Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-11
The Position of the SOuth-Gen. Lees
Letter.

Letter.
The following is the letter prepared
by Con. Leo at tho request Of Con.
Rosecrantz, as an expression of public
| sentiments Mt tho South, and signed
by himself and others:
WHITE SULPHUR STRINGS, WEST VA,
August &c, 1868.
General: havo the honor TO recoivo |
| your letter Of this date and in accor-
dance with your suggestion, l have
conferred with number Of gentlemen
from tho South in whose judgment l
bavo confidcd, and who arc well ac-
quaintcd with tho public sentiment of
their respective States. They have
kindly consented to unite with me in
replying to your communication, and
their names will DO found with my
own appended to this answer.
| With this explanation we procood
to give to you u candid statement Of
what wo believe to bo the sentiment
Of tho Southern people in regard 10
tho subject to which you rotor.
Whatever opinions may havo pro-
vailod in the past in regard TO African
slavery, or tho right of q State to &C.
ccde from tho Union, wo bclievo VIC
eXpross tho almost unanimous judg-
mont of the Southern people whom we
declare that thoy consider that those
questions woro decided by the war,
and that it Is their intention, iu good
faith, to abide by that decision. At
tho close Of tho war tho Southern
peoplo laid down thoir arms and
sought to resume their former rola-
tions with the Unltod States Govern
mont.
, Through thoir State conventions
they abolished slavery, annullod their
; ordinances of secession, and they re-
, turned to their peaceful pursuits with
, o sinceae p urposo TO fulfil all thoir du.
tics under tho constitution of tho
United States, which thoy had sworn
, to support. If thoir action in these
particulars had been met in spirit of
: franknoss and cordiaEty, wo belicve
, that GRO this old irritations would
3 have passed away, and tho wounds in.
fiotcd by the war would havo been in
, great measure healed. AS far as we
0 are advised, tho people of the South
: entertain no unfrlcndly fooling toward
tho government of tho United States,
!, but they complain that their rights
! under tho constitution arc withhold
from them in tho administration
thoroof.
, Tho idon that tho Sou thorn people
y are hostile to the negroes, and would
h oppress them if it wcre IN their power
to do 80, is entirely unfoundod. They
have grown up in our-midst, and we
f. have bcor accustomed from childhood
Q ."' .,i""go III Ihe rolat1ohs or tho two
= races has wrought no change in oul
o 1eoilng toward them. They still con
j. st'tute Tho important part of our In
boring population. Without their Ia
Dor tho lands Of tho South would be
q comparatively y unproductive. Without
, the employment which Southern agri,
culture affords, thoy would be desti-
, tute OF tho means of subsistence, and
/ become paupcrs, dependent on public
:, bonpty.
Seif-intcrost, even if there wcro no
, higher motive, would therefore prompt
the whites of tho South TO oxtend to
, the negroes care and protection. Tho
important fact that th Q two races arc.
under existing circumstances, nccessa.
ry to each other, is gradually beco m
ing apparent to both and we believe
that but for influences exertcd 10 stir
up the passsons of tho negroes, the re-.
lations of tho two races would soon
adjust themselves on basis of mutual
kindness and advantage.
1t is true that the people of the
South, together with the people ofthe
North and West are, for obvious rca.
sons, opposed to any system of laws
which would place the political power
OF the country in the hands of tho no.
gro race. But the opposition springs
from no feollng of emnity, but from a
deep seated conviction that at present
the negroes have neither tho intelli.
gonco or other qualifications, which
are necessary to mako them safe do
posltories of political powers They
would inevitably become victims of
demagogues, who, for selfish purposes,
would mislead them to tho serious in.
jury of the public.
The great want of the South is
peace. The people earnestly desire