Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-09-10
Gen. Lees Reply.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, |
WEST VIRGINIA, Aug. 26, 1868. J

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
WEST VIRGINIA, Aug. 26, 1868.
GENERAL-I have had the honor to receive
your letter of this date, and IN accordance
with your suggestion, have conferred with
4 number of gentlemen from the South IN
in whose Judgment | have confded, and who
are well acquainted with the public senti-
mcnts of their respective States. They have
kindly consented to unite with me in reply
ing to your communication, and their names
will be found with my own appended to this
answer. With this explanation we proceed
to give you candid statement of what we
believe to be the sentiment of the Southern
people, in regard to the subject to which you
refer. Whatever opinions may have prevail
ed in the past in regard to African slavery or
the right Of State to secede from the Union,
we believe we express the almost unanimous
Judgment of the Southern people when we
declare that they consider that those questions
were decided by the war, and that it is their
intention in good faith to abide by that deci
sion. At the close of the war the Southern
people laid. down their arms and sought to
revive their former relations with the U. S.
Government. Through their State Convcn-
ton they abolished slavery, and annulled their
their peaceful pursuits with a sincere purpose
to fulfil all their duties under the Constitu
ton of the United States, which they had
sworn to support. If their action, in these
particulars, had been met in spirit of frank
ness and cordiality, we believe that ere this
the old irrtations would have passed away,
and the wounds inflicted by the war would
have been in great measure healed. So far
as we arc advised, the people of the South en-
terrain no unfriendy feeling toward the Gov
ernment of the United States, but they COM
plain chat their rights under the Constitution
arc 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 en-
tircly unfounded. They 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. They still constitute the important
part of our laboring population. Without
| their labor, the lands of the South would be
comparatively unproductive, and without the
employment which Southern agriculture af-
fords, they would be destitute of the means
of subsistence and become paupers, dependent
on public bounty. Self-intercst, even if there
were no higher motives, would therefore
prompt the whites of the South to extend to
the negroes care and protection The import
ant fact that the two races are, under existing
circumstances, necessary to each other, is
gradually becoming apparent to both, and we
| rnc passIons Of TIC negroes, the rela-
tons of the two races would soon adjust them
selves on basis of mutual kindness and adj
vantage. 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 a deep
seated conviction that at present the negroes
have neither the intelligence or other qualifi-
cations which are necessary to make them
safe repositories of political power. They
would inevitably become the victims of dem
agogues who, for selfish purposes, would mis-
lead them to the serious injury of the public.
The great want of the South is peace. The
people earnestly desire tranquility and the
restoration of the Union. They deprecate
disorder and excitement as the most serious
obstacle to their prosperity. They ask res
| toration of their rights, under the Constitu-
ton they desire relief from oppressive mis-
rule. Above all they would appeal to their
Icountrymen for the establishment in the
Southern States of that which has justly been
regarded as the birthright of every American
the right of self-government. Establish
these on firm basis, and we can safely
promise on behalf of the Southern people,
that they will faithfully obey the Constitu-
ton and laws of the United States treat the
negroes with kindness and humanity, and
fulfil every part incumbent on peaceful citi-
| zens, loyal to the Constitution of their coun-
try.
We believe that the above contains a sue
cinct reply to the general topics embraced in
your letter, and we venture to say, on behalf
of the Southern people, and of the officers and
soldiers OF the late Confederate army, that
they will concur in all the sentiments which
we have expressed. Approaching the patri
otto motives which have prompted your letter,
and reciprocating your expressions of kind
regard, we have the honor to be
Very respectfully and truly,
Robert E. Lee. Va; 6. Il. Beauregard, La;
Alexander Ii. Stephens, Ga; Alexander H.
II. Stuart, Va; G. M. Conrad, La; Linton
Stephens, Ga; A. 7. Caperton, WA; John
Echols, Va; F. S. Stockdale, Texas; T. w.
Plckens, 5. e.; VIM. j. Anderson, Va; VIM.
+. Turner, W. Va; c. II. Lubec, S. c.; E.
Fontane. Va; John Letcher, Va; B. c.
Adams, Miss; w. J. Green, N. c.; Lewis E.
Harise, Va; ?. V. Daniels. Jr., Va; w. r.
Southerlin. Va; A. B. James, La; Toutant
Beauregard, Texas; NJ. O. H. Norton, La;
I. ?. Branse Ga; Ii. Il. Russell, GA; Sam'l
>. Douglas. Florida; jeremiah Morton, Va;
John Is, Baldwin, Va; George W. Boiling,
Va; Theodore Flournoy, Va; James Lyons,
Virginia. @
To Gen. VS.. Rosecrans, Minister to Mexico,
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
MARRIED.,
Ct Il