Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-09-10
THE ROSECRANS LETTERS.
What the Southern People Thimt-An In
portan Correspondence.
NEW York, Sept. 4.
The following letters between Gems. Rose
crnns and 90 arc NOW made nnlalic

NEW York, Sept. 4.
The following letters between Gems. Rose
Grams and Lee are now made public:
Gen. Rosecrnns to Gen. Lee.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
WEST VIRGINIA, Aug. %, 1868.
GENEEAL-Full OF solicitudc for the future
of our country, l come with my heart in my
tentions of the people of the Southern States,
especially to ascertain the sentiments of that
body of brave, energetic and self-sacrifcing
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 devoted
leader you have been. | see that interpret
ing the States right to conflict with the Ma
tional unity, has produced violent reaction
against them, which is drifting us towards
consolidation, and also that so great a coun-
Try as ours even now is, and certainly 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 North, that
that continuance of semi-anarchy, such as
has existed for the last three years in ten
States Of our Union, largely increase the dam
ger of ccntralsm, swels our national cXpen-
ditures, diminishes our productions and our
revenue. inspires doubts of our political and
financial stability, depreciates 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 as
long as our bonds arc below par, and that
therefore the vast business and commerce OF
the country must suffer the terrible evil of
nuctuating 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
and many other unforeseen contingencies
which may still more depreciatc our credit
and currency and provoke discomfort and dis
order among our people, and bring dcma-
gogical agitation, revolution and Reputation
and thousand unnamed evils and villianles
upon us. We know that the people of the
South are for law and order, and that they
must share our fate of good and i'll. l be-
lievc every one know, who reflects, believes
that if the people Of the Southern States
could be at peace and their energy and good
will heartily applied to repair the wastes OF
r'esz11rutryi
ly at work, invite capital, enterprise and la
Dor from elsewhere and let it come freely
amongst them, they would soon rebuild their
ruined fortunes, multiply manifold the value
of their lands, establish public confidence in
political stability, bring our government
bonds to premium, our currency to gold
standard, and assure for themselves and the
whole nation most happy and prosperous
future. Seeing this and how all just interests
concur in the work, l ask the officers and SOL
diers who fought for the Union, and of every
thinking man of the great West and North
asks, why it cannot be done. We are told
by those who have controlled the government
for the last four years that the people of the
South will not do it that if it is ever done
at all it must be done by the poor, simple,
uneducated, landless freedman and the few
whites, who, against the public opinion and
sentiment of the intelligent white people, are
willing to attempt to lead and make their
living off of these ignorant, inexperienced
colored people, mostly men who must be
needy Adventures, or without any of these
attributes on which reliance for good guild
ance or government can be placed. We are
told that this kind of government must be
continued at the Sonth until six or eight mil
lions of intelligent, energetic white people
give into it or move out of the country
| Now I think, the Union army thinks, and
the people of the North and West, | dare say
believe, there must be, or there ought to be,
a shorter and surer way to get good govern
ment for all at the South. We know that
those who organized and sustained the South
ern Confcderacy for four years against gigan-
=; 70 In, obIo fo fYivo
law, order and protection to the whole people
Of the South. They have the interest and
the power to employ, protect, educate and
elevate the poor freedmen, and to restore
themselves aud our country to all the blessings
Of which I have just spoken. The question
we want answered is, Are they willing to do
it? came down to find out what people of
the South think of this, and to ask you what
the officers and soldiers who served in the
Confederate army, and the leading people
who sustained it. think of these things.
came to ask more; want to ask you,-on
whose purity and patriotism l here express
unqualified CONFERENCE.-THE as many good
men as you can conveniently consult, to say
what you think of it, and also what you are
willing to do about it. I want a written ex-
preston of views that can be followed by a
concurrence of action. want to know II
you and the gentlemen who will join in that
written expression, are willing to pledge the
people of the South to chivalrous and mag
unanimous 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 SOL
diers of the Union army and the people of
the North and West, and to ask them to con-
slider it, and to take the necessary action,
confident that it will meet with 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 arc a
representative man in reverence and regard to
the Union, the Constitution and welfare of
the country, and what you say would be en-
dorsed by ninc-tenths of the whole people of
the South, but should like the signatures of
all the Southern men here who concur in
your views, and expression of their concur
renee from the principal officers and repre-
sentative mcp Of the South, when they can