Sounds too Good to Be True
"I certainly wasn't expecting that," says every good-intentioned man with a plan. I can only imagine the type of words used by Gen. William T. Sherman after having his efforts halted by a new president. I think it allows us to see the nature of the beast when it comes to policy implementation within a bureaucratic structure, at the very least, a faulty system. This has been happening since the time the world began revolving.
While providing immediate benefits in January only 4 days after being proposed by Gen. Sherman, President Lincoln helped establish the order with a bureau to allow for proper redistribution of lands and essentially forming a body of overseers that would ensure the act went into effect through the sovereignty of the people it was entrusted to, the Freedmen.
It goes to show that although we may not agree with policies, we can learn to dialogue and resolve injustices working together towards a common goal. Gen. Sherman although, never boasted that he wanted racial equality for all. I can't help but think, hope, that just maybe a change of heart occurred and the General realized something needed to be done to acknowledge, repair, aid, in some sense the damage done to his brothers in arms. The rice coast (roughly 350 miles) was given to the Freedmen for many motives; punishing the Confederates who started the war, but more importantly a beginning act towards social aid and the beneficence of all.
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