The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-27
From the Jackson .Mississippian.
Letter from Jefferson Davis.
BRIERFIELD, Warren county, Miss

GENTLEMEN: A letter signed III. S. Foote,
which was published in newspaper at Jackson,
Miss. the "F'iag Of The Union" of Jan'y both
1889, contains such an attack upon myself, and
the party OF which am a member, as cannot
permit to pass unnoticed. That the answer
may be made "a public as the attack ask for
this place in the "Mississippian" Respect
for the office Of governor Of the State consttu-
ties a protection to the incumbent which am
not prone to forget or disposed to disregard ;
but if the incumbent, neglectful of the propriety
of his station, assaiI individuals, Just public
will not deny to them the right to reply to him
as if he were private citizen.
The letter as published, is without date, and
addressed to Hons. J. ID. Freeman, John A.
Wilcox. and B. O. Majors. The pretext is to
repe efforts made at Washington city, to create
distrust of the writer in regard to his ''inten-
tons touching the approaching Presidential con-
test" and he requests the early insertion of the
letter in the columns of the Washington
Union. The inquiry naturally suggests itself
If this letter was written to protect himself at
a distance, why did he publish it at Jackson
Miss! The answer to the inquiry is found in
the following sentence Of the letter 81 now
repeat it, in this formal manner, here in the city
of Jackson, whilst contest for place in The
Senate of the United States is pending, Nth
nohich my name stands connected. The publica-
ton, then in the city of Jackson, though it
might not expedite the receipt of his communi-
cation by those for whom it was ostensiby in
tended, would bring the knowledge Of it's con-
tents most promptly to the members of the
legislature, whilst that contest was pending
Yet however, he might electioner with the
Legislators rs to the manner in which they would
discharge delegated trust, though he shonld
whiningly beseech them to mnglein his personal
interest with their considerations of public duty
these alone could never have led me to break
the silence ! was disposed to observe. But
when he departs from his former policy of COW
ert insnuation, and introduces my name for
public reconsideration without provocation
or connection with the avowed object of his
communication, he couples me with an un
founded and oft refuted calumny against the
party with which have been and am politically
identified, he indicates me as the person who
shall mete out to him some portion of the
justice which has been 30 long DELAYED.
He says: Throughout the late canvass in
this State, the secessonsts, with Mess q. Quit
man, Davis, and Barton at their head, in nc.
cordance with resolution Of the Nashville con.
vention, every where denied all regular utilization
with the national Democratic party of the
Union, whilst you and |, and every other Union
Democratic candidate in the State, in everv
speech which we made, declared our approval
and support of the Baltimore platform, our de.
termination to remain in fraternal connection
with the Democratic party of the nation, and
our intention to sustain the nominees of the
Baltimore convention for President and Vice
President" | do not know whether one should
be most surprised at the insolence, the whole.
sale Islander, or the reckless falsehood of this
statement
The Democratic State Rights party of Mis-
sissippi, in their general convention of June
last, declared that secession by Mississippi was
inexpedent and was a proposition which did
not meet their appreciation. This, so far as
know, and believe, was and is their position
The resolutions of that convention formed the
platform on which | stood in the canvass To
attribute to the party the purpose of secession,
to send abroad where the facts are less under
stood, such caumny against but little less than
half the voters, and very large majority of the
Democrats in the State, was an offence from
which might have expected his fear of public
Indignation would restrain him; from his regard
for truth | had nothing to hope To name me
as leader in that secession movement, know.
ing my position as well as he did, was degree
of falsehood which only such miserable malice
as his, could produce.
The assertion that every Union Democratic
candidate in the State in every speech they
made declared their approval of the Baltimore
platform, and their intention to support the nomi
nees of the Baltimore convention, is too broad
to require refuta,ion. If this and The frater
nal connection with the Democratic party of the
nation" had been the shibboeth of the Union
party, those candidates could never have been
elevated into office by combination Of frac
ton Of the Democrats with the great body of
the Wings How must they receive this as
sertion, who have been accustomed to hear him
speak of the Union party of Mississippi, as the
formation of new organization composed OF
the best elements of both the old ones that
the Wing, more than the Democratic party of the
South, was to be relied on for the preservation
Of the Union. And what must be the surprise
of those in our own State who have been led to
abandon their old party alliances under the be-
lief that it was necessary to preserve The Union,
when they learn that their leader was still rely.
ing on the Democratic party of the United States,
whilst invoking them to the destruction of that
organization in Mississippi!
He says he declared his intention to support
the nominees of the Baltimore convention for
President and Vice President, in every speech
ne maze IN the late canvass, Wnch, | believe, he
has estimated at one hundred. How are those
declarations to be balanced against the solemn
written pledge he had previously given, when
he struck hands with forty three members OF
the 3lst Congress, 80 Wings, and 4 Democrats,
each binding himself not to support any man of
whatever party, for the Office of President or
Vice President, &c, &c, except upon enumer-
ated conditions, among which | neither find the
Baltimore PLATFORM, nor the Baltimore conren-
tion mentioned!
If solemn pledge could have bound him.
this had deprived him of the power to make
those unconditional declarations that he would
support the nominees of the Baltimore conyen +.
ton If those numerous declarations which he
says he made, were obligatory upon him, and
credited by those to whom they were made.
why did he feel such apprehension when eulo
giving Mr.. Webster in the United States Senate
on the 10Th of December, as is expressed in tho
following sentence Of his speech ''revised by
himself" q quote from the Washington Union
of Dec. II, 1879 "lndccd, could not. per.
haps, declare all the admiration which feel for