The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-22

The Cowk-derssc Paper.
We lay before our readers In another por.
zion u this paper the remainder ~ the docu-
ments relating 20 the southern Consed-rscy.
whose publication was begun In last Sundays
SuS We can affirm the sbsoluts authenticity
Of these letters. while. a. regards their inter-
est for the survivors u the rebellion era and
their profound Importance TO the future
American historian. they mlsht,be safely left
10 speak for themselves. But some Of the
conclusions To which this newly divulge!
and unimpeachable testimony leads Us may
be- briefly indicated.
In the first place. these documents are In
comparably more trustworthy than the so
called recollections penned for the public eve
many years after the events described, under
wholly changed conditions Of circumstances
and motive. Such belated "reminiscences.
even when they emanate from those who
held posts Of sminence and had exceptional
opportunities OF knowledge. are to some ex-
tent discredited by the suspicion that the
writer's may have had old grudges to satisfy
or their own regulations to defend. But
these confidential letters published In The
Sun may be read without misgivngs OF the
sort, for they were written amid the shock
and agony Of dire national calamities,
when mean jealousies were stiflcd and selfish
hopes subdued. They passed between men
close to the helm and pivot Of affairs, who
thoroughly understood each other and the
subjects Of discussion, who would have in
stantly detected a tincture Of malicious pur-
pose. and who could not be deluded by any
perversion Of the facts. One Of the writer's,
1t 10 true, Gen. RIPLEY. was q keenly dis
contented. and, In his own opinion. deeply
injured officer; yet even In his memorial adj
dressed to Gov. MAaRATH. it will be noted
that he strictly confines himself to recital
Of events upon which 1t was impossible to
put false construction, since they were as
familiar to his correspondent as to himself.
II we turn from the indisputable compe-
tence to the substantive value OF this hitherto
unknown evidence, we are particularly struck
by the light 1t casts on the relations OF the
Confederate Government and the civil au-
thorities OF four OF the Southern States, nclud-
Ing South Carolina itself, the birthplace and
nursery OF secession. These documents in
clude private communications from the Gov
ernors OF South Carolina. North Carolina, and
Alabama, with whom. although the collection
presents no written avowal of his views, it is
plain from several illusions that Gov.
BROWN OF Georgia was in entire sympathy.
They attest the long suspected but never be-
fore conclusively established fact that, in the
States which formed the backbone OF the re-
bellion. there was deep and angry discomfort
with the general policy pursued and many
of tho special measures taken by the Con-
federate Executive. They show that after
Gen. SHERMAN's capture OF Savannah this
vehement dissatisfaction suggested an organ
lied attempt to subject Mr.. DAVIS to severe
pressure at the hands Of the State Govern
ments; q pressure which, though it might
take at first the form Of confidential and re-
spectful remonstrance, would, II such pro-
tests were UNDECIDED. logically and inevitably
tend to open revolt against Confederate
authority. Such rupture OF the Confederate
agreement must, we see, have ultimately re-
suited In the voluntary return to the old Union
OF the recalcitrant States upon terms
which In all likelihood would have been far
more favorable than those actually obtained
In the reconstruction period. No man who
has observed in like cases the memorable con-
catenation and propulsion OF events, can
doubt that. had State Conventions boon con-
voked In the South toward the close OF
1854, and had they ratified the views ex-
pressed without disguise in these papers by
the Governors of South Carolina. North Caro-
lima, and Alabama, their concerted action
could have had no other outcome but to split
the Confederacy in twain.
The evaporation and dismay excited by
the course of the Executive in the very
rfar oub In No tad a ,,k
OF Its men and its supplies, is proved by these
letters to have eliminated when Mr. DAVIS.
after the fall OF Savannah, persisted in re-
tanning LEES army within the circle OF fire
which was closing around Richmond, and in
leaving the Southern States at the mercy of
the invaders. The coming historian, who shall
seek to explain tho different issues of the war
for secession and OF the war for indcpend-
ence, will perhaps reverse the judgment
passed by Mr. DAVIS on the obiec.
tions urged In the documents now pub
lished against the desperate defence of Rich
mond and the policy Of stalking tho exist
ence OF the Confederacy upon . single card
He may ask what would have been the fate
OF the thirteen colonies II WASHINGTON, In
stead OF refusing to permit the Continental
army to be cooped up in New York or Phila-
delphia, had exhausted the resources OF his
countrymen in an inileNible resolve to hold
either OF those cities; and he may indulge the
conjecture whether tho rebellion could moi
have been materially prolonged had Mr.. DA
Wis yielded in December. 1864, to the passion
ate entreaties OF the dissatisfied States, and
evacuatin9 Richmond, launched LEES arm,
like a catapult upon the flank OF SHERMAN.
Besides disclosing the distrustful attitude
Of thinking and influential men In thest