Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-09-09
Union Republican Nom nations,
Gen. ROSecranS and some of fhe
SOutilern Supporters of SEYMOUR.

Gen. ROSecranS and some of tn
Southern Supporters of Seymour.
The lines have been burdened with tele
grams for several weeks, giving the specula
tiOns of various newspaper CORRESPONDENT
relative to a negotiation said to be going OF
between Gen Rosecrans on the part of him
self and the Northern Democracy, and Lei
aud various other late rebels The locaIit,
chosen for these interviews was White Sui
phur Springs, Virginia, where many of the
southern chivalry, and some northerners like
ROsecrans, were congregated, ostensibly fol-
recreation, rest, Sulphur water and health
but really TO consider how the Democratic
party might carry the fall elections. The
upshOt of this convention has been made
public in the form Of a long letter from Gen
ROsecrans to Gen. Lee, and Lees answer
thereto. Rosecrans says in his lett er that
he is - full of solicitude for the future of our
country" and comes to these rebels with his
- heart in his hand. He wants 90 espec-
tally TO ascertain the sentiments of that body
of brave, energetic, and self-sacrifcing men
who, after sustaining the Confederacy four
years, laid down their arms" Gen. Rose
Grams is careful not to hint in this descrip-
ton that there has been any treason, or re-
belliOn, or rebels. He does not intimate
that these - brave, energetic, sef-sacrifcing
our government, in order TO build upon its
ruins their g cOnfederacy.') He wants to
know how these men feel. Rosecrans tells
these 90 self-sacrificing men, that he fears
the country = is drifting towards consolida-
ton, and that need g state governments
to attend To local Details After telling
these . brave men : long story about
bonds, taxation, = semi-anarchy,' g simple,
intoxicated, landless freedmen . q ignorant,
inexperienced colored people, . needy ad-
venturers " &c, Rosecrans says:
Now | think, the Union Army thinks, and
people Of the North and West [ dare say be-
lieve, there must be, or there ought to be, a
shorter surer way to get good government
for all at the South. We know that they
who organized and sustained the Southern
Contederacy 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 employ, protect, educate and ele-
waite the poor freedmen and to restore them
selves 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 10 find out what the peo-
pie of the South think of this, and to ask YOU
what the officers and soldiers who served in
the Confederate army, and the leading PEG
pie who sustained it, think of these things |
| come to ask more. [ want to ask YOU in |
whose purity and patriotism L here express |
unqualified confidence, and 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. | want a written |
expression of views that be followed by |
a Concurrence of action, [ want to know if |
you and the gentlemen who will join in that
written expression, are willing 10 pledge the
people of the South to chIvalrous and mag
unanimous devotion to restoring peace and
prosperity To our common country L want
- 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 consid-
or it, and to take the necessary action. conf
dent that 1T will meet with a response so
warm, so generous, and confiding, that we
shall in its sunshine the rainbow of peace
in our political sky. now black with clouds
and impending storm.
The reply to this communication is signed
by Lee, Beauregard, Stephens, and twenty
nine others, who aided as they best could the
- lost cause We give below the essential
portions of it:
Whatever opinions may have prevailed in
the past in regard to African Slavery, or the
right of a State TO secede from the Union, we
express the almost unanimous Judgment of
the Southern people, when we declare that
rhRxre dor hat do
cIded by the war, and that it is their inten-
tiOn in good faith to abide by that decision
At the close of the war the Southern people
laid down their arms, and sought to resume
their former relations with the United States
Government. Through their State Conven-
tions they abolished Slavery, and annullep
their ordinances of secession ; and they re-
turned tc their peaceful pursuits with sin
cere purpose to fulfill all their duties under
the Constitution of the United States, which
thay had sworn to support If their action
in these particulars had been met in a spirit
Of frankness, and cordiality, we believe that
ere this old irritatons would have passed
away, and the wounds inflicted by the war
would have been in great measure healed
As far are advised, the people of the
South entertain no unfriendly feeling toward
the Government of the United States, but
they complain that their rights under the
Constitution are withheld from them in the
administration thereof The idea that the
Southern people are hostile to the negroes
and would Cypress them if it were in their
power to do so, is entirely unfounded. They
have grown up in our midst, and we have
been accustomed from childhood to look up
on them with kindness. The change in the
relations of the two races. has wrought no
change in our feeling toward them. They
still constitute the important part of our Ia
boring population Without their labor the
lands Of the South would be comparatively
unprOductive- Without the employment
which Southern agriculture affords, they
would be destitute of the means of subsIs-
tence, and become paupers, dependent on
public bounty. Self-interest, even 1t there
were no higher motives, would therefore
prompt the whites of the South to extend to
the negroes, care and protection. The i'm
portant fact that the two races are, under
existing circumstances necessary to each 9th
er, il gradually becoming apparent to both ;
and we believe that, but for influences exert
cd to stir up the passions of the negroes, the
relations Of the two races would soon adjust
themselves a basis of mutual kindness and
advantage 1t is true that the people of the
South, together with the people of the North
and West, are, for obvious reasons, opposed
TO any system of laws which would place the
political power of the country in the hands
Of the negro race But this opposition
springs from no feeling of enmity, but from
deep-seated conviction that at present the
negroes have neither the intelligence nor 9th
er qualifications which necessary to make
them safe repositories Of political power
They would inevitably become the victims o.
demagogues, who, for selfish purposes, would
mislead them, to the serious injury of thu
public. The great want of the South i
Tha yNloo doSi frop