Year: 1868

ST. LOUIS, Sep. 5.

 The following is the Rosencrans and Lee correspondence

 GEN ROBERT F. LEE:

 GENERAL Full of solcitude for the future of our country, come with my heart in my hand to learn the condition, wishes and intentions of the people of the southern states, and especially to ascertain the sentiments of those brave, energetic and selfsacri6cing men who, after sustain ing the confederacy for four years laid down their arms and swore allegiance to the United States. Whose trusted and be- loved leader you have been. 1 see that the interpreting states rights in such a manner as to conflict with national unity has produced violent reaction against them, whiehis drifting us toward consolida- tion. So great country as ours even is now, and certainly Is to be, must have state governments to attend to the local details, or go further and fare worse It is plain to us at the west and north, that this continuance of semi-anarchy such as has existed for the last three years in ten states of our union, increases the danger of centralization, swells our national ex- penditures, diminishcs our productions, and our revenue, inspires doubts of our political and financial stability, appreciates the value of our national bonds and cur rency, and places the credit of the richest below that of the poorest nation in chris tendon. We know that our currency must be depreciated so long as our bonds are below par and that therefore the vast business and commerce of our country must suffer the terrible evil of huctuat- ing standard of value until we can remedy the evil condition of things at the south ITe also sec other mischief, quite possible, if not probable, which may arise, such as from failure of crops, a local instruction and many other unfortunate contingencies, which may still more depreciate our credit and currency, provoke discontent and dis order among our people and bring dema- gogucal agitation, revolution, repudiation and thousand unnamed evils and villai- nies. We know that the interests of the people of the south are for law and order, and they must share our fate of good and i'll. l believe every one know, who re- fleets, believes that if the people of the southern states could be at peace and their energy and good will heartily applied to repair the wastes of the war, organize ther business, get the freedmen peacebly, pros perously and cuntentedly to work, invite capital, enterprise and labor from else where to come freely among them, they would soon rebuild their ruined fortunes, multiply many fold the value of their lands, establish public confidence in our stability, bring our government bonds to premium, our currency to gold standard and assure for themselves and the whole nation most happy and prosperous future to chiyalrous and magnanimous devotion to restoring peace and happiness to our common country want to carry that pledge high above the level of party politics to the late officers and soldiers of the union army in the north and the west, and to-ask them to consider it, and to take the necessary action, confident that it will meet with response so warm, blessings

 Very truly your friend,

 (Signed.) ". s. ROSECRANS.

 WHITE SuLpuEn STRINGS, WRIST VA, l

 August PC, 1867 GENERAL

 l have had the honor to receive your letter of this date, and in accordance with your suggestions have conferred with number of gentlemen from the south, in whose judgment I have confded, and who are acquainted with the public sentiment of their respective states and they have kindly consented to unite with me in re- plying to your communication, and their names will be found with my own appen- ded to this answer. With the explanation we propose to give you as to what we be- lieve the southern people, to whom you refer, regard as the correct doctrine as to African slavery, and as to the right of states to secede from the union. We ex- press the almost unanimous opinion of that people when we declare so generous and confding, that we shall see in its sun shine the rainbow of peace in our polit- ical sky, now black with clouds and i'm pending storm I know you are repre- sentative man, and have reverence for the constitution and the union and the welfare of the country, and what you would say would be endorsed by nine-tenths of the whole people of the south. But l should like to have the signatures of all repre- sentative southern men who concur in your views, and in expressions of their concurrence from the principal officers and representative men throughout the south, when they can be procured. The con currence of opinions and with all tending to peace, order and stability, will insure the union soldiers and business men, who want substantial and solid peace, and cause them to rise above the level of party pol itics, and take such steps to meet yours as will insure lasting peace with all its countless that we are conservatives, and that the question was decided by the war, and that it is their intention in good faith to abide by that decision.