, 1865-02-08

His Letter to the Rebel Congress-.

The following letter WAS written by Hon.
H. s. Foote, just before be was arrested, near
Ocoquan:
Or TEE DANES OF THE POTOMAC, !
II s1oHT OF THE BlaTHflAcE Or WARRINGTON,
December ~, 1854,
Hon. Thomas S. Bocock, Speaker Of tho Honse Of
Representatives Confederate States:
pediment eha not arise to defeat the execution Of
ID ID &c neighSofsood q which teposes 80 sshes
& I q shneg9gs a4 tic R1s
a5ccrt.inlng whether or not 1t Is practicable to
obtain for the people Of the Confederate States IN
s9l! and an hoaers6e peass ater RI TIC %e %Gft
has occurred in modern times, and IN a1l respects.
the most deploraole that has Jet found record upon
No human being is responsible for the move
mcnt but myself, nor should hare undertaken 1t,
but for tho notorious fact that two Executive De-
psItments, .at Washington, and Richmond, hare
relations with each other which render 1t almost
impossible that regular diplomatic intercourse
could occur between them, and the additional fact
that the tNo Houses Of the Confederate Congress
were altogether unwilling to do anything calcu-
listed to forward the &c saton Of hosti1cs and the
restoration Of pea:e and unity between those who,
in my delibrratc judgment, should never have al
unua.ura: and even fsatricidal in itt character
destructive to the best interests Of civilization
and Christianity, and which, shall 1t continue to
BIZ. from Tic natural operation oi that var itsoIL
rcsult In the cxtinGaishmcut OF civil liberty In
this hemisphere. and the establishment Of two Of
the most grinding despotlsns TINT the world has
Should succeed in my present undettaking,m my
aae ths M S 0a
and even contempt, will be most surely visited
upon me in fun meaFure. Even many sensible
aTY Protector, whilst eaSions, llliberaI aud malig-
nant. iguoble Hmc-serycEs Of the honr. and slay
tah imftators Of power, will not Till TO denouncc
cause and the noble state eovereigndes by which
our present government has been called into ez-
istence. For all these am prepared, and au1
The Government of the United States, should this
undeeerved treatment be awardedme.
1tsaa hardly b necessary ;h.t shoaid here
Tealer Of eecrets Of he confsde.ate government,
nor as epJ upon the GoEernment Of the United
States. II the success Of the enterprise II which
hsre nS
not hare doubted the result, but. a1asi In those
two months eventB have occurred Of nat1re most
6sqs 70 sSa an %ssSn ba
offender.
Il Is not at all impossible that ! may die upon
O. o sommi;eesattve sympathy in any quarter, but
ieei. Notwithstanding, that IN passing from this
mortal i; u :tste sha1l be enabled sincerely 70 ex.
deeoraHn cat PRO patrie mort
i have the honor to ask that you will do me the
1usuce to! lay this communication before the House
over which you preside, in order that the members
! lHefco! may taRc euch action in the premises as
they ehsll deem 1nost Advisable, sholld it be de-
clded that expulsion from that hody IL necessary
to the paintensnee Of Its corporate dignity. AZ
istidef hinsef did not more sereneiy submit to
the doom OF ostracisn, than 1 ,shal1 ihe punitory
sentence Of those with most Of whom haye beef1
for tha laet three ycars legtsiauyely associated.
bare the honor to be your obedient servant,
P,S. Since writing the above, I have conclud-
ed to Reign the seat In the Confederate Congress
which now hold, believing it will be better that
Should fulfill the selfimposed duties which lie
before me IN the character Of private citizen
merely. thus yielding an opportunity to ny honor
ed constituents, # they shall chooae to Do 90, Of
electiuc eone other pefson to perform the fnnc-
tions Of representat1ye In their behelk possessed
ofhisher capacities for public service than have
bccn able 70 display, and who may prove more
cinies oT h,ch-toued statcsmanshtp, and In stem
mfng that rushing tide ofevls, military and civil,
which now threaiens to Involve our people IN the
nrtcld horrors of utter snhfusaon, or In those Of
mcrcilcss and irresponsible domestic tyranny.
osk that this resignation shall be a'owed to taSo
eject On the 31et day Of December, 1S4
{S{CneQb H. D EooAA'