that　was　lowering　heavy　on　the　political　horizon。　　The　presidential　election　was　to　occur　in　November；　and　the　nominations　had　already　been　made　in　stormy　debates　by　the　usual　conventions。　Lincoln　and　Hamlin　（to　the　South　utterly　unknown）　were　the　nominees　of　the　Republican　party；　and　for　the　first　time　both　these　candidates　were　from　Northern　States。　　The　Democratic　party　dividedone　set　nominating　a　ticket　at　Charleston；　and　the　other　at　Baltimore。　　Breckenridge　and　Lane　were　the　nominees　of　the　Southern　or　Democratic　party；　and　Bell　and　Everett；　a　kind　of　compromise；　mostly　in　favor　in　Louisiana。　　Political　excitement　was　at　its　very　height；　and　it　was　constantly　asserted　that　Mr。　Lincoln's　election　would　imperil　the　Union。　　I　purposely　kept　aloof　from　politics；　would　take　no　part；　and　remember　that　on　the　day　of　the　election　in　November　I　was　notified　that　it　would　be　advisable　for　me　to　vote　for　Bell　and　Everett；　but　I　openly　said　I　would　not；　and　I　did　not。　　The　election　of　Mr。　Lincoln　fell　upon　us　all　like　a　clap　of　thunder。　　People　saw　and　felt　that　the　South　had　threatened　so　long　that；　if　she　quietly　submitted；　the　question　of　slavery　in　the　Territories　was　at　an　end　forever。　　I　mingled　freely　with　the　members　of　the　Board　of　Supervisors；　and　with　the　people　of　Rapides　Parish　generally；　keeping　aloof　from　all　cliques　and　parties；　and　I　certainly　hoped　that　the　threatened　storm　would　blow　over；　as　had　so　often　occurred　before；　after　similar　threats。　　At　our　seminary　the　order　of　exercises　went　along　with　the　regularity　of　the　seasons。　　Once　a　week；　I　had　the　older　cadets　to　practise　reading；　reciting；　and　elocution；　and　noticed　that　their　selections　were　from　Calhoun；　Yancey；　and　other　Southern　speakers；　all　treating　of　the　defense　of　their　slaves　and　their　home　institutions　as　the　very　highest　duty　of　the　patriot。　　Among　boys　this　was　to　be　expected；　and　among　the　members　of　our　board；　though　most　of　them　declaimed　against　politicians　generally；　and　especially　abolitionists；　as　pests；　yet　there　was　a　growing　feeling　that　danger　was　in　the　wind。　I　recall　the　visit　of　a　young　gentleman　who　had　been　sent　from　Jackson；　by　the　Governor　of　Mississippi；　to　confer　with　Governor　Moore；　then　on　his　plantation　at　Bayou　Robert；　and　who　had　come　over　to　see　our　college。　　He　spoke　to　me　openly　of　secession　as　a　fixed　fact；　and　that　its　details　were　only　left　open　for　discussion。　　I　also　recall　the　visit　of　some　man　who　was　said　to　be　a　high　officer　in　the　order　of　〃Knights　of　the　Golden　Circle；〃　of　the　existence　of　which　order　I　was　even　ignorant；　until　explained　to　me　by　Major　Smith　and　Dr。　Clark。　　But　in　November；　1860；　no　man　ever　approached　me　offensively；　to　ascertain　my　views；　or　my　proposed　course　of　action　in　case　of　secession；　and　no　man　in　or　out　of　authority　ever　tried　to　induce　me　to　take　part　in　steps　designed　to　lead　toward　disunion。　　I　think　my　general　opinions　were　well　known　and　understood；　viz。；　that　〃secession　was　treason；　was　war；〃　and　that　in　no　event　would　the　North　and　West　permit　the　Mississippi　River　to　pass　out　of　their　control。　　But　some　men　at　the　South　actually　supposed　at　the　time　that　the　Northwestern　States；　in　case　of　a　disruption　of　the　General　Government；　would　be　drawn　in　self…interest　to　an　alliance　with　the　South。　　What　I　now　write　I　do　not　offer　as　any　thing　like　a　history　of　the　important　events　of　that　time；　but　rather　as　my　memory　of　them；　the　effect　they　had　on　me　personally；　and　to　what　extent　they　influenced