Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-09-10

party politics and take such steps 70 meet
and cause them to rise above the level OF
yours rs will insure lasting peace with
all its countless blessings.
Very truly, your friend,
W. 5. RosECRANs,
To Gen. r. l.. Lee.
AK. LEE 1T Al TO GEN. RosECRANs.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
West Va, April 26, 1865. g
General | have had the honor TO re-
ceiye your letter Of this date, and, in nc
cordanee with your suggestion,l have con-
fcrrcd with number of gentlemen from
the South. in whose judgment | have con-
hded, and who are well acquainted with
the public sentiment OF their respective
States, They have kindly consented TO
unite with me in replying to your COM
munication, and their names will be
found with my own appended 10 this an
swcr 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
10 which you refer.
Whatever opinions may have prevailed
in the past in regard to African slavery,
or the right of state tn secede from tho
Union, We believe We express the almost
unanimous Judgment of the Southern pco-
Pile when We declare that they consider
that those questions were decided by ia,
war. and that it is their intention, in good
faith 10 abide hv that decision. At the
close of the war the southern poop laid
down their arms and sought to resumO
their former relations with the |. 5.
government Through their State CON
ycntions they abolished slavery and an
nullcd their ordinances of secession, and
thev returned 10 their peaceful pursuits
with 4 sincere purpose to fulfill all their
duties under the Constitution of the
United States, which they had sworn To
support ii their action i'll those prticu-
lars had been met in "A spirit of franknes,
and cordiality. we believe that ere this
old irritations would have passed away
and the wound, inflicted by the war
would have been in a great measure heal
ed. A. trr a. We arc ads i>rd, the people
of the South entertain no unfrieudly feel
ing toward the government of the United
States, but they coiuplaiq 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 oppress
them, if it were in thcir power to do SO, is
entirely unfounded. They have grown
up in our midst, and We have been accuS-
toned from childhood to look upon them
with Kindness. The change i'll the rela-
tions OF the two races has wrought no
change in our feeling toward them. They
still constitute the important part of our
laboring population. Without their labor
the lands of the South would be compare
lively unproductivc, Without the en-
ploymcnt which Southern agriculture af-
fords, they would be destitute OF the
mean, of subsistence, and become paupers,
dependent upon the public bounty. Self
interest even, il there were no higher mo-
tivcs, would therefore prompt the whites
of the South to extend to the negroes care
and protection. The important fact that
the two races are, under existing circum-
stances, necessary to each other, is gradu-
ally becoming apparent to both, and wc
believe that, but for the influences excrtcd
to stir up the passions of the negroes, the
relations Of the two races would soon ad-
Just themselves on a basis of mutual kind
ness and advantages. 1t is truo that the
people Of the South, together with the
people of tho North and West, are
for obvious reasons, opposed to any
system of laws which would place
the power of the country III the hands
of the negro race. But this opposl.
ton springs from no feeling of enmi.
ty, but from deep seated conviction that
at present the negroes have neither the
intelligence nor other qualifications which
are necessary to make them safe deposi-
tories of political power. They would
inevitably become the victims of dema-
gogues, who FOR selfish purposes would
nislead 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
depreciate disorder and excitement as the
most serious obstacle to their prosperity.
They ask restoration of their rights I'M
der the Constitution They desire relief
from oppressive misrulc Above all, they
would appeal to their eountrymen for the
re-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,
in behalf OF the Southern people, that they
will faithfully obey the Constitution and
laws of the United States, treat the negro
with kindness and humanity, and fulfill
every duty incumbent on peaceful citizens,
loyal To the Constitution of the country.
We believe the above contains "a succi-
ent reply to the general topics embraced
in your letter, and we venture to say in
behalf Of the Southern people, and OF the
| officers and soldiers of the late confederate
army, that they will concur in all the SEN
timents which we have expressed. Ap-
preciating the patriotic motives which
prompted your letter, and reciprocating
your expressions Of kind regard, we have
the honor to be, very respectfully and
truly,
Robert f. Lee, Virginia; p T. Beaure-
gard, Louisiana Alexander III. Stephens,
Georgia; Alex III. ii. Stuart, Virginia
/ c. NJ Conrad, Louisiana; Linton Ste
phens, Georgia; A. L. Carpenter, West
/ Virginia John +. Choles, Virginia; /.
1 s. Stockdale, Texas L. w. Pickens, South
Carolina; Vim. J. Robinson, Virginia; J..
r. Anderson, Virginia: W. +. Turner,
West Virginia; c. II. Lubeo, South Car