, 1868-09-25
Southern Sentiment.

Following is the letter, in full, written by
Lee, Beauregard, Stephens, aud others, to
General Rosecrans
Whatever opinions may. have prevailed
in the past in regard to African slavery, or
the right of State to sece0e from the Union,
we believe we express the almost unanimous
Judgment of the Southern people when we
declare that they consider that those ques-
tions we're decided By the war, and it is their
intention in good faith to abide by that de-
cision. 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
Conventions they abolished slavery, anuulled
the ordinances Of Secession, and returned to
peaceful pursuits with the sincere purpose
of fulfilling all their duties under the Consti-
tuition of the United States, which they had
sworn to support. If their action in these
particulars had been met in spirit of frauk-
ness and cordiality, we believe ere now the
old irritations would have passed away, and
the wounds inflicted by the war would have
been, in great measure, healed. The me-
groes have grown up in our midst, and we
have been accustomed from childhood to look
upon them with kindness. The change IN
the relations of the two races has wrought no
change in our feelings toward them. Ihey
still constitute an important part OF our labor
| ing population. Without their labor, the
lands of the South would be paratively
unproductive without employment which
! Southern agriculture affords they would be
destitute of means, and become paupers, de-
pendent on the public bounty. Selfinterest,
even, if no higher motive, would prompt the
whites of the South to extend to the negroes
care and protection. The important fact that
the two races are, under existing circumstan-
ces, necessary to each other, is gradually be-
coming apparent to both, aud we believe that
but for the influences exerted to stir up the
passions of the negroes, the relations OF the
two races would soon adjust themselves on
the basis of mutual kindness and advantage
to both. 1t is true that the people South
together with the people North and West
are, for obvious reasons, opposed to any sys'
TEN of laws which would place the politlca
power Of the country in the hands of the
negro race, but this opposition springs from
no feeling of enmity, but from deep seatec
conviction that at present the negroes have
not the intelligence nor other qualities nee
essary to make them repositories of politica
f power. They would inevitably become th'
, victims of demagogues, who, for selfish Pur
poses, would mislead them, to The serious
= injury of the public. The great want of th'
: South is peace The people earnestly deslr'
! tranquility and restoration to the Union
e They deprecate disorder and excitement al
/ the most serious obstacle to their prosperity
: they ask the restoration of their rig hts Jude
5 the Constitution they desire relief from oP
) preston and misrule and above all, the!
J, would appeal to their countrymen for the re
:, establishment in the Southern States OF tina
i which has been justly regarded as the o'r'a n
1t right of every American-the right OF se.i
t, government. Establish that on firm basis
n and we can safely promise, on behalf OF tn m
is Southern people, that they will faithful
J. obey the Constitution and laws of the Unite
is States, treat the negro with Kindness and hu
d manity, and fulfil every duty incumbent o
r peaceful citizens, loyal to the Constltutlo
G. of their country"