The New York herald., 1878-10-07
BUSINESS oPPORruNTrIEs.
CONFEDERATE ARCHIVES.

sATIsFAc oRY RELATIONS BETWEEN THE FED
ERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE SOUTHERN
HISTORICAL socIETY-sTATEMENT OF REV. J.
WILLIAM JONES, SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY.
RICHMOND, Va, Sept. rs, 1878
TO THE EDITOR OF THIS HKRALD;-
There have been many inaccurate statements
made In reference TO the Archvs ONCE NJ Washngton
and Its relations TO tho Southern historical Soo'ey
that deem proper make brief statement Of tho
facts.
At the convention TO reorganize our society, held
at the Montgomery White sulphur Springs In August
1873. resolution was adopted insteucting the
secretary 10 make application to the author-
ties at Washington Tor access the Confederate
archives collected there. AS, however. t vas
known that all such applications the part Of our
Confederate officers mad been refused we hestacd TO
make the application until IN November, 1875, the
then Secretary OF War, General Beiknap, opened .
corresponding win our society as the reAut OF
interview winch tho secretary OF the society had with
his sprvatc secretary (Dr. Barnardl THIS correspond
ence resulted In nothing. as the Secretary ei War
insisted upon simply giving him copies Of such
parts Of archives he might DESIRE without any
equivalent, ana our committee, ON the other hand,
unwilling that 1.-THE reciprocity should all
be sde, and insisted upon exchange OF doc
uments. January, 1877, DR.. Barnard, by direction
Of the Secretary OF War, Hon. ]. ID. Cameron, re-
opened the correspondence but rs no better terms
were offered U.s. We again declined 10 turn over our ar
cnivea 70 the inspection ana use OF the War Depart
ment unless there nouid be iuii rsclprocation he
OF The War Depa.iment very naturally excited
the tear that there was purpose 10 deal
iariy with Confederate documents In the
i'pGs 81 sss ksu.on" We wer. Ioasn 10 ns.oss MAGE
any iurther move The matter, ANA had done So
although We mad boon gra,lied TO learn that General
McCrary had been pursuing more liberal pocy
toward some Of our friends. Unaer date OF August
1878, however, We received letter from General
lutn nf G.,nf.r Arn~v vnf
TenDesses, IN which ne announced his appointment
ian agent Of the War Department Tor me coiec
tion, &C., OF Confederate records OF the war; aud
stalou that ne 'authorized by the Secretary OF
War to say that any duiy accredited agent OF the
The Con leaerate archives consult take
copies ior historical purposes" This offer, made
voluntarily anu Wlthout cohuitons, was AL that We
had ever asked ana was IN the highest degree crafty.
Ing TO our committees.
We OF course responded in the same spirit ana
daily reciprocated by tendertng Tue War Department
Irae access 70 eur archves and the privilege OF copy
ing ANYTHING they might WISH. General Wright at
once came to Richmond and mad u very satisfactory
interview with The secretary ana other members VI
our Executive Committee. We went 10 work 10 pre-
pare accurate Catalogue OF Official documents
carefully arranged chronological order tna by
comparison with tue catalogue ol the War Depart
ment II might be seen what WAS wanted to complete
the flies each collection. Ihis Catalogue was com
peted on Monday last ana Took u on 10 Washington
where had most satisfactory interview win
Aujulant General townsend, whu now has charge OF
the whole matter OF the archives and their publ.
cation; Colouei X. n. Scott who Is In charge OF
VINO IL Keeper Of the ArcuIves; Goneral Wright and
otner gentlemen connected with the War Record
Office. General Tow nsend received me with every
courtesy and kindness, I00g tank on the
wnole question. He assured me that 81 from de-
slrug 10 suppress, ne ~ exceedingly ANXIOUS 70 OBJ
tain, In order 10 publish, Iuii HES OF Con
repors and o,her Official documents; maj no Is
pushing Tue work oi compilation as rapidly pos
slDie, and that ne reauy 70 give every
faciiLy Ia his power 10 secure copies whatever
may wish Tor historical purposes In word, the
whole matter has ~ last been arranged to the salts
faction Ot both parties, and the work oi exchange
will be begun just se0n our lists be maze
out
A visit TO the Archve ONCE impressed me very IA
vorabiy with the system, order care with wnion
everything Is managed.
General Wright, OF course, showed me every cour-
tesy ana WAS moro tnan ever impressed with
MI qua hcatous Tor his position. And surely, ~ tne
s'ofhclaI history" OF the great struggle be pso-
Issued By hs government 10 10 our inlerost
the Con ledsrate part OF IL as IuII as possible.
j. WILLIAM JONES. SOcrelary & H