The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-09-09
The kosecrans-Lee Correspondence.

General ROsecrans commences his letter as
follows Gull Of solicitudc for the future Of
our country, come with my heart in my
hand to learn the condition, wishes, and in
tention of the people Of the southern States
and especial, to obtain the sentiments of that
body of brave energetic, and self-sacri6cing
men who, after sustaining the Confederacy
for four years, laid down their arms swore al
legiance to the United States, whose trusted
and beloved leader you have been" Gen
eral Rosecran's lotter is quite long. The fol-
lowing is General Lees reply.
White SULPHUR SPRINGS,
NEST VIRGINIA, Aug. 26 1868.
General have had the honor to receive
your letter of this date and in accordance
with yourssuggcstions I have conferred with
a number Of gentlemen from the South, in
whose Judgment have confded, and who
arc we'll acquainted with the public sentiment
Of their respective States. They have kindly
consented to unite with me in replying to
your communication, and their names will be
found with my own, appended to this answer.
With this explanation We proceed to give you
candid statement Of what we believe to be
the sentiment of the southern people in regard
to the subject VIII ich you refer.
Whatever opin ions may have prevailed in
the past in regard to Afcan slavery or the
right of a state to seceede from the Union,
we believe we express the almost unanimous
judgment of the southern people when we
declare that they consider that those question
were decided by the war, and t hat it is their
intention in good faith to ahide by that de-
cision.
At the close of the war the sou them people
laid down their arms and sought to resume
their former relations with the United States
Government. Through their State conventions
they abolished slavery and annulled their Or
dinances of secession, an d they returned to
their peaceful pursuits with sincere purpose
to fulfil all their duties under the Constitution
of the United States which they had sworn
to protect. Iftheir action in these particulars
had beed met in aspirit Of frankness and cor
diality, we believe that ere this old irritation
would have passed away, and the wounds in
fictel by the war would have been, in a great
measure, healed AS far as we are advised the
people Of the South entertain no unfriendly
feeling towards the Government of the Uni
ted States; but they complain that their rights
under the Constitution are withheld from
them in the administration thereof:
The idea that the southern people are hos
tile to the negroes, and would Cypress them
if it 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 with kindness. The change
in relations of the two races has wrought no
change in our feeling to wards them. They
still constitute that important part Of our Ia
boring population. Without the employment
which southern agriculture affords they would
be destitute of the means of subsistence, and
become paupers, dependent on public bounty.
Self-interest even if there we're no higher mo-
tive, would therefore, prompt the whites of
the South to extend to the negroes care and
protection. The important fact that the two
races are, under existing circumstances, nee
essary to each other, is gradually becoming
apparent to both, and we believe that but for
the influence exerted to stir up the passions
| of the negroes, the relations of the two races
would soon adjust themselves on a basis Of
mutual kindness 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 Of the ne
gro race. But this opposition springs from
no feeling Of enmity, but from a deep seated
conviction that at present the negroes have
neither The intelligence or qualification which
are necessary to make them safe repositories
Of political power. They would inevitably
become the victims of demagogues who for
| selfish purposes, would mislead them to the
serious injury Of the public.
The great want Of the South is peace The
people earnestly desire tranquility and the
restoration Of the Union. They deprecate
disorder and excitement as the most serious
obstacles to their prosperity. They ask res
toration of their rights under the Constitution.
They desire relief from oppressive misrule-
Above all, they would appeal to their country
men for the reestablishment in the Southern
States of that which has justly been regarded
as the birthright of every American-the
right of self-goyernment. Establish these on
firm basis. and we can safely promise on be-
halfof the southern people that they will faith
full obey the Constitution and laws of the
United States, treat the negro with kindness
and humanity, fulfil every duty incumbent on
peaceful citizens, loyal to the Constitution of
their country.
We believe the above contains suecinct
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 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. Il. Lee. Of Virginia; G.. T. Beaurcgard,
Louisiana; Alex. II. Stephens, Georgia;
G. NJ. Conrad, Louisiana Linton Stephens,
Georgia; A T Caperton, West Virginia;
John Echols, Virginia; T S Stockdale, Tex
as; F W Pickens, South Carolina VIM j
Robertson, Virginia; Joseph L Anderson,
Virginia VIM T Turner, West Virginia;
CHI Subec, South Carolina; e Fontaine,
Virginia John Letcher, Virginia B c
Adams, Mississippi; W. Green, North
Corolina; Lewis L Harvie, Virginia P V
Daniel, jr., Virginia W T Sutherlin, Vir-
ginia r Tamea Touici.n, s,ontont