John Sherman

All I wanted, and the controlling wish of my life, was to help mother.

All causes combining created a deceptive prosperity that could end only in one way.

A craze to purchase public land created an overflowing revenue.

The pet banks chartered after the destruction of the Bank of the United States started upon a wild scheme of inflation.

The development created by our system of canals had opened markets for our produce.

It is the period of greatest danger and highest hope.

I was regarded as a wild, reckless lad, eager in controversy and ready to fight.

Affection may make a mother bear with the torment of her own child at that age, but will rarely induce an equal leniency toward that of another.

I shall always remember with sincere gratitude her care and forbearance manifested toward a rather wild and reckless boy at the disagreeable age of from eight to twelve years.

I do not believe that the policy of punishment adopted in the schools of those times would be expedient to-day.

Vernon I was rather a troublesome boy, frequently involved in controversies with the teachers, and sometimes punished in the old-fashioned way with the ferule and the switch, which habit I then regarded as tyrannical and now regard as…

Each individual life is molded by one's ancestry, by the incidents of his childhood, the training he receives in the family and the school and the conditions and surroundings of his early days.

The writer of this has a firm belief in the Bible as the only creed of religious faith and duty, and willingly accords to every human being the right to choose his form of worship according to his judgment, but in case of doubt it is best…

The women of that day were trained more for the culture and ornament of the house, more to knit stockings and weave home spun than to make speeches on woman's rights.

As it is, he has left to his children the heritage of his spotless public reputation--of his loved and honored name.

They esteemed him for his gentle and genial nature, for the brilliant flashes of his mind and the solid strength of his judgment; above all, for the stainless integrity of his character, as a judge and as a man.

They are clear, compact, yet comprehensive, intuitive, logical, complete, and conclusive, and are respected by the bar and courts in this and other states as judicial dicta of the highest authority.

His written opinions, published in 'Hammond's Reports of the Supreme Court,' demonstrate a mind of the choicest legal capabilities.

Judge Sherman upon the bench fully realized the large expectations of his professional friends and the public.

Go then, fellow soldiers, assist to shield your country from the destruction of an internal warfare, awake to honor and to glory, rouse the native courage of an American freeman and march to deeds of valor!

Does it rouse no generous and noble feelings in your breasts to be a guardian shield and avenging sword to your country?

Is there no latent spark of patriot ardor that the wrongs and indignities of our country will kindle into a flame?

Where is the spirit of our fathers that urged them to battle and to victory?

The cup of our wrongs is full, and the voice of an indignant people demands redress and revenge by every means in our power; 'tis that voice that calls upon you to arm and meet the hosts of England.

And who would refuse to protect the scattered settlements on our frontiers--the humble cottage and its peaceful inhabitants?--Who would refuse to guard our fields from desolation, our villages from destruction, or our towns from ruin…