Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-05
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON.
wAsHIsoros, September 5.-The fol
lowing Is the correspondence between
General Rosecrans and General Lee:
WHITE SuLrHus srnMes, Vas
Robert X. Lee;
GENERAL: Full Of solicitude for th.
future Of our country, I come with my
heart in my hand to learn the condition
wishes and intentions of the people o.
the Southern States, and especially tc
ascertain the sentiments of those brave,
energetic and self.sacrifcing men who,
after sustaining the Confederacy for
four years, laid down their arms and
swore allegiance to the United States,
whose truest and beloved leader you
have been. / see that interpreting States
rights to conflict with national unity
has produced q violent reaction against
them, which is drifting Us toward consol-
idation. So great a country as ours even
is now, and certainly is to be. must have
State governments to attend to local du-
ties, or 20 farther and fare worse. 1t is
plain to us at the West and North that
the continuance of semi-anarchy. such as
has existed for the last three years in ten
States of our Union, increases the danger
of Capitalization, swells our national ex-
penditures, diminishes our productions
and revenue, inspires doubts of our polit-
ical and financial stability ,depreciates the
value Of our national bonds and currency,
and places the credit of the richest below
that of the pooreat nation in Christendom.
We know that our currency must be de-
preciated SO long as our bonds are below
par, and that, therefore, the vast bust.
NESS and commerce of our country must
suffer the terrible evil of Auctuating
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, which
may arise, such as from q fail
ure of crops, q local insurrectiou and
many other unforeseen contingencies which
may still more dspreciate our credit Ed
currency, provoke disacntent and dis.
order among our people, and bring dem
agogical agitation, revolution, repudia-
ton, and thousand unnamed evils and
villainies on as We know that the
interests of the people of the South
are for law and order, and they must
share our fate Of good and i'll. Ibelieve
every one | know, who reflects, believes
that if the people of the Southern
States could be at peace, and their en-
ergy and good will heartily applied to
repair the wastes of war, reorganizs
their business, get the freedmen peace
ably. prosperously and oontsntedly to
work, invite capital, enterprise and labor
from elsewhere to come freely among
them, they would soon rebuild their
ruined fortunes, multiply manifold the
value of their lands, establish public con-
fdsuos in our stability, bring our Gov,
eminent bonds to a premium, our cur
rency to gold standard, and assure for
themselves and the whole nation most
happy and prosperous future. To
chivslrous and magnanimsus devotion to
restoring peace and happiness 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 in the North and the
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 clouds and impending storm.
know you are representative man,
and have reverence for the Constitution
and the Union and the welfare Of the
country, and what you would say would
be Endorsed by nine.tenths Of the whole
people Of the South; but / should like to
have the signatures Of all the repre-
sentative Southern men who concur in
your views, and in the expressions Of
their concurrence from the principal
officers and representative men through
out the South. when they can be pro-
cured, the concurrence Of opinions and
will, all tending 10 peace, order and sta
bility, well insure the Union soldiers and
business men, who want substantial and
solid peace, and cause them TO rise
above the level Of party politics, aud to
take such steps 10 meet yours as will in
sure lasting peace, with all its countless
Very truly, your friend,
Isignedl q W. s. RosEcRAss.
wErTr sULPHrR sPExGs. W. Va. Aug. %.
GExERAL: have had the honor TO re-
ceive your letter Of this date, and IN &C
cordancs with your suggestiq ] have
~~-f.I ~ 4. rur,hnr ~ ~nnf1aunan