The southern press., 1851-10-25
Mississippi.

Mississippi.
Our readers are aware that the Hon JEFFEk-
son DAVIS resigned the Office of u. 5. Senator
tion for governor of Mississippi, But HE CON-
petitor Mr.. FooTE, who has for several months
been cspvassing for the gubernatoral vote of
Mississippi, has but recently merely ayowed an
intention to resign before the election. lie says
he woud do il sooner, but he believes that Gov.
GuIoK would appoint a disunionist' He will
therefore place his resignation in possession of
the recently elected convention to dispose of AS
they may think fit. Now we cannot imagine
what the convention can possibly have 10 do
with an office conferred by the Legislature of the
State, but we can very readily understand that
Dir. FooTE, in anticipation of the defeat that
awaits him, means to have "two strings to his
bow" If defeated for governor, he will claim
that the vote on the convention was not merely
an acquiescence ia the compromise, but an ell,
dorsement of his per Sc advocacy of it. Hence
he will continue to hold his place az senator
from Southern State
But Gov GUIoN has, in the letter which we
annex, efectually taken from under him the
plank upon which he Processes to rest his excuse
for not resigning. The governor does not think
the occasion requires the exercise of the appoint
ing power. And for other good and sufficient
reasons he declines to fill either place. THIS,
says the Mississippian was his answer to MI.
FooTE, more than week ago, to question put
by Mr. +. as to what he would do. But FooTE
still clings to his commission.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
JACKSON, October 18th, 1851.
Mesus. Baksdaie q. Jones:
GEKILEMRN:-The resignation of Col. JEFF
DAVIS, as n senator of the United States, from
the State of Mississippi, has given me- M oppor-
tunity to exercise the power to appoint, tempo
rarily, an incumbent for that office. Many in
Quiries have been made neither will exercise
the power. To satisfy all enquirers, take this
method of declaring that | will not appoint Il
successor to Col. Davis, or to Gen. Foote, il he
should resign during the period TOR which shall
exercise the powers of governor. | exercise
those powers, not by the popular will, but by
virtue of my position president OF the senate
and will in few weeks retire from the execu-
tive department of the State.
General Foote, one Of the senators of the
United States from this State candidate for
the Office of governor, has publicly declared that
he will not resign his seat i'll the Senate, because
he believes will appoint disunioniat to fill his
place, and that he will place his commission III
the hands OF the convention, which is to assem-
BILE at the capitol on the second Monday of next
month. What that convention has TO do with
his commission am at loss to conceive; and
l am but slightly concerned at the sanderous
charges which that parsonage is in the habit OF
venting at his political opponents. My object
is, to apprize the people OF Mississippi that do
not intend to exercise the appointing power, by
filling the vacancy occasioned by the regisnation
of Col. Davis, or a vacancy TO be occasioned By
the resignation of Gen. Foote, if such thing
(not very probable) should ever happen. My
reasons for not exercising this power are brief
these: | hold the Executive Office not by thu
popular vote and will in few weeks shal
surrender it. la the meantime popular election
will be held, by which the people will declare
the political popular will That will so declared
should be truly reft cted by all the political
agents of the State. My successor in the Ex
ecutive chair will have ample time, after the el.c-
ton, 10 appoint a senator or senators, rejecting
truly the popular feeling, and truly representing
the people of the State, until the Legislature
shall make choice. There is therefore no ne
cessity at present for my exercising the power
of appointment and ] shall not do so unless .
special session of the Senate of the United States
shall be ordered, which is not very probable.
Respectfully, your friend,
JNO. l. GUION