The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-08-31
GENERAL ROsECRANs' MISSION

This gentleman sends u card TO the LhI0ifrle
complaining of the treatment Of that journal.
In this card General Rosecrans says:
"Ny mission was one OF my own concep-
ton, and wac Inc PRED by n most eArnest desire
for the welfare oil this nation, for which am
as willing to lay down my life as any one who
lives beneath our dag NOpsrty had anything
70 do with it-nO Individual" o.. 80
ltwas worry M sgnanimous and very pat
doubtless, for General Rosecrans. unsolicited
by anybodyto undertake this missioni but the
inquiry will naturally arise, what good did Mr..
Rosecrans expect to accomplish BY this mis-
sionI He could, to be sure, give TO Mr.. r. Z.
Lee his views Of the situation, and this latter
gentleman, with his confreres, Beaurogard d
Co., could communicate to General Roseersns
their views, sc. All that might be very well,
50 far as the" high contracting parties" them
selves were concerned, but whom Is II sought
TO benefit beyond this circle Of ex-rebeis at the
springs Why the Seymour and Blair party,
tsamltter Of course. It will not be contended
chat any 81 those men who met General Rose
Grams would do aught to aid in the election Of
@rNnt and Colfax, OF for the restoration ofthe
Union, upon any condition thatwould exclude
them and those who believe with them from a
controlling influence In the Government.
We suppose that Lee, Mr.. A. II. Stephens,
md Mr.. Beauregard are somewhat anxious to
show that Wade Hampton, Forrest Semmes,
Pike, Toombs and %. are not the true rep
-oEcntat!ves of the southern opinion. That
,s these men don't exactly want another war,
er Hampton y Co. do. They only want that
tho Democratic party should succeed, under
seymour and B!aIr, and that they may In this
way gam the control Of affairs. They are
more prudent and cautious than the .fre.eGicrs,
',lt not one whit less rebellious at heart. To
his work General Rosecrans devotes himself
IuI should, therefore, instead Of being minis
ter TO Mexico, be considered hencefotth As
envoy extraordinary and minister pleniPoten-
'.ary to the lumiuiOnz OF Robert i. Lee.
We do not doubt Mt Rosecrans' Inteu-
lions, and we are willing to admit that in this
undertaking he was, as he says "inspired by
most earnest desire for the welfare OF the
nation" All this may lie 80; but we submit
that X. b. Lee \ Co. are not the men whose
rounsels can benefit this nation Their past
conduct, AS rebels and traitors, and their
present yiows unfit them to take the lead in
public affairs. They eau never be trusted. II
ought to Contcut them that they escape with
their heads. That this Government has beer
thus lenient toward them should lead them to
humility, and they should retire, and not OBJ
tIude themselves or their opinions upon pub
he attention. All this Mr.. Rosecrans should
have known, and his missioh, therefore,
whether OF his own conception or AuNIheu ny
,thcrs, IS ill.timcd, and wholly out Of place
We know Of no more humiliating sight than
tospe q Union man, especially tniun GeRe-
;.l, going upon his knees To beg these rebels
10 come back and take their old positions uh'
der the Government, rs though their crimes
had not untitled them for any places OF trust
or responsibility in the landi and also from
rendering their advice as to how this Govern
mans ia W he administered
The more we bow down to these men the more
self sufficient and the more grasping DO they
necome in their demands. Why, you cannot
satisfy many OF those rebels who went from
Lcre, and now since the war have returned
and strut our streets, that It ia not the duty
for General Grant 70 take his army down fo
Appomattox Court House and surrender &c
General Lee. Many OF them seem to think
that these are the only conditions upon which
wecan have peace. We look upon all such
uisslons ae that Of Rosecrans however under.
aiken as perniciOus, and as calculated 10 do
arm To tho cOnquerors belong the right to
cover. and tuIlrtate terms. To the rebels the
luty Of sulmI--iuu. This has been the case in
Al ages, but in this country we have under
taken to reverse the rule, and to let the rebels
!ictate the terms aud to assume to govern US
the conqueroEs, and not we them. Hence al
uur troubles.
The self.Appointed mission Of eneral Rose
crans is one that furnishes the fair fame o
That patriotic oiAcer, and we are sorry that II
Va evIl hour he acted upon such an inspiration
ONE It from whatever source it may.