The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-07-21
GEN. ROSECRANS' POLITICS.
His Letter to General Lee.

w ESI NlhGINIA, aug W
GENERAL: Full of solicitude for
the future of our country, 1 come with
my heart in my hand to learn the con-
dition, wishes and intentions of the
people of the Southern States, and es-
pecially to ascertain the sentiments of
that brave, energetic and s~elf-sacrific-
ing class of men, who, after sustain
ing the Confederacy for four years,
laid down their arms and swore ale
glance to the Government of the Uni
ted States, whose trusted and beloved
leader you have been. l see that in
terpreting State rights to conflict with
National unity has produced a violent
reaction against them, which is drift
ing us toward consolidation and, also,
that so great Il country as ours, even
now, is certain to be, must have State
Governments to attend to local dc
tails, or 90 further and fare worse.
1t is plain to us at the West and
North that the continuance OF semi
anarchy, such as has existed for the
last three years in ten States Of our
Union, largely increases the dangeroi
Capitalization /; swells our National
expenditures diminishes our produc
| tons and our revcnue !; inspires doubts
of our political and financial stability !;
| depreciates the value of our National
bonds and currency, and places the
credit of the richest below that of the
poorest natien in Christendom. We
know that our currency must lie dc
preciated so log rs u bonds arc be
low par, and that therefore the vast
business and commerce OF our coun-
try must suffer the terrible evil of Il
huctuating standard of value until we
can remedy the evil condition Of things
at the South. We also see other mis-
chiefs quite possible, if not p orable,
to arise; such as from Il failure OF
crops, a local instruction and many
| other unforeseen contingencies, which
may further ~depreciate II cred {
and currency, provoke discomfort
and disorder amCng L people,
and bring demagogical agitation, rev
| olution, reputation and a thousand
unnamed evils and v~illainies upon us.
We know that the interests of the
people of the South are for law and
order. and they must share u fate
of good or evil.
/ believe that every II | know,
who reflects, believes that if the peo-
pie of the Soutl ern States could be
at peace, and their energy and good
will heartily applied to repair the
wastes of war, recognizing their bu-
siness, set the freedmen p~eaceably,
prosperously and contentedly at work;
invite capital, enterprise and labor
from elsewhere to come freely among
them, they would soon rebuild their
ruined fortunes, multiply manifold
the value of their lands, establish con
fdence in our political stability, bring
our Government bonds to a premium,
or currency to a gold standard, and
assure for themselves and the whole
nation q most happy and prosperous
future.
Seeing this and how all just inter
ests concur in the work, [ ask the Off
GERS and soldiers who fought for the
Union, ask every thinking man of the
Great West and North, why it can
not be done? We arc 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 ev-
err done at all it must be done by the
poor, simple, ~uneducated, landless
freedmen, and the few whites who,
against the public sentiment of the
intelligent white people, are willing to
attempt to lead, and make their living
of of these ignorant, inexperienced
colored people-mostly men who must
be needy adventures, or without any
Of those tributes on which reliance for
good guidance of government 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 move
into it or move out of the country.
Now, 1 think the Union army thinks,
and the people of the North and West,
I dare say, believe there must be, or
there ought to be, a shorter, surer way
10 get good government for all at the
| South. We know that they who or
ganized and sustained the Southern
Confederacy for four years against gi-
gantic 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 elevate
the poor freedmen and restore them
8 Ives and u country to all the bless
ings of which l have just spoken.
The question we want answered is:
care you willing to do it?" 1 came
down to find what the people of the
South think of this, and to ask you
what the officers and soldiers who
served in the Confederate army, and
the leading people who sanctioned it,
think of these things? 1 come to ask
more: 1 want to ask you, in whose
purity and patriotism l here express
unqualified confidence, and as many
other good men as you can convenient
ly consult, to say what you think of
it, and also what you are willing to do
about it. / want a written ex-
preston of views that can be followed
by a concurrence of action. ] want