Year: 1868

| w "UoShi po w AN@|A etA1 Ia ssNN oaNA@
living off the ignorant, inexperi-
enccd colored people, mostly men
| who must be needy adventurers OF
without any Of those attributes on
which reliance for good guidance
or government can be placed. We
are told that this kind Of govern,
ment must be continued at the
South, until six or eight millions
of intelligent, energetic white peo,
pie give into it, or move out Of the
country.


Now, I think, the Union army
thinks, and the people Of the North
and West, I dare say believe, there
must be, or there ought to be, a
shorter and surer way to get good
government for all at the South.


We know that they who organ
lied and sustained the Southern
Confederacy for four years against
gigantic efforts, ought to be able
to give peace, law, order, and pro-
lection to the whole people Of the
South.


They have the interest and the
power to employ, protect, educate,
and elevate the poor freedmen,
and to restore themselves and our
country to all the blessings of
which I have just spoken. The
question we want answered is
care they willing to do it ?"


I came down to find out what
the people Of the South think of
this, and to ask what the officers
and soldiers who served in the
Confederate army, and the leading
people who sustained it, think OF
these things.


I come to ask more. I want to
ask you, in whose. purity and pa
triotism I here express unqualified
confidence, and 50 many good men
as you conveniently consult, to say
what you think of it, and also
what you are willing to do about
it. Iwant written expression of
views that can be followed by a
concurrence Of action. I want to
know if you and the gentlemen
who will join you in that written
expression are willing to pledge
the people of the South to a chi
valrous and magnanimous devo-
ton to restoring peace and pros
perity to our common country. I
want to carry that pledge high
above the level of party politics,
to the late officers and soldiers of
the Union army, and the people
of the North and West, and to ask
them to consider it, and to take
the necessary action, confident
that it will meet with a response
80 warm, so generous and confding
that we shall see in it's sunshine
the rainbow Of peace in our polit-
ical sky, now black with clouds
and impending storm.


I know you are a representa-
tive man-in reverence and re-
gard for the Union, the Constitu-
ton, and the welfare Of the coun-
try, and that what you would say
would be endorsed by nine-tenths
of the whole people of the South );
but I should like to have the sig
natures of all the representative
Southern men here who would
concur in your views, and express
sions of their concurrence from
the principal officers and repre-
sentative men throughout the
South, when they car be procured.


This concurrence Of opinions
and wills. all tending to peace, Or
der, and stability, will assure our
Union soldiers and business men
who want substantial and solid
peacc-and cause them to rise
above the level Of party politics,
and take such steps to meet yours
as will insure a lasting peace, with
all it's countless blessings.


Very truly, your friend,


w.. ROSECRANS.


General R. E. LEE, White Sui
phur Springs, West Virginia.