New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-12
EECFE uCND.

GRIEVANCES or VIRGINIA UNIONlsIs-ILE THEORY
OF SoLTHERy HiIGRATIoN.
Fro. Our Special Correspondent
RICHMOND june G LEGO
About me time Of Lees surrender, M Lincoln wrote
ttsr TO judge John A. Campbell the ezsecretay Of War
on the Rebel side l. is but vaguely understood that this
letter vas as in truth it ives, written tJore the utter
downfall Of the Rebellion. Near 70 the moment when
Mr. Lincoln had sent it due the Coufcderacy collapsed
As an remember it vas an authorization 70 assemble the
Virginia Legislature. But for what puTosc That IS not
so cear. Many Nrcinians have il that M Lincoln H.
tcndcd to recon,uct Many Northcmers believe that II
was bargain, igued and sealed, with conditions iha'
the Virginia Legislature should meet and withdraw tle
Virginia troops from Lees army.
Asst happened o Legislature met talked treason, pro-
posed 20 call convention and, in fine, were ready to en-
Ter the llrg liberty Of reconstruction At TINS pass
seeing that affairs rotten than ripe, Mr. Lincoln
revoked his letter AMI annihited the Legislature. But
about the letter, which contained so powerful spell to
summon and suppress the evil genii of Virginia.
Still IN the dark
In conversation with veteran Secessioniss, ! have
heard Mr. Lincoln accused Of bad faith in this Transaction
However important unjust the charge, the Govern
men has III 10 give tho text Of Mr. Lncolns
letter 10 the world That Nj. Lincoln, on motion Of
Judge Campbell and others, who represented that the
Legislature could be induced 20 withdraw their troops
ElhN an olut To t-ta cA-S, 10 eAA oNoiN1 fteA" '-
authentic version But this IS not all What PROMISE if
any, was made by Lincoln Here is involved amysery
toward the solution OF which hint may be offered
The truth, then is that Mr Lincoln, designed to take
no step whatever in reconstuction but plainly in
many words offered the Legislature and the people Of
Virginia their eleventh hour Of treason release from
impending cogfc7on If they in good faith recalled their
troops from the ID This sis believed to have been we'll
considered purpose bargain altogether profitable in its
D ,Io Of leading Nir-
eiutns Not only does Tie letter in question remain un
published bu, is points and features have never been
fairly told and it is either not in keeping or it is scrupu
Iousy withheld think that its very beginning contains
au admission that viii sartlc the country. Mr. Lincoln
wrote nearly follows:
f97nbr selsr Ihars posr the subject Determination
Jbbe CONGRESS has thar opsr Ba IAass authority orsr con.
s.-rfi8ss"
TIE T.s is not recalled but substantially state
rnsnr o. the trims already indicated If the words given
ore essentially authentic land no reason 10 doubt it,
then the notion which is supported 10y the Posre ass Yr
stons Of Mr. Seward and M johnson, that the PTesi
dent only CARY inc out Mr. Lncolns views in Recon-
srucou is entire There is, besides question
Of ons sly on tho part Of the Government Who keeps
il., sacred letter Does Mr. Stanton know anything
about l Lot us have it, One who hal the honor to read
s. remarked the late President, You were yey care
fu in writing this letter. Mr.. Lincoln" 81 ras Herer
more careful az asy hc' said Mr.. Lincoln These facts
fully yndieae the memory Of Mr.. Lincoln from certain un-
iast suspicious and those who knew his character most
itnel viii recognize the entire accordance Of this ae-
count with his character and habits.
Tie other day met crippled Union captain inquinng
for employment at the local Offices OF tie General Govern
Inent 10 ind for the rs time that he could not be
reconstructed OF late cx-ConiedeIate friends have
managed 10 get the better Of u.s. and I'll the iron seats
4, h not tie fashion 70 appoint tried and practical Union
,o1,a of +hfga fhurs in alOus
g-udzug spirit, and allowing for unsounded depths Of
policy is It noi strange that the eXebs rush III where
Union men have little chance Of treadDgl a Union /
soldier who happens cast his loi here may find an ex
Confederate soldier in the very place which be comes to
seek How is III Small the class Of Unionisis may
Be- they lave claim al the dearer o. the protection anu
suppor Of tic Government
A census of the loyalis,s Of Richmond would reckon /
not more than 80 sincere and perfect friends Of the Gov
eminent among the natives. Fifty Of them would dare TO
ms thes lives fr tc Union; OF would be ready TO vote
ga fair opportunity for negro suffrage, for other Ica
s5nta ieiese AID the desire 10 establish balance
Of power Some Of them prove the terms Of Amnesty
fo- slhu-e." others sec no good, In any event ~
gyu- Tie franchise 10 the bitter Rebel. They regard the
yo-ro a better either, % all inients, than the white
Rebel They think that the black man las rights, GER
tnr; but their need to have him vote is still stronger
than their OF his night to II. They can see humid
~ rasOns why the GOveTnment hhOuu aoW tAe Hceu-
5ne vote which they cannot in the cheap political
license exercised by the Rebel who prosecuted Union
its aud trod on the Aas This sterling class to which
She UnderwOods belong is Of more value to us than
ten times Their nuu5cr Of the i-recOnstruced II was
once thought that fighting TO encourage them
Yet hese men are dpied They declare that then cru
eles enemy is the Government at Washington
Reconstruction revived the bad features Of the old
r6gme Unionists and NoTtheFncr who engage IN bus-
mess here arc sYed banded against te severely let
alone TO make business profitable Theremark is common
that Northern men have to North. If you hear
Virgnan call for immigration you qualify it by the
esir, on one part get lid Of Norhe,ners and on an
other 10 got rid Of negroes Hence the absurdy Of the
sak Of unorgauized Migration while Virginia il nhos
pas to the labor and capital it las already. have
doubi that the more encrprsing and intelligent to
BAY the least willing that Northern capital should settle
acre aud become Southern. Your Virgnien de-
cdod rcspecor Of power and has shown bis readiness to
fght or it, But the NorthcmeT who starts a dy-goods
store in Richmond cannot Of course command the respect
which IS due 20 tie owner Of MILL factory, oundey,
half % railroad. So with other things When an army
vas here in force, the town had plenty Of
Northern traders who drove ready bargains but specu-
lated on an artificial state things. Some Of these traders
wer. bad and indieentnot such class fairly repre-
sent Northern merchants When the greater part Of tie
army lc they found themselves stranded II was 70 be
expected that in The little business done IN Richmond the
Southern merchant would be preferred So thought the
people Of Richmond The NorlhenG who could not make
a new business had few customers friends The mer-
chant who did 10, put the community under mcr-
camille Obligation apt to be made victim. Then came
jealousy Of the alien trader Said trader changed his
A,-pciues sometimes % suit prices, formerly But 10