Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-09-08
Gen. Rosecrans and Gen. r. E. Lee.

Gen. RoSecrans and ten. q. Il. Lee.
The conference of Gen. Rosecrans with Gen.
r. E. Lee and other distinguished Southern
men at the White Sulphur Springs has excited
interest in all parts of the country and the pub.
lie have manifested feverish anxiety to learn
the character of the correspondence which took
place between the parties. The letter of Gen.
Roscrans is long, and we have not the space to
publish it in this issue, but We give below the
reply of Gen. Lee and others which will enable |
the reader to learn the substance Of It, The |
| whole people of the South, with possibly the
exception of NANCY scalawags diseased with
| the leprosy of Radicalism will heartily endorse
the able and patriotic joint letter Of Gen. Lee
and the other distinguished men whose sigma
lures are attached thereto. The National |
Zutezliqencer denominates it mastery letter,
and says 1T is calm, judcious pacific, earnest
and eminently patriotic paper" Here 1t is:
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
WEST VA, August &c, 1868.
GENERAL-I have had the honor to 1ecelve
your letter of this date, and In accordance with
YOUR suggestions have conferred with mum
| Der of gentlemen from the South in whose judg-
| ment have con6ded and who are we'll &C
uuainted with the public sentiment OF their re,
spective States. They have kindly consented
to unite with me in replying toyour communica-
| ton, and their names will be found with my
own appended to this answer. With this ex
PLANTATION, we proceed to give you candid state
meut of what we believe to be the sentiment OF
the Southern people In regard to the subject to
which you refer.
Whatever opinions may have prevailed in the
past in regard to African slavery or the right OF
a State to secede from the Union, we beleve
we express the almost unanimous Judgment OF
the Southern people when we declare that they
consider that those questions were decided by
the war, and that it is their intention IN good
faith to abide by that decision. At the close
of the war, the Southern people laid down their
arms and sought to resume their former rela-
tons with the United States Government
Through their State Conventions they abolished
slavery and annuled their ordinances OF seces-
sion, and they returned to their peaceful purr-
suits with sincere purpose to fulfill all their
duties under the Constitution Of the United
States, which they had sworn to protect Ii
their action in these particulars had been met
in spirit of frankness and cordially, We be-
eye that ere this old irritatons would have pass
ed away, and the wounds inflicted by the war
would have been in great measure healed. AS
far as we are advised, the people OF the South
entertain no unfriendly feeling towards the
Government of the United States, but they
complain that their rights under the Constltu
ton are Withheld 1roAl iHelh III Tue auiiiihiS'i"
ton thereof ;,
The idea that the Southern people are hostile
to the negroes, and would Cypress them II 1t
were in their power to do so, is entirely unbound
ed. They have grown up in our midst, and we
have been accustomed from childhood to look
upon them With kindness. The change in the
relations of the two RACES has brought no change
in our feelings towards them. They still con-
stitute the important part Of our laborlng pop
ulation. Without their labor, the lands of the
South would be comparatively unproductlVe.
!, Without the employment which Southern
agriculture affords they would be destitute OF the
means of subsistence, and BECOME paupers, de-
pendent on public bounty aelfinterest, even
if there were no higher MOTIVE would therefore
prompt ..the whites of the South to extend to
the negroes care and protection.
The important fact that the two races are, un
der existing circumstances, necessary to each
other is gradually becoming apparent to both,
and we believe that but for the influences ex
erted to stir up the passions Of the negroes the
relations of the two races would soon adjust
themselves on a basis of mutual kindness and
advantage.
1t is true that the people of the South, to-
gether with the people OF the North and West,
are, for obvious reasons opposed to any system
of laws which will place the political power OF
the country in the hands ofthe negro race But
this opposition springs from no feeling OF enlnlty
but from deep seated conviction that at pres
ent the negroes have neither the Intelligence
nor other qualifications which are necessary to
make them safe repositories OF political power.
They would inevitably become the victims OF
of demagogues, who for selfish purposes would
mislead them, to the serious injury OF the pub
lie.
The great want Of the South is peace The
people earnestly desire tranquility and the re-
storation of the Union. They depreeate disorder
and excitment as the most serious obstacle to
their prosperity. They ask a restoration OF
their rights under the Constitution. They de
sire relief from oppressive misrue. Above all,
they would appeal to their countrymen for the
re- establishment in the Southern States OF that
which has Justly been regarded as the birthright
of every American-the right OF selfgovern
ment. Establish these on firm basis, and we
can safety promise on behalf OF the Southern
people that they will faithfully obey the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States, treat
the negro with kindness and humanity, and
fulfill every duty incumbent on peaceful citizens
loyal to the Constitution of the country
We believe the above contains succlnct re
DIV to the general topics embraced In your letter.
and we venture to say on behalf of the Southern
people and of the officers and soldiers Of the
? late Confederate army, that they will concur In
all the sentiments which we have expressed.
Approaching the patriotic motives which
have prompted your letter, and reciprocating
your expressions of kind regard. we have the
honor to be,
Very respectfully and truly, -
r. E. Lee, of Va, W. j. Green, n. c.,
G. T. Beauregard, La, Lewis p. Harvie, Va.
Alex. III. Stephens, Ca, p " Daniel Jr., Va.
G. NJ. Conrad, La, w. T. Sutherlin, Va.
Linton Stephens, Ga, A. B. James, La,
A. 7. Caperton. w. Va, r. Beauregard, Texas,
John Echols Va, NJ 0. n. Norton La,
f. s. Stockdale, Texas, T. +. Branch, Ga,
F. W. Pickens, S. c., H. T. Russell, Ga,
W. j. Robertson, Va.,, S. j. Douglas, Fla,
JOS r. Anderson, Va, Jermiah Morton, Va.
W. T. Turner, ". Va, John b. Baldwin, Va.
G. H. Suber S. G., Gee. w. Boiling, Va.
E. Fontaine Va, Theo Fournoy, Va,
John Letcher, ", James Lyons, Va
B. G. Adams, Miss,
To Gen. w. S. Rosecrans, Minister to Mexiao.
/ White Springs, Va.
despatch from Savannah, Georgia, states
that the negroes on the outskirts of the CITY