Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-08-29

owing is the dispatch from Washington to the
Associated Press relative to the Mission .
of Gen. Rosecrans
General Rosecrans has returned and resumed
his quarters at Willard Hotel. Much anxiety
having been expressed IN regard to the object
of his visit to the Greenbrier White Sulphur
Springs. he was, soon alter his arrival here,
asked various questions on that subject all OF
which he answered readily and frankly. His
responses showed that his purposes had been
misstated in some OF the letters furnished the
press by correspondents at the Springs, while
accounts concerning him. So far from his
having been sent thither on political mission,
or Of having acted in conformity with the ad-
vice of friends after consultation with them, the
visit was of his own conception and undertaken
for his personal satisfaction, to ascertain from
representative men of the South whether there
were any obstacles in the way OF peace between
that section of the country and the North
He was satisfied that the power which organic
ed and sustained the Copfederacy for four
years against the gigantic efforts Of the United
States Government to suppress the rebellion
could exercise great influence IN restoring peace,
order and stability everywhere, and, at the
same time, promote all the material interests
of the country. .
He was received by General Lee and other
prominent soldiers with marked cord lallty.-
Ia all their personal communications they we're
frank and unrcserved, and their conversations
were mainly with reference to advancing the
common interests, irrespective OF the causes
which, for time, divided the North and the
South, and resulted in the Reconstruction acts
of Congress.
General Rosecrans says that his visit Was
satisfactory; that the temper and tone OF these
Southerners were worthy ct patriotic appr5cla-
ton and that there Is nc authority Tor the
statement he intends to issue an address signed
by these with whom he has been in conference.
AS his visit was for the purpose OF ascertain
ing for himself their feelings and views, be
does not know that any publication from him
will be required, or may become necessary
The propriety OF any such course rests exclusive
ly with himself.
From the various and conflicting accounts OF
the late Emission AS it is called,-of Gen.
Rosecrans, we select that furnished by the
Washington correspondent of the Associated
Press, protesting to have been obtained from
Gen. r. himself. The New York Herald s
correspondent at the White Sulphur Springs
has the following statement with regard TO
Gen. Robert Il. Lees reported reply to the
letter sent to him by Gen. Rosccrans; how OBJ,
tanned, or on what authority, or what degree
of credit is to be attached to tive do not
know.
ITO this communication Gen. Lee responded
with his accustomed irankness and drectness,
expressing his reverence for the Constitution
of the H. s. and his ardent desire for com
plete union Of the States as OF old, and also
his unqualified belief that his reverence and
desire were shared by large ma ority of the
rejecting people Of the South; that the South
now painted anxiously for peace and a return
to peaceful and constitutional administration
of the Government that they longed more
ardently for that greatest boon OF American
freemen-the right Of self government; that
the people of these States would treat kindly
and humaney the colored people among them
if left to themselves that they would be im-
PEELED to this by the dictates Of their own
hearts, as we'll as by feeling OF self interest.
Gen. L., however, was rs especially emphatic in
deploring the attempt to commit the political
destinies of these States to these colored peo-
pie at this time, before they are prepared Tor
such q mighty responsibility attempt
which, he remarked, is fraught with incalcula-
able misfortune and calamities to the whole
country, North and South, and with destruc-
ton to these colorcd people themselves. "