Year: 1868

a..
A gust 26, 1868.
GENERAL: have had the honor to re-


ceive your letter of, this date and in accor


dance with yonr suggestion have confer


red with a number of gentleman from tn


South, in whose judgement have confidcd
and who are acquainted with the publ


sentiment OF their respective States. They
have kindly consented to unite with me il


replying to your communication, and thei


names will be found with my own, append


ed to this answer. With this explanation


we proceed to give to you, according t.


statement, what We believe to be the senti


ments Of the Southern people in regard tc


the subject to which you refer. -
Whatever opinion may have prevailed il


the past with regard to African slavery. OF


the right of State, to sccede from the Tn,
ion, we believe we express the almost unani,
nous judgement OF the Southern people


when we declare that they consider that
these questions were decided by the war,
and that it is their intention in good faith
to abide by.that decision .Atthe close OF the
war the Southern people laid down their
arms and sought to resume their former
relations with the United States Gov.
ernment Through their State Conven-
lions they abolished slavery and annulled
| their ordinances of secession, and they re-
! turned to their personal pursuits with a
| purpose to fulfill all their duties to the Cons
stitution of the United States, which they
had sworn to support IF their action in
these particulars had been met in "a spirit
of frankness and cnrdialty, We believe that
ere this old irritations would have passed
away, and the wounds inflicted by the war
Y, you'd have been in a great measure heal


As far as we are advised, the people of
the South entertain no unfrien lily feeling to.
ward the Government of the, United States,
but they complain that their rights Under
the Constitution are withheld from them
in the administration thereof The idea
that the Southern people are hostile to the
negroes, and would oppress them if it were
in their power to do so, is entirely inbound
ed They have grown up in our midst, and
we have been accustomed from childhood
to look upon them with kindness, The
change in the situation Of the races has
wrought no change in our feelings toward
them, They still constitute the important
part of our laboring population. Without
their labor the lands Of the South would be
comparatively unproductive; without the
employment which Southern agriculture af-
tords, they would be destitute Of the means
of subsistence, and become paupers, depeu-
dent on public bounty. Self interest, even
if there were no higher motives, would
therefore prompt the whites of the South
to extend to the negroes care and protec-
ton. The important fact that the two
races arS, under existing circumstances,
necessary to each other, is gradually be-
coming apparent to both, and we believe
that, but for influences exerted to stir up
the passions of the negroes, and relations
of the two races would soon adjust them
selves on basis of mutal kindness and ad-
vantage, 1t is true that the people of the
North and West, are, for obvious reasons,
opposed to any system OF Laws which would
place the political power OF the enemy in
in the hands of the negro race, but this OPP
position springs from no feeling of enmity,
but from a deep>seated conviction that at
present the negroes have qualifications which |
are necessary to make them safe repositories
of political power. They would inevitably |
becomes the victims of demagogues, who,
for selfish purposes, would mislead them,
to the serious injury OF, the public.


The great want OF the South is peace. |
The. people earnestly desire tranq utility and
the restoration of the Union. They depre-
cate disorder and excitement as the most
serious obstacle to their prosperity. They
ask restoration of their rights under the
Constitution. Above all they would appeal
to their countrymen for the establishment
in the Southern States Of that which has
Justly been regarded the birthright of every |
AmSrican-the right of selfgovernment.


Establish this on firm basis and we can
fafely promise, on behalf of the Southern
people, that they will faithfully obey the
Constitution and laws of the United States,
treat the negroes with kindness and bp-
mani'y, and fulfil every duty incumbent
on peaceful citizens, loyal to the Constitu-
ton OF their country.


We believe the above contains a succinct
reply to the general topics embraced in your
letter, and we venture to say on behalf OF
the Southern people, and Of the officers,
and soldiers of the late Confederate army,
that they will concur In all the sentiments
which we have expressed. .., :,


Approaching the patriotic motives which !
hase prompted your letter, and reciprocal
ing your expressions of kind regards, We
have the honor to be. -


Very respectfully and truly,


r. X LEE, Virginia.