Wilmington journal., 1876-02-11
From the Mobile Cycle.
President DaViS's Reply to Gen.
e. &. Lee'S Letter ReSigning
His ConniSS SSiOn.
RICHMOND, VA, Aug. IL, l


RICHMOND, Va, Aug. IL, 1868.
Gen. R. E. Lee. Commanding Arnay
Of Northern Virginia:
Yours of the 8th instant has JUS
been received. [ am glad that you
concur SO entirely with mo as tO the
wants of our country III this trying
hour, and am happy to add that, after
the first depression consequent Upon
our disasters in the West, indications
have appeared that our people will
exhibit til st fOrtitude which we agree
in believing is alone reedful to secure
ultimate success.
It W. IL became Sidney Johnston
when overwhelmed by a senseless
clamor, to admit the rule that success
is the test Of merit, and yet there has
been nothing which I have found to
require a greater effort Of patience
than 10 bear the criticisms Of the ig-
nOrant who always pronounce every
thing failure which does not equal
their expectations or desires, and can
sec no good result which is not in
the lire Of their own imaginings. I
adm the propriety of your conclu-
sions, that an officer who loses the con-
fidence of his trooTs should have his
position changed, whatever may be his
ability, hut when [ reai the sentence [
was not At al! pr epAred for the applica-
ton you We're about to make. Express
eiOEs OF discomfort in the public jour
nails furnish but little evidence of the
ST ntiment of an army. [ wish 1t were
other wise, even though all the abuse
| of myself should be accepted as the
| result of honest observation.
Were You capable of STOPPING to it,
you could easily surround yourself
with those who would fill the press
With your laudations. and seek to exalt
you Tor what you had done rather than
| de ract from the achievements which
will make you and your army the sub
| ject of history and object of the worlds
al niration for generations to come.
am truly sorry to know tnat you
still feel the effects of the illness you
suffered last spring, and can readily
| understand the embarl assment5 you
| experienced IN using the eyesof others,
| having been so much accustomed &c
make your own Reconnaissance. Prac-
tice will, however, do much to relieve
that embarrassment, and the minute
| knowledge of the country which you
had acquired, will render You less de
pendent Tor topograplcal information
But SUPPOSE, my dear TREND, that L
were to admit. with all their appiica-
tions, the points which you present,
! where am L to find that new COM
! mander who is to possess the greater
| ability which you believe to be requir-
| ed? [ do not doubt the readiness with
which you would give way TO one who
could accomplish all that you have
! wished, and you will do me the jus
| tice to believe that, # Providence
| should kindly offer such person for
| our use, [ would not hesitate to avail
myself of his services.
NV sight is not sufficiently penetra
ting to discover such hidden merit, if
it exists, and I have but used to you
| the language of sober earnestness,
when l have impressed upon you the
proprietJ of avoiding all unnecessary
| exposure to danger, because | felt our
country could not bear to lose you. 10
ask me to substitute you by some one
i'll my judgment more fit to command,
or who would possess more of the Goa
fidence OF the army, or of the reflect
ing men in the country, Is to demand
an lmpossl billty.
1t only remains for me to hope that
you will take all possible care of your
self, that vour health and strength may
be entirely restored, aud that the LORD
will preserve you for the important
duties devclved upon you IN the strug
gle of our suffering country for the
Independence which we have engaged
in war TO maintain.
As ever, respectfully and truly,
JEFF'N DAVIS.