Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-05
THE WHITE .SULPHUR SPEgENGS
wi JURISPRUDENCE y
letter of Gen. Rosecrans.
i, ), WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
! WEST VIRGINIa> Anpeilulst&oC TS6;


of grave, energetic, selfsacgiGcing men, Rho,=,
after sustaining the ContcderacY for Jour years,
laid down their arms and sWore allegiance
to the Governments ot the United States,
whose trusted and beloved leader you have
been. ~ .''.- W..
/ see that Interpreting Estates rights" to
conflict with national unity has produced VIC.
lent reaction against them, which is drifting US
towards consolidation and also, that SO great
a country as ours even now is, certainly Is to
be, must have State governments to attend to
local details, or 60 farther and fare worse.
It is plain to US at the West and North that
the continuance of semi,anarcby, such as has
existed for the last three years in ten States OF
our Union, largely increases the danger of CEN
tralization, swells our national expenditures,
diminishes our productions and our revenue,
inspires doubts of our political and financial
stability, deprecates the value OF our national
bonds and currency, and places the credit OF
the riches below that OF the poorest nation IN
Christendom.
We know that our currency must be depre-
ciaed so long as our bonds: are below par;
and that, therefore, the vast business and COM
merce 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. i We also see other mischief quite
.possibEe'if not sprobable-to arise such as from
failure Of crops, local: instruction, and
many other unforeseen contingencies, which
may still more aepreciate our credit and cur
rency, provoke discomfort and disorder among
our people, and bring demagogical agitation,
revolution, repudiation, and a thousand IN
named evils and villainles upon US. We know
that the interests of the people of the South
arc for law and order, and that they must
share our fate Of good and i'll.
&4 I believe every one, know, who reflects
believes-that it the people of the Southern
goodw heartily applied to repair the wastes
freedmen peacefully, prosperously, and con-
tentedly at work, invite capital, enterprise,
and labor from elsewhere to come freely
amongst them, they would rebuild their ruinp.
ed fortunes, and multiply manifold the value
of their lands, establish public confidence in
our 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 iu-
ture. Seeing this, and how all just interests
concur in the work, [ ask-the officers and
soldiers who fought for the Union-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
ever done at ALL it must be done by the poor,
simple, uneducated, andless freedmen 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 liv-
ing off of the Ignorant, inexperienced colored
people, mostly men who must be needy adven-
turcrs or without any Of those, attributes on
which reliance for good guidance or govern
ment can be placed. We are told that this
kind of Government must be continued at the
South until six or eight millions Of intelligent,
energetic white people give into it,or move Gut
of the country. 4,
Now, think, the Union army thinks, and
the people of the North and West, l 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 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 she South. .gyzArC
They have the interest and the power to
employ, protect, educate, and elevate the poor
freedmen, and to restore themselves and our
country to all the blessings of which l have
just spoken. The question we want answered
is-''Are they willing to do it pr. a.. --- ~
came down to find out what the people of
the South think OF this, and to ask you what
iederate army, and the leading people who sus-
tanned it, think of these things, E#o#I IUiJ
| came to ask more. | want to ask you, in
eod I horo m
qualified confidence, and so 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. want q written expression OF views
that can be followed by a concurrence of action.
[ want to know if you and the gentlemen who
will join you in that written expression are vii,
ling to pledge the people of the South to
chivalrouS and magnanimous devotion to res
toring peace and prosperity to our common
[ want to carry that pledge high
above the level of party politics, to the late
officers and soldiers Of the Union army, and
the people Of the North and West, and to ask
them to consider it, and to take the necessary
action, confident that it will meet with re-
Spouse 50 warm, SO generous and conhdlng that
we shall see In its sunshine the rainbow OF
peace in our political sky, now black with
clouds and impending storm. 5-s.- ..t
know you are a representative man
in reverence and regard for the Union, the
Constitution, and the welfare OF the country,
and that what you would say would be en-
dorscd by nine tenths Of the whole peo-
pie OF the South; but should like to have the
signatures of all the representative Southern
men here who would concur in your views, and
expressions of their concurrence from the
principal officers and representative men
throughout the South, when they can be pro
cured. - .j.-... %. al,.s..s3 ~, !
This concurrence of opinions and Wills all
tending to peace, order, and stability, will as
sure our Union soldiers and business men-who
want substantial and solid peace-and cause
them to rise above the level Of party politics,
and take such steps 10 meet yours as will insure
a lasting peace, with all its countless blessings.
Very truly, your friend,
W. S. RosEcRANs.
General R. E. Lee, White Sulphur Springs,