The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-02-10
FROM THE SOUTH.
Letter From JEFF. Davis on APP
pointing Gen. Lee General
in-Chief. a
The General.in-Chfef 0iiI a Law..NC
Changes I'm the Cabinet.

|
Changes In the Cabinet.
From the Richmond Examiner, Jan. 25.
We are happy to learn that the Presi
dent has signed the bill creating the gen.
eral-in- chief; the bill is now law. NJ
| appointment has yet been made to Eli the
new Office. We hear of no changes in the
cabinet. Mr.. Seddon has certainly and
decisively resigned. 1t is not true that
Benjamin has resigned.
The Appointment of IL. e. Lee Cen
eral-in-Chief..Eetter from JEFF. pa
Wis ON the Subject.
From the Richmond Whlg, Jan. %.
The Injunction of secrecy having been
removed, we lay before our readers the &C.
ton of the General Assembly of Virginia,
recommending the assignment of Gen.
Z. E. Lee to the command Of ali the mill
tary forces of the Confederate States, and
the reply Of his excellency, the President,
to the letter of the presiding officers ofthe
two Houses, who communicated the reso-
lutions adopted in secret session by the
General Assembly.
gRBV. DAvIs's LETTER
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, l.
RICHMOND, January 1856
Messrs. james T. johnson, President pro tenn:
Of the Virginia Senate, and H7tqh W. sShefe,,
Speaker Of tie Tirginsa House of Delegates:
GENTLEMEN / have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your joint letter of the
18th instant, inclosing the resolution of the
General Assembly of Virginia passed on the
18th instant, and communicates to me in con-
fidence as directed by the assembly This resolu-
hot in ho irin 81 6oG
eral Assembly OF Virginia the appointment Of
Gen. Robert E. Lee to the command of all the
armies of the Confederate States, would pro-
mote the efficiency and operate powerfully to
reanimate the spirits Of the armies as well as
of the people of the several States. and to in
spire increased confidence in the final success
OF our cause. In your communication yoCs
assure me that tie General Assembly, with
sincere confidence in my patriotic devotion to.
the welfare OF the country, desirsin this criti-
cal period of our affairs by such suggestions as
may occur to them, and by the dedication, if
need be, of the entire resources of the com
monwealth to Uncommon cause, to strengtheu
my hand. and to give success to.this struggle
for liberty and independence. This assur-
ance is to me the source of the highest gratifi-
cation ;; and while conveying to you uny thanks
for the expression of the confidence of the
General Assembly in my sincere devotion to
our count y and sacred cause / must beg per.
culating unhesitatiDg spirit with. which Viz
ginia has, from the moment when she first
drew the sword, conseerated the blood Of her
children, and all her material resources to the
achievement of the object of orr struggle.
The opinion expressed by the General As
sembly in regard to, General Z. z. Lee has my
full concurrence. Virginia cannot have q
higher regard for hia or q greater-coBfidenc
in his character and ability than Is entertained
by me. When General Lee took command of
the Army of Northern Virginia. he was in CON-
mand of all the armies of tae Confederate
States by my order of assignment. He con-
tiuued in the general command' as well as IN
the immediate command OF the Army Of North
ern Virginia, as long as could resist his opin-
ion that it was necessary for him t0be relieved
from one of these two duties. Ready e. he has
ever shown himself to be b perform any seq
vice that kdesired him to render to his coun-
try, he lefi it for me to choose between bis
withdrawal from the command of the armies in
the field, and relieving him from the command
of all the armies of the Confederate States. Ii
was only when satisfied of this necessity that I
came to the conclusion to relieve him from the
general command, believing that the safety of
the capital and the success of our cause de-
pended in great measure on then retaiaing
him in command in the field OF the Array of
Northern Virginia. p" ven rT,'al
On several Subsequent occasions the desire
on my part TO enlarge the sphere of General
Lees usefulness has led to renewed considera-
ton Of the subject. and ne has always ex.
pressed his Inability TO assume command of
other armies than those now confided to him.
unless relieved Of the immediate command in
the field of that now opposed to Gen. Grant
In conclusion ] assure the General Assembly
that whenever it shall be found practicable BY
General Lee to assume command of all the ar.
mies of the Confederate States, without with
drawal from the direct command OF the Army
of Northern Virginia, l will deem it promotive
of the public interests to place him in such
command, and will be happy to know that by
so doing am responding to their expressed
you, gent emen, as proposed in your letter,
Whenever it may be convenient for you to visit
ME. am very respectfully and truly yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.