HEADQUARTERS ARMY
NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
June 10, 1863.
HIS EXCELLENCY JEFFERSON DAVIS, Richmond.
MR. PRESIDENT: I beg leave to bring to your attention a
subject with reference to which I have thought that the course pursued by
writers and speakers among us has had a tendency to interfere with our success.
I refer to the manner in which the demonstration of a desire for peace at the
North has been received in our country.
I think there can be no doubt that journalists and others at
the South, to whom the Northern people naturally look for a reflection of our
opinions, have met these in such wise as to weaken the hands of the advocates
of a pacific policy on the part of the Federal Government and give much
encouragement to those who urge a continuance of the war.
Recent political movements in the United States and the
comments of influential newspapers upon them have attracted my attention
particularly to this subject, which I deem not unworthy of the consideration of
your Excellency nor inappropriate to be adverted to by me, in view of its
connection with the situation of military affairs.
Conceding to our enemies the superiority claimed by them in
numbers, resources, and all the means and appliances for carrying on the war,
we have no right to look for exemption from the military consequences of the
vigorous use of these advantages, except by such deliverance as the mercy of
Heaven may accord to the courage of our soldiers, the justice of our cause, and
the constancy and prayers of our people. While making the most we can of the
means of resistance we possess, and gratefully accepting the measure of success
with which God has blessed our efforts as an earnest of His approval and favor,
it is nevertheless the part of wisdom to carefully measure and husband our
strength, and not to expect from it more than, in the ordinary course of
affairs, it is capable of accomplishing. We should not, therefore, conceal from
ourselves that our resources in men are constantly diminishing, and the
disproportion in this respect between us and our enemies, if they continue
united in their efforts to subjugate us, steadily augmenting. The decrease of
the aggregate of this army, as disclosed by the returns, affords an
illustration of this fact. Its effective strength varies from time to time, but
the falling off in its aggregate shows that its ranks are growing weaker and
that its losses are not supplied by recruits.
Under these circumstances we should neglect no honorable
means of dividing and weakening our enemies, that they may feel some of the
difficulties experienced by ourselves. It seems to me that the most effectual
mode of accomplishing this object, now within our reach,, is to give all the
encouragement we can, consistently with truth, to the rising peace party of the
North. Nor do I think we should, in this connection, make nice distinction
between those who declare for peace unconditionally and those who advocate it
as a means of restoring the Union, however much we may prefer the former.
We should bear in mind that the friends of peace at the
North must make concessions to the earnest desire that exists in the minds of
their countrymen for a restoration of the Union, and that to hold out such a
result as an inducement is essential to the success of their party. Should the
belief that peace will bring back the Union become general the war would no
longer be supported, and that, after all, is what we are interested in bringing
about. When peace is proposed to us it will be time enough to discuss its
terms, and it is not the part of prudence to spurn the proposition in advance
merely because those we wish to make it believe, or affect to believe, that it
will result in bringing us back to the Union. We entertain no such
apprehensions, nor doubt that the desire of our people for a distinct and
independent national existence will prove as steadfast under the influence of
peaceful measures as it has shown itself in the midst of war.
If the views I have indicated meet the approval of your
Excellency you will best know how to give effect to them. Should you deem them
inexpedient or impracticable I think you will nevertheless agree with me that
we should at least carefully abstain from measures or expressions that tend to
discourage any party whose purpose is peace.
With the statement of my own opinion on the subject, the
length of which you will excuse, I leave to your better judgment to determine
the higher course to be pursued.
I am with great
respect, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
General.
SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of
Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 248-9
No comments:
Post a Comment