New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-10-26
GenernI Lee A. a Couserva1ive,

General Lee As Conservative
A Richmond, Virginia, correspondent
Of the Weekly Times submits the following
certified copy of q letter from General
Lee, bearing upon the subject recently
discussed by Mr.. Edward Spencer in
contribution to the "Annals Of the War:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN
VIRGINIA,
January IL, 1865.
Honorable Andrew Hunter
have received your letter of the seventh
instant, and without confning myself to
the order of your interrogatories, will en-
| deayor to answer them by statement Of
my views on the subject. t-.I.
! shall be most happy if can contribute
TO the solution Of question In which
1 feel an interest commensurate with my
desire for the welfare and happiness Of our
people. ..t-
| Considering the relation of master and
slave, controlled by human laws and infu-
enced by Christianity and an enlightened
public sentiment, as the best that can
exist between the white and black races,
while intermingled as at present in this
country, / would deprecate any sudden
disturbance of that relation, unless it be
| necessary to avert q greater calamity to
both. l should, therefore, perfer to rely
on our white population to preserve the
ratio between our forces and that of the
enemy, which experience has known to be
safe But in view of the preparations of
our enemies, it is our duty to prepare for
continued war and not for battle or
a campaign; and l own fear we can not
accomplish this without overtaxiDg the
capacity of our white population.
Should the war continue under existing
circumstances, the enemy may in course
of time penetrate our country, and get
access to q large part of our slave popula-
ton. 1t is his avowed policy to convert
the able bodied men among them into
soldiers, and emancipate all The success
of the Federal arms in the South was fol-
lowed by a proclamation from President
Lincoln for two hundred and eighty
thousand men, the effect of which will be
to stimulate Northern States to procure as
substitutes for their own people the
negroes thus brought within their reach.
Many have already been obtained in Vir-
GINA, and should the fortunes Of war
expose more of her territory, the enemy
will gain larger accession of strength.
His progress will thus add to his numbers,
and at the same destroy slavery in q man.
ON~
people. Their negroes will be used to
hold them in subsection, leaving the re-
manning force If the enemy free TO extend
his conquest.
Whatever may be the effect of our en-
, ploying negro troops, it can not be as
nischievous as this. If it end in sub
verting slavery it will be accomplished by
ourselves: and we can devise the means
of alternating the evil consequences to boil
; races / think, therefore, we must decidt
, | whether slavery shall be extinguished by
> our enemies and the slaves be used agains
! us or use them ourselves at the risk of The
{ effects which may be produced upon oul
q social institutions. My own opinion il
! that we should employ them without de
\ Law. / believe that with proper regula
q tions, they can be made effective soldiers
r They possess the physical qualification
. in an eminent degree. Long habits o
? obedience and subordination, coupled
n with that moral influence which in GU
4 country the white man possesses over tn
a black, furnish the best foundation 70
that discipline, which is the surest guar
, antee of military efficiency. Our chic
! aim should be to secure their fidelity
8 There have been formidable armies com
v posed of men having no interests in tn
i country for which they fought, beyon
n their pay or the hope of plumber, BIT
H is certain that the best foundation upo
4 which the fidelity of an army can res
a especially in a service which imposes pr
q culiar hardships and priyations, is th
O personal interest of the soldier in IL
4 issue of the contest. Such an interest "
l. can give our negroes by granting immt
date freedom to all who enlist, and free
!. dom at the end of the war to the familit
|. of those who discharge their duties faitl
a fully whether they survive or mott, t.
d gether with the privilege Of residing
IF the South.
% To this might be added bounty fc
,e faithful service. We should not expet
g. slaves to fight for prospective freedol
sr when they can secure it at once by goin
s. to the enemy, in whose service they wi
o. incur no greater risk than in ours II
d reasons that induce me to recommend Il
employment of negro troops at all rend'
the effect of the measures have suggests
n | on slavery immaterial, and in my opinic
err the best means Of securing the eficienC
h and fidelity of this auxiliary force woul
RS be to accompany the measure with We
re digested plan of gradual and gener
st emancipation. As that will be the resi-
II | Oh IQ6 Va tAO wall oa@A
at certainly occur if the enemy succeed,
to seems to me most advisable to adopt it
I'D once, and thereby obtain all the benef
IL that will accrue to our cause.
is The employment of negro troops und
er regulations similar to those indicat
or would, in my opinion, greatly increa
nd our military strength, and enable us
IN relieve our white population to sor
ne extent. think we could dispense wi
n the reserve forces, except in cases
n emergency. It would. disappoint t
Is, hopes which our enemies have upon o
er exhaustion, deprive them in great me
ay sure of the aid they now derive from bla
. a troops, and thus throw the burden Of I
Ter war upon their own people. In additi,
he to the great political advantages th
be would result to our cause from the ado
e. ton of system Of emancipation, itwou
IS exercise salutary influence upon our Z
ry gro population, by rendering more secu
vii the fidelity of those who become soldier
gh and diminishing the inducements to
rls rest to abscond.
be can only say in conclusion that VIII
d, ever measures are to be adopted, shou
st be adopted OF once. Every days del
ct increases the dificulty. Much time "
IS, be required to organize and discipline
Iay men; and action may be deferred till i