Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-09-17
! GEN. LEE,AND CEN. RosEoRANs.e

!s.Abouta 6ortnightiago, General WIS. Rosecrsns
formerly of the Federal army, and now Minister
ItonMexico, visited the Virginia White Sulphd,
Springs, and met there Generals Lee and Beau
regard, Hon. A. a. Stephens, and quite numbe,
Of other representative Southern gentlemen who
had visited the Sprinesfo for health and recreation
Gen. Rosecrans had free and unreseryed, confer
ences with these gentlemen with reference to ths
political condition of the country! Becoming sat
isfed that the people of the South were being con
stantly misrepresented for partisan purposes, ht
addressed aletter to General Lee, with theniew o.
procuring written exposition Of the sentiments
wishes and purposes of the Southern people, Al
reflected through these representative men. :.
.1GensL Lee, recognizing the propriety oftheoourse
suggested by General Rosecrans, zinc connection
with the',gehtleinen referred to, prepared res
pouse, to which is appended fhe names Of ths
prominent Southerrlers who were present. The
lspaoe We. have at command this week, will not al
low us to give the letter of Gen. Rosecransin full
but will remark that 10 the foregoing introduction
We present I'm substance The following is the
reply to- Gen. Rosecrans' letter.: ar.iyi:.. Il ~
|o 1.WHTB SULPHUR SPRINGS, West va, lot
-. August 26, 1853. iii
.GesM ri have had the honor to reeeiye3youl
letter of this date and .ip accordance with your
suggestion have consulted With q number Of gen
tlei1en from the South, in whose Judgment have
confded, anG who are well acquainted with the
public shhtimentsof their respective Stateso They
have, kipdl consented tonnite with me in replying
to your communication, aud their names, Will be
found with my own appended to this answer.
With this explanation we proceed to give you
candid statens6t what We believe to be the SEN
ject to which you uireferal :,:A sdi 10 -, ~; =;
Whatever ..apiDiop may, have prevailed, in the
past in regard; to African slavery or the right Of
State TO seceae from the Union, We believe we ex-
Ppress the almost inanmbns Judgment Of the South
ern people when We declare that they consider that
those questions we're 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 relations with the United States Gov-
SrnnenTe!rdti& 81; non" @o@ta a1' .'"'Ha l.sE u
19Thfoagh their State Conventions they abolished
slavery and annnIled their ordinances Of secession
and they returaed to theiE peaceful pursuits with
. sincere purpose to faihl then duties q under the
sworn 70 support IF their action in these paric:
ulars had been met in spirit Of fnhEness and
fcordiality, we believe that ere this old tations
would have passed away, and the wounds inflicted
tby the war would ip great measure !hMaye M been
fhealed.. As far as we are advised, the people 0i
The South entertain no unfriendly feeling toward
the Government Of the United Suites, but they
[conpain that their rights under the Constitution
arc withheld from them in the. administrator
thereof, IL; -. !-;. ..r 5..3, -: r., .y,ej;
the negroes, and would oppress them If II were IN
their power to do so, is entirely unfounded They
have grown up in our midst, and we have been
accustomed, from childhood, to- look upon them
two races has wrought no change in our feeling TO-
ward them. They still constitute the important
part of our laboring population. Without then
labor the lands of the South would be comparative.
" unproductive. Without the employment. which
Southern agriculture affords, they would be destf
tute of the means Of subsistence, and become pau.
pers, dependent upon public bounty.
Self.ihterest, even If there were no higher mo-
tives would, therefore, prompt the whites OF the
South to extend to the negroes care and protection
The important fact that the two races are, andel
existing circumstances, necessary to each other
gradually becoming. apparent to both, and we be-
eve but for the influence exerted to stir up the pas
sions Of the negroes the relations of the two races
hess and mutual advantage. rls ~. -; :H& ~,
tits true that thepeople Of the South! together
with the people Of the North and West, are for
obvious reasons opposed to! any system on Laws
which would place the political power of the coun
sition springs from no feeling 6f enmity, but from
deep-seated conviction that atpresent the negroes
have neither the intelligence nor the qualifications
which are necessary to make them safe deposito-
ries Of political power. They would inevitably be
come the victims Of demagogues, who, forsel6sh
purposes, would mislead them, to the serious in
inry Of the public. -. .",iGsI"2@ 81 q :, 9n9!l
The great WANT efthe South is peace: The peo-
ple earnestly desire tranquility and the restoration
Of the Union. They deprecate disorder and excite
ment, as the most serious obstacle to their pros
perity . a. a.i,,'" !r> ,.'f -, ,tr.1'' :, =, =,
iTTheya ask restoration of their rights under the
Constitution. They desire relief from oppressive
misrule. Above all they look to their conntrymel
for the establishment in the Southern States OF
that which has justly been regarded as the birth
rightof every, American the right Of selfgovern'
ment. Establish theseon a. firm, basis, and we can
safely:promiset ION behalf of the Southern people,
that they wilt faithfully obey the Constitution and
laws of the United States, treat the negroes with
kindness and humanity, and fulfill every duty in.
cumbent on peaceful citizens loyal to the Constltu,
ton Of their country. ..'',h9'7'I :. 80. -
T: We believe the above containsa suceinct reply 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 Confed
crate army, that they will concur in all the senti
mentts which we have expressed.
Appreciating the patriotic motives which have
prompted your letter, and reciprocating your ex
pressiohs of kind regard we have the honor to be,
very respectfully and truly, :J-! r. 3. III
- ~ r. E. LEE Virginia. l.. -, -.
49,: G.. T. BEAUREGARD, Louisiana
-.'' ALEX. H. STEPHENS, Georgia.
,.-" ALEX Fl. H. STUART, Virginia.
rr..; g. M. CONRAD, Louisiana. - ..
TJNpp1lN NHSTEpHENS Gaoroio 81