The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-09-07
Rcplysor the confederate Leaders.

Cushing Letter from Gen. RoseeranS
Reply. OF the Confederate leaders.
SIate OF PnbIIc Feeling ut the SoutE
Toward the .GoVcEnment and the
Negroes.
+" WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, w. Va,
August, 1858.
IGENERAL-Fun of solicitude for the
future of our country, I come with my
heart in my hand to learn he condition
wishes and Intentions of the people o.
the Southern States, especially TO ascer-
tain the sentiments of the brave, ener.
getic and self-sacrifcing men, who, after
sustaining the Confederacy for four
years, laid down their arms and swore
allegiance to the Government of the
United States, whose trusted and be-
loved leader you have been. Isee that
in interpreting State rights to conflict
| with national unity has produced a vio-
| lent reaction against them, which is
drifting us toward consolidation and
also that so great country as ours
even'now is certainly TO be. must have
State governments TO attend to local
details, or go further and fare worse.
sit is plain to us at the West and
North that the continuance of semi-an-
archy, such as has existed for the last
three years in ten States ofthe Uuion,
largely increases the danger of central
ization, and swells our national expen-
ditures, diminishes our productions and
our revenue, inspires doubts of our po-
litical and financial stability, depreci-
Rtes the value of our national bonds
and currency, and places the credit OF
the richest below that of the poorest
nation in Christendom. We know that
| n lott
long as our bonds are below par, and
that therefore the vast business and
commerce of our country must suffer
the terrible evil ofa huctuating stand
ard of value until we can remedy the
evil condition of things at the South.
aWe also see other mischief, quite
possible If not probable to arise, such
s:from a failure of crops, a local in
surrection, and many other unforeseen
contingencies which may still more de-
preciate our credit and currency, pro-
yoke discomfort and disorder among
our puople, and bring demagogical ag-
itation, revolution, repudiation and a
thousand unnamed evils and villainies
on US.
1--WE know that the interests of the
people OF the South are for law and or
der, and they must share our fate of
good and i'll. believes that ifthe peo.
pie of the Southern States could be at
peace, and their energy and good will
heartily applied to repair the wastes OF
war, reorganize their business, set the
freedmen peaceably, prosperously and
contentedly at work, invite capital, en-
terprise and labor from elsewhere TO
come freely among them, they would
soon rebuild their ruined fortunes, null
tipIy manifold the value of their lands,
establish public confidence in our poli-
tical stability, bring our Government
bonds to premium, our currency to a
gold standard, and assure for them
selves and the whole nation a most
happy and prosperous future. See
ing this, and how all just interests
concur in the work, 1 ask-the ofh-
GERS and soldiers who fought for the
Union ask-every thinking man of the
great West and North asks-why it can
not be done? We are told by those
who have controlled the Government
for tho last four years that the people
of the South will not do 1t; that If ever
done at all it must be done by the poor,
simple, uneducated. landless freedmen
and the few whites who, against the
public sentiment of the intelligent
white people, are wiling to attempt to
lead and make their living off of those
Ignorant, inexperienced colored people,
mostly men who must be needy adven-
turers or without any OF those attri,
butes on which reliance for good
guidance or government can be placed,
We are told that this kind of govern
ment mugt be continued at the South
until six or eight millions of intelli-
gent, energetic white people give in to
| It, or move out of the country.
HNow / think-the Union army
l'thinks-and the people OF the North
and West, 1 dare say, believe that there
must be, or there ought to be, a shorter,
surer way to get a good government for
all at the South. We know that they
who organized and dsustained the South
ern Confederacy for four years, against
gigantic efforts, ought to be able to
give peace, law, order and protection TO
the whole people of the South. They
| have the interest and the power to em-
ploy, protect, educate and elevate the
poor freedmen, and restore themselves
and our country to all the blessings OF
which I have just spoken. The ques-
ton we want answered Is, are they.
willing to do it? I came down to find
what the people of tho South think of
this, and to ask you what the officers
and soldiers who served in the Con-
federate army, and the leading people
who sustained it, think of these Lhtngs.
came to ask more. i want to- ask
you, in whose purity and patriotism
here express unqualified confidence,
and as many good men as you can con-
veniently consult, to say what you
think of it; and also what You are will
ing to do about it. i Iwant a writtene ex.
preston OF views that can be followed
by a concurrence ofiaction. Iwant to
know ifyou and the gentlemen who
will Join in that expression are willing
to pledge the people of the South to q
chivalrous and magnanimous devotion
10 restoring peace and prosperity to our
common country. want to carry that
pledge high above the level of party
politics, to the late officers and soldiers
of the Union army, and the people of
the North and West, aud to ask them to
consider 1t, and to take the necessary
action, confident that it Will meet with
response SO warmi generous and. COM
fidinE that we shall see in its sunshine
the rainbow of peace of our political
sky, now black with clouds and i'm
pending storm.
'EI know you are a representative
man in reverence and regard for the
Union, the Constitution and the welfare
of the country, and that what you say
would be indorsed by nine-tenths of
should like TO have the signatures of all
the representative Southern men here
who concur in your views, and an ex-
preston of their concurrence from the
principal officers and representative
men throughout the South, when they
can lie procured. This concurrence of
opinions and wills, all tending to peace,
order and stability, will assure our
Union soldiers and business men, who
want substantial and solid peace, and
cause them 10 rise above the level OF
party politics and take such steps TO
meet yours as Will assure a lasting
peace, with ell its countless blessings.
Very ytrulyi yonr friend,