The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-09-15
LETTER OF GENERAL ROsECRANs.

can be Restored.
LETTER OF GENERAL ROSECRANS.
WHITE SULPHUR STRINGS, ]
West Virginia, August % 1868.
General: Full of solicitude for the future of
our country, come, with my heart in my hand.
to learn the condition, wishes and intentions of
the people of the Southern subsequently, to
ascertain the sentiments of that body OF grave,
energetic, selfsacrifcing men, who after sustain
ing the Confederacy for four years, laid down
their arms and swore allegiance to the Govern
ment Of the United States, whose trusted and
beloved leader you have BEEN
I see that interpreting States rights" to con-
1ict with national unity has produced violent
reaction against them, which is drifting us to-
wards consolidation and also, that SO great
country as ours even now IS, certainly is to be,
must have State governments to attend to local
Details or 90 further and fair worse.
It is plain to Us at the West and North that
the continuance of semi-anarchy, such as has ex-
listed for the last three years in ten States of our
Union largely increases the danger of centrali-
cation, swells our national expenditures, dimin-
shes our productions and our revenue, inspires
doubts of our political and financial stability, de-
prccates the value Of cur national bonds anu
currency and places the credit OF the richest be-
low that of the poorest nation IN Chrlstendom
We know that our currency must be depre-
ciated 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
fluctuating standard Of value, until we can rem
edy 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 instruction, and many other unforeseen
contingencies which may still more depreciate
our credit and currency provoke discomfort and
disorder among our people, and bring demago-
| gical agitation, revolution, reputation, and
| thousand unnamed evils and villanies 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 of good and i'll.
| bclieye-cvery one, [ know, who reflects
! belieyes-that if the people of the Southern
! States could be at peace and their energy and
goodwill heartily applied to repair the wastes of
war, reorGanze their business, set the freedmen
peacefully prosperously and contentedly at work,
invite capital enterprise and labor from elsewhere
to come freely amongst them, they would rebuild
their ruined fortunes, multiply manifold the
value of their lands establish public confidence
in our political stability, bring our Government
bonds to premium, our currency to a gold stan
| dard and assure for themselves and the whole
nation a most happy and prosperous future.
Seeing this, and how all just interests concur in
the work, [ ask the officers and soldiers who
fought for the Union--cvery 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 peo-
pie Of the South will not do it; that if ever done
at all, it must be done by the poor, simple, I'M
| educated, landless freedmen and the few whites
who, against the public opinion and sentiment of
the intelligent white people, are willing to at
tempt to lead and make their living off of the
ignorant, inexperienced colorcd people, mostly
men who must be needy adventures or without
any of those attributes on which reliance fol-
good guidance or government can be placed
We are told that this kind Of Government must
be continued at the South until six or eight mil
lions of intelligent, 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, [ dare say, be-
lieve there must be- there ought to be, shorter
and surcr way to get good government for all at
the South.
We know that they who organized and sus-
tanned the Southern Confederacy for four years
against gigantic efforts, ought to be able to give
peace, law, order and protection to the whole
people Of the South.
They have the interest and the power to en-
ploy, protect, educate and elevate the poor freed
men. and to restore themselves and our country
to all the blessings of which | have just spoken
The question we want answered is-"Are they
willing to DO it %
| came down to find out what the people OF
the South think Of this, and to ask you what the
officers and soldiers who served in the Confcd
crate army, and the leading people who sustained
it. think Of these things.
| came to ask more. [ want to ask you, IL
whose purity and patriotism | here express TN
qualified confidence, and SO many good men as
you can conveniently consult: to say what yor
think of it, and also what you arc willing to dc
about it. [ want written expression Of views
that can be followed by concurrence of action
| want to know if you and the gentlemen who
will join you in that written expression are will
ing to pledge the people Of the South to chival
rOus and magnanimous devotion to restoring
peace and prosperity to our common country.
want to carry that pledge high above the leye
OF party politics, to the late officers and soldiers
of the Union army and the people of the Nortf
and West and to ask them to consider it. and t.
take the necessary action, confident that it vii
meet with response so warm, so generous, anC
confding that we shall see in its sunshine thu
rainbow of peace in our political sky, now blacl
with clouds and impending storm
L know you are a representative man-ir
reverence and regard for the Union, the Consti
tuition, and the welfare of the country, and tina
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 rep
resentative Southern men here who would concur
in your views, and expressions Of their concur
4.