I certainly do regret that Generals McClernand and Thayer regard the disobedience of orders emanating from the highest military source and the publication of willful and malicious slanders against their brother officers as mere technical offenses, and notwithstanding the President's indorsement of that conclusion, I cannot so regard it. After having enunciated to me that fact that newspaper correspondents were a fraternity bound together by a common interest that must write down all who stood in their way, and that you had to supply the public demand for news, true if possible, but false if your interest demanded it, I cannot be privy to a tacit acknowledgment of the principle.

Come with a sword or musket in your hand, prepared to share with us our fate in sunshine and storm, in prosperity and adversity, in plenty and scarcity, and I will welcome you as a brother and associate; but come as you now do, expecting me to ally the reputation and honor of my country and my fellow-soldiers with you, as the representative of the press, which you yourself say makes so slight a difference between truth and falsehood, and my answer is, Never.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Camp near Vicksburg, April 8, 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

DEAR SIR: I received last night the copy of your answer to Mr. Knox's application to return and reside near your headquarters. I thank you for the manner and substance of that reply. Many regard Knox as unworthy the notice he has received. This is true; but I send you his letter to me and my answer. Observe is his letter to me, sent long before I could have heard the result of his application to you, he makes the assertion that you had no objection, but rather wanted him back, and only as a matter of from required my assent. He regretted a difference between a "portion of the army and the press." The insolence of these fellows is insupportable. I know they are encouraged, but I know human nature well enough, and that they will be the first to turn against their patrons. Mr. Lincoln, of course, fears to incur the enmity of the Herald, but he must rule the Herald or the Herald will rule him; he can take his choice.

I have been foolish ad unskillful in drawing on me the shafts of the press. By opposing mob law in California, I once before drew down the press but after the smoke cleared off, and the people saw where they were drifting to, they admitted I was right. If the press be allowed to run riot, and write up and wire down at their pleasure, there is an end to a constitutional government in America, and anarchy must result. Even now the real people of our country begin to fear and tremble at it, and took to our armies as the anchor of safety, of order, submission to authority, bound together by a real Government, and not by the clamor of a demoralized press and crowd of demagogues.

As ever, your friend,

W. T. SHERMAN.

CAMP NEAR VICKSBURG, April 8, 1863.

Mr. HALSTED, Cincinnati:

SIR: As, unhappily, I am singled out of a great mass of men who think as I do, but who have either bowed to the storm or been more