The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-09-18
THE WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS COR
RESpONDENCE.
letter from General Roseerans TO Gen.
Ice.
Reply of General Lee and other Dis fin
guiShed Southerners.


guished Southerners.
The following correspondence fully
explains the purpose of Gen. Rosecrans'
late visit to the Virginia White Sui
phur Springs, in relation to which
there has been 80 much idle newspaper
gossip. The correspondence exhibits
in very clear light the sentiments
and disposition of the intelligence OF
the South, and ought to act as an anti
dote to the poisonous ISLANDERS of the
Radical press, which continually mis-
represents and falsities them.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, w. V,
August 26, 1868
GENERAL: Full of soicitude for the
future of our country, | come with my
| heart in my hand to learn the condi-
ton, wishes, and intentions of the peo-
pie Of the Southern StateS-eSpeciall
TO ascertain the sentiments of that
body Of brave, energetic, and self-sac-
rifcing 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 beloved leader you
have been.
see that interpreting Estate rights"
to conflict with national unity has pro-
duced violent reaction against them,
Whicn is drifting US toward consolida-
ton aud also that so great country
as ours even now is-ccrtainly is to be,
must have State governments to attend
to local details, or 60 farther and fare
worse.
1t is plain to US at the West and the
North that the continuance of semi-an-
archy, such as has existed for the last
three years in EN- States Of our Union,
largely increases the danger of concen-
tratiOn, sWeIls our national eXpendi-
lures, diminishes our productions and
our revenue. inspires doubt of our po-
litical and financial stability, depreci-
ateS 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 our currency must be
deprecated SO long as our bonds are
below par, and that therefore the vast
business and commerce of our country
must suffer the terrible evil Of fiuctu-
ating standard of value, until we can
remedy the evil condition of things at
the South. We also see other mischief
quite possible if not probable to arise
such as from failure of crops, a local
insurrection, and many other unforeseen
contingencies which may still more
depreciate our credit and currency,
provoke discomfort and dis0rdcramong
our people, and bring demagogicai agi-
tatiOn, revolution, reputation, and
thousand unnamed evils and yillanies
upon US. We know that the interests
of the people of the South are for law
and order, and that they must share
our fate for good and ill.
l belieye-every one | know who re-
fleets believes that if the people of the
Southern States could be at peace, and
their energy and good will heartily APP
piled to repair the wastes of war, re-or-
ganize their business, set the freedmen
peacefully, prosperously, and content
edly at work, invite capital, enterprise,
and labor from elsewhere to come free
~ amongst them, they would rebuild
their ruined fortunes, multiply mani
fold the value of their lands, establish
public confidence in our political sta
biljty, bring our government bonds to
premium, our currency to gold stan
dard, and assure for themselves and
the whole nation most happy and
prosperous future.
Seeing this, and how all just inter-
ests concur in the work, | ask the Off
GERS and soldiers who fought for the
Union-every thinking man of the
great West and North asks-why it
cannot be done.
We are told by those who have con-
trolled the Government for the last
four years that the people of the South
will not do it that, if ever done at all,
it must be done by the poor, simple,
uneducated, iandless freedmen and the
few whites who, against the public
opinion, and sentiment Of the inteIli-
gent white people, are willing to at
tempt to lead and make their living
off the ignorant, inexperienced cOlOred
people, mostly men who must be needy
adventures, or without any of those
attributes on which reliance for good
guidance or government can be placed.
We are told that this kind of govern
ment must be continued at the South
until six or eight millions Of inteIIi-
gent, energetic white people give into
it or move out of the country.
Now think, the Union army thinks,
and the people Of the North and West
l dare say believe, there must be, or
there ought 10 be, shorter, surer way
10 get good government for all at the
South.
We know that they who oOrganized and
sustained the Southern confederacy for
four years, against gigantic efforts,
ought To be able to give peace, law, or
der, and protection to the whole peo-
pie of the South.
They have the interest and the pow
er to employ, protect, educate, and ele-
vate the poor freedmen, and to restore
themselves and our country to all the
blessings of which ] have just spoken.
The question ne want answered is:
"Are they willing to do it?'
| came down to find out what the
people of the South thinks of this, and
to ask you what the officers and SOL
diers who served in the confederate
army and the leading people who sus-
tanned it think of these things.
came to ask more; want to ask
you, in whose purity and patriotism
| here express unqualified confidence,
and so many good men as you can con-
veniently consult, to say what you
lHItlh vi IL, anu dISO WIdL you dIc VIII
ling to do about it.
| want a written expression of views
that can be followed by a concurrence
of ac tion. l want TO know if you and
the gentlemen who will join you in
that written expression are willing TO
pledge the people of the Sonth to
and lnagnanimous devotion
to 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, and to
ask them to consider it, and to take
the necessary action, confident that it
will meet with q response so warm so
generous and confding, that we shall
see in its sunshine the rainbow of peace
in our political sky, now black with