Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-28
The Confederate Archives and the
Southern Historical Society.
From the Richmond Dispatch.

The Confederate Archives and tho
Southern Historical Society.
From the Richmond Dispatch.
RICHMOND, September &c, 1S7S.-Therc has
been 90 many inaccurate statements made in
rcfereusc TO the Archive Office at Washing ton.
and its relations to the Southern Historical So
ciety, that deom it proper to make bIIef
statement of the facts.
At the convention to reorganlzo our SColetS,
held at the Montgomery White Sulphur
Springs 10 August, 1878. a resolution was adopt
cd instruciug the secretary to make application
to the authorities at Washington for access to
the Confederate archives collected there. AS.
however, it was known that all such applica
tions on the part of our Confederate officers had
been refused, we hesitatcd to make the applica
ton until 10 November, 1875. Inc then SEQ.
retary of War, General Belknap, opened
correspondence with our Society, as the result
of an interview which the secretary OF the So
oiety had with his private secretary lDf.
Barnard) This correspondence resulted IN
nothing, as the Secretary of War insisted upon
our simply giving him copies OF such parts OF
our archives as be might desire without any
equivalent, and our committee, on the other
hand, were unwilling that the reciprocity
should all be on one side, y and Insisted upon
40 exchange Of documents. La January, JSII,
DR.. Barnard, by the direction of the Sectetaly
of War, Hon. Don Cameron. reopcned the cor.
respondence: but as no better terms were offered
us VIC again declined to turn over cur archives
to the Inspection and use OF the War Depart.
ment unless there should be full rcclpr0cltion.
The course of the War Department very
naturally excited tho fear that there was no
purpose to deal fairly With Contederte doeu
meuts iu the proposed publication OF tho "Ol.
fop History Ct the Rebellion.
We were 10th to make any further moVo iu
the matter, and had not done 50, although VIC
had been grati6ed to lcsru that Secretary
McCrary had been pursuing q more liberal
policy towards some of our tricnds
Under dato Of August I, 1878, however, We
received letter from General Marcus j.
Wright, late Of tho Confederate Army OF
Tennessee, 10 which he announced his appoint.
ment ss ian agcnt Of tue War Department
for tho collection, &C., of the Confederate re-
cords of the war;" and stated that he was
authorized by tho Secretary Of the War to say
that any duly accredited agent OF tho Southern
Historical Society will bo allowed access to tho
Confederate archives, to consult them, and to
take copies for historical purposes. This otter,
made voluntarily and without condition, was
all that we had ever asked, and was 10 the
highest degree gratifying to our oommistee.
We, of course, responded in the same sp!r,t,
and cordially recprocated by rendering the
War Department free ;c;eS5 to Our archives,
and the privilege Of oopyiog aDyihlcg they
might wish. General Wright at oeco came
to Richmond, and had very satisfactory IN.
teryicw with the secretary and ether members
of our executive committee. we went 10 WORK
to prepare an accurate catalogue or our Othclsi
documents, carefully arranged II chronoopl'
cal order, - that. by comparison with 'h'
catalogue Of the War Department, it night be
s,en what was waited 10 complete the Gl3s OF
each collection.
This catalogue WAS completed on Monday
last and took it on to Washington, whore !
had most salts 'actoTy interview with Adjutant'
General Townsend, who now has chsrge OF inc
whole msl.or OF the archives and their publics-
ton Colonel i. n. Scott. VINO Is III chsrge ol
the compilation Of the records MIR. Il. 4 las
ker, who is keeper of tho HchivCs; Generai
Wright, end other gentlemen connected W!!u
tho War Record Nflco
General Townsend received mo with ovnry
courtesy and kindness, md we had long talk
on the whole question. he assured mo tna' Z"
far from desiring 10 suppress hc is exceedingly
anxious 90 cbL.in, in order TO publish tull Los ol
all of OUT Confederate reports and other olhcs DO
cuments; that he Is pushing Inc Work ol com
piation AS rapidly AS possible anG that no -
ready TO give our Society every facility IN
his nowcr 10 secure COPIES of whnlevor We may
wish for historical purposes. In b word, tho
whole matter has at last been arranged TO tho
satisfaction of both parties, and the work OF ez'
chang will bo began just 80 soon As our llSts can
be made out. ~
A visit TO the Archivo Office impressed me
verv fsyorably with the system, order, and caro-
with which everything is managed.
General Wright. CT course. showed me
every courtesy and was more than
ever impressed with his high qulihcatons h;, tor
tory" of the great struggle is to be published by
the Government it'll to our interest to make tno
Confederate part of it as full as possible.
j. WM. JOINS,
&c Gouiharn Historical SDpIttV