The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-01

families and friends yet mourn the gallant dead
l felt deeply, and may have spoken strongly
bun never eensured Mr.. Polk for it. am sure
of this, because, when in Mexico, wrote TO my
late colleague of the House Of Representatives
| (Stephen Adams,) and rs friend Of Mr.. Polk
asked him to call for the correspondence and
orders which preceded the departure of Gen,
Scott for the seat of war; convinced that, il all
the facts were known, the President would be
relieved from the censure which many in the
army then attached to him. Mr.. Adams had no
opportunity to make the call through the House
of Representatives hes therefore visited the
President with my letter and, by authority,
made confidential communication to me, which
renders it impossible that | should ever have
censured Mr.. Polk for the act
! recollect after my return from Mexico,
was informed by Mr.. G. j. Searles OF certain
misrepresentation against myself then in circu-
fation; among them was one which implied hos.
tility to Mr.. Polk, for totally different reason
from that now given by Mr.. Foote. ! replied,
and with my letter, sent correspondence be-
tween Mr.. Polk and myself, which showed his
kind appreciation os'tne, and my thankfulness
for It, These letters were published in the
| Vicksburg Sentinel Of the 9th Of October
I847; and if Gov. Foote had seen and believed
such report of my Natchez speech as he now
exhumes, these letters should have removed the
| impression. But these facts could probably find
no appropriate place either in his store-room or
mandatory of report concerning me, and his
researches into the old files OF Wing newspa-
pers might not aid his memory in such case.
He stated in his seat in the Senate, after |
had ceased to be member OF it, that had been
selected as one Of the two military leaders of
the South in an anticipated civil war; that
k,1 L.. nf.1 he hs.ad Af n Cd
Southern confede,acy; and marked out for mill
tary aud civil honors, in hundreds Of toasts drunk
at public meetings, which meetings he must have
intended, by the connection in which he intro
dnced them, to characterize as disunon meetings
replied in the mode which was open to me,
and asked wkere, iohen and by phom those things
had been done. called for specific proof, be-
cause | discredited his statement, and also be-
cause il would enable me to obain the most
conclusive evidence that it was without any
understanding with, or good reason to sup
pose the proposition would be acceptable to me,
if indeed had been thus selected, or nominated
To this call for proof, Gov. Foote answers, thus:
The gentleman demands proof and proof he
shall have to his hearts content"
Terrific was the warning to surrender, but
not quite equalled by the vigor of the siege
First he brings forward the letter of Mr. Pickens,
which, in the United States Senate, he had an
nounced he had put into his scrap book and read
every day as part of each of some one hundred
speeches Taking The fact as stated by him, it
must be supposed he was so familiar with its
contents, that he could only mistake them with
criminal intent. 10 the United States Senate,
in the debate from which have heretofore pub
shed an extract,he is reported TO have said in his
last and modified form of expression, that Mr..
Ds,lr in hat lott 0 10 aral
Quitman and Colonel Davis as the selected
leaders of the South in the contest of arms then
expected by certain persons in South Carolina"
- / say that in my opinion civil war was conf
IDENTIFY expected in my own State" To sustain
that specific assertion, he now produces the fol-
lowing, which he says is found towards the con-
cusion of Mr.. Pickens letter:
"Mississipi, with such men as Qutman and
Davis to lead her to the breach, can do any thing
she dare to maintain her rights"
| Yes my beloved Mississippi-though de-
ceved by him whom you trusted-stung by the
adder you have warmed in your bosom, weak
ened by the traitor who hangs like an incubus
upon you-you can, with or without @ altman
and Davis" do anything you dare TO maintain
your rights; and you dare do anything which
is necessary to maintain them. Would any true
son Of Mississippi have taken exception to such
a compliment paid TO his mother? Would any
honest mind have found in that an implication Of
civil war in Mississippi, or selection of the
leaders to command the army Of the South
He next attempts TO prop up his unsustained
assertion by the introduction Of what he terms
Col Pickens' "a celebrated Edgefeld speech" in
which he is represented TO have said in reference
to Gen. Quitman and myself:
aIf they carry Mississippi, as ] feel assured
. atayil az
they may have to make, with cordial and hearty
welcome, because we know they could make
none but what were compatible with the vindi.
cation Of our rights and honor"
i Upon this the gentleman says, "what sort OF
propositions Col. Pickens expected to come from
these gentlemen, leave others TO decide"
IN the speech which made at Fayette. the
pamphlet edition Of which he says was widely
circulated, and from which he pretended 10
quote, Immediately between two Of his extracts
he must have seen that which made il fraud
in him 10 affect 10 believe that any proposition
against the Union Of our forefathers would have
been made by me. and thereupon TO announce
that as commander in chief Of the army and
navy Of Mississippi, he had no such proposition
TO make. There distinctly stated as a reason
why Mississippi should meet South Carolina in
friendly council that thus the latter State might
be prevented from seeding, and the first wish
Of both might be obtained, the adoption OF
measures by the Southern States which would
finally secure the rights Of the South and per.
petuate the union OF the States" The speech
which | made at Fayette, was published in
pamphlet form, but the proof sheet was moi read
, by myself, and there are some errors in II.
have said, however, that he pretended 10 quote
| from that speech, and said so because his ex
tracts are 80 garbled as 10 conceal the opinions
expressed, italicised by himself, and grossly mis-
quoted 10 sustain his assertion that il was "revo
lutionary and warke in its character" for in.
stsnce--his last extract reads thus:
"To the ladies' he returned his thanks, &c
The revolutions against power AND
oppression bad generally been found on The side
Of liberty and Justice. Thus Il bad been in the
, revolution which gave the land 10 freedom, and
, freedom 10 mankind thus IL was in the last
struggle Of unhappy Poland, when the courage
Of The women sustained the failing hopes Of the
patriot, and their vessels furnished the succoi
10 sustain the soldery who fought the last bat