Gold Hill Daily News

General Reagan to the Texans, General J. H. Reagan, late Postmaster General of the "Southern Confederacy," who has just been liberated from Fort Warren, along with Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, wrote a long letter, just before his release, to his people of Texas, on the subject of their situation and their duties under the circumstances. It is an admirable letter, if genuine—that is, if it candidly and honestly means all it says, and one of the best documents of the kind that has emanated from any rebel official since the fall of Richmond. "If the people of Texas and of the South generally would take the advice which it contains and would act on it in good faith, they would soon find plenty of friends at the North, among the "party in power," who could and would greatly aid them in the matter of "reconstruction"—even among the "radicals," and would gladly welcome them back to the old Union. There would be but little objection to the "pardoning" of rebels—any of them—if they would only act in good faith in accordance with the tenor and spirit of this letter. The loyal people of the North entertain no hostile feelings toward the people of the South, and have no desire that they should be punished; but are afraid to trust them, to the extent ot restoring them at once to place and power in the Government. But let the people of the South but give un-mistakable evidence of submission and loyalty to the Government and of a readi-ness to do right—and all this even will vanish. The radicals in such case would vote for their pardon. But here is the main portion of General Reagan's letter. We hope now, since he and Stephens are both at liberty, that they will both devote themselves to the incul-cation and carrying out of the views and recommendations contained in it, until they get the people of both their States to heartily and honestly adopt them. Re-construction will then be easy, and we may then soon look for peace and good will to reign throughout the land. The State occupies the condition of a conquered nation. State governinent and State sovereignty are in abeyance, and must be so until you adopt a govern-ment and policy acceptable to the con-querers. A refusal to accede to these conditions would only result in a pro-longation of the time during which you will be deprived of a civil government of your own choice, and continue subject to military rule. And it would do more than these; it would keep questions of the gravest character open for discussion and agitation, and by degrees accustom the whole country to a sort of military government, and result in the establish-ment of a military despotism, without bringing you any nearer to the attainment of your wishes than you are at present. In order to secure to yourselves again the blessings of local self-government, and to avoid military rule and the dangar of fallinig into military despotism, you must agree: First. To recognize the supreme au-thority of the Government of the United States within the ephere of its power, and the right to protect itself against disinte-gration by the secession of the States. And, second. You must recognize the abolition of slavery, and the right of those who have been slaves to the privileges and protection of the law of the land.