On the record
The preservation of the Union was the central idea of the war.
Source
gutenberg.orgJohn Sherman: “The preservation of the Union was the central idea of the war.”
Editor's note · Context
Sherman identifies the preservation of the Union as the primary objective of the Civil War.
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More from John Sherman
The Union already embraces discordant elements enough without adding others.
The life of a civilian is in what he says or writes, that of a soldier in what he does.
If my life is prolonged I will do all I can to add to the strength and prosperity of the United States, but nothing to extend its limits or to add new dangers by acquisition of foreign territory.
It was settled by this war that we have a country limited in its powers by the constitution of the United States fairly construed.
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