The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-20

and Judging military matteES.l cit rs; with
the sincere desire to seek the truth that
work through the conflicting documents
published by both sides, and 1t is to facili-
tate thatresearch that 1 ask to be admitted |
as a,memberrof a;society5 founded by south
ern officers for the sole purpose aof fur
nishing, to, future historians reliable infor-.
mation, on their great ACHE ements -,
have Instructed Messrs. Coutts s. Co., OF
59 Strand, London, TO forward to you
through their correspondents the fifty dol
lars fee of life member...o,
ii Believe me, sir, yours truly
= ~ LIP. D'ORLEANs, Comte de Paris.
p. Ehr- 49, -- t.t- 49,.
OFFICE SOUTHERN HIsT0RI AL SOCIETT, atn
/" RICHMOND, VA, September25, 1876. IS.
L. p. d. Orleans, Comte de Paris: .,....l-
Sir,-Your esteemed favor Of August Sd
should have had prompt reply but for the
absence from the city Of members OF our
Executive Committee, to whom it was pro-
per to refer iE.f @+ t"Et ta-al
II now have the honor OF informing you
that you have been unanimously elected q
life member OF our Society, and OF enclosing
herewith your certificate of membership.
We hope that you have received our
Monthly Papers, which we have sent you
through Messrs. Coutts & Co., Of Phiiadel-
phia, and that you may receive safely copies
OF our bound volume and Of our "Treat-
ment OF Prisoners" which we have the
pleasure of sending you by this mail,
! We shall send you regularly all Of our iu- .
ture publications. ~ -.
I'VE note with great pleasure your desire
to be connected with our Society in order
that you may facilitate your research into
the history of our great conflict, and we as
sure you Of the cheerful alacrity with which
we will afford you the fullest and freest ac-.
cess to our archives. - ,.-.,.....'i -,
We are busily engaged in collecting
books, documents, MSS, &C., on. both sides,
and it Is our purpose to place. upon our
shelves everything which can throw light
upon any part Of the history Of the "War1
between the States" =: ~. ..,:~,asl5.
While we may not hope to fully win you
oyer: to our convictions, yet we cordially
,reciprocate your desire that: soldiers on
both sides might "now calmly discuss, for
the benefit of the world, every point Of the
great contest which they fought with such
fenacity,,' and we shall cherish the hope
that as you come to know more Of the an
side history Of the aConfederacy, and be-.
come more familiar with 0nfederate' re.
ports, &C., you: will modify many Of the
views you now entertain. .r";iaIt!
All that the. South asks is q fair hearing
ut the bar OF history, that ourmotiyes, acts,
resources, and achievements may be impar-
tally set forth, and II this is done we Will
cheerfuIly abide the result. 1JG ..s.......I
The publication Of your letter to us would
be gratifying to many OF our people, but we
shall not, Of course, venture to publish it
without having first obtained your consent.
I thank you for your kindly reception OF
the copy OF my " "reminiscences OF Lee"
and hope that its per,lsal may give you some
clearer idea OF the character ;of that great
man, .t .:4 49,, -, -..';. -,
Assuring youof the pleasure it will afford
me to be of any service to You IN procuring
Confederate books, documents, &C., and
with best wishes for your health and hapPi-
ness, Itleg leave to subscribe myself, very
respectfully, your obedient servant, III 5;y;.se
~ e.. J.WILLIAM JoNEs,.l3sr
- Secretary Southern Historical Society. !,
-s1G -, =.t ---- 9eiG ,ss:paiJ
60 iCHATEABlD'EU, SEINE IsFERIEURs,l
- %. October IL, 1915.
!Rev. J. sWiliidus Jones, Secretary Southern
Pi. Historical Society: .coissS
Sir,-I hasten to thank you ;1or your lee-
ter OF. September 25th; and for the .eertih.
cate.of my membership in. the Southern
Historical Society. sIlbeg you to convey
the expfessien:a my gratitude to the MEM: r,l;:
Fbers 81 your Executive Committee, who,
INSPIRED with the most liberal spirit, have
toppensd their. doors to me. AS You say, yon
cannot expect o-win me over the lost
| cause. Right or wrong, my sympathies
with the Federal cause. can. be Of least openly
aYoWed, because I .dId not wait for the sue
cess OF that cause to profess them ln q prac- 1e
Rtical5Way, for they induced Sma, TO. 9onl the
northern army net when it was efated BY
Yictory, but shortly after Bull Rln. il i
had not been animated by those convictions
II would never have takeliia part in the war,
and consequeDtlYneither attempted to, re
late its history. nor solicited the honor OF
becoming "a member Of your societ 81
t I have strongly expressed those opinions
on the political. causes Of the war Of the pc
Eginning. of my york. 1t: is natural tnat
lsoutherners should object to theses shoMo not ll
find my Judgment harsh and unjust, 10
|, that great quarrel ], can no. more expect TO
please the side against which I fought than nal.
iyou can hope to persuade me tlat l was was
wrong in Joining the Federal armies. But
that yexed question: once settled, have en-
tered into the real part OF my work With = the
ain cere: wish TO- rehte the military events
Without the slightest. partiality and III i
can, IN that respect help the South to obtain
that fair hearing at the bar Of history which,
as Won saw, Is all that she now asks, I shall
do itmost cheerinliy. 5,t
You ask leave to publish my iarmer iiet-
ter. Although Z have kepsno minute :of ~,
as It was quite private, do not tnlnk snal
there was ANYTHING In it which would NOT
| he fiE for publication. In fact, the loeas
/ No birb- fEXDressed IN, that letter are those