Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-06-18


we ever before heard of their getting their feaths
erS wet.
The fact is there was no secrecy or assassina-
ton all was done openly, and with view TO the
general good of all, without intending. especially
GOOD or i'll to any particular one. Col. Davis was
thought no more nor less of than other men; he
was weighed and went down i'll the same scales,
and for the same purpose that dozen or two oil
Just as worthy himself did They were
patriotic enoug h TO think that the convention had
some more important aim to compass than their
immoaon. That was the very last fits thoughts.
and you and Col. Davis pay poor compliment to
the hundreds who composed the convention to
think that they had nothing in view higher than
his destruction and the ''rebuking' the Northern
democracy We. in this section, know 10 North
crn or Southern democracy. We know the demo-
cratic party only, and labor for its advancement,
and stand ready always to sacrifice individuals for
that purpose, whenever majority of the party
thinks it necessary to do SO. But enough of this
and proceed to the
I'd question did the harmony of the party
require that Col Reuben Davis should abandon
his position TO answer this question, it is rtqu-
site ascertain who had the right to determine it.
Did Col. Davis? No. Did you No. Did the
Chickasaw counties? No. Did the Convention
Yes. You. he and the Chckasaw counties have
fully admitted its right. Did it decide that the
"harmony of the party required Col. Davis to
withdraw % 1t did. 1t first decided that har-
mony and justice required that the State Rights
men should have the Governor. and the Union
men the Congressman: it then choose them
dinghy, and that, of necessity, required the with
drawal or defeat of Col Davis. Ii he and you
mean what you say, he can no longer refuse to
Withdraw. The only body that had the right to
determine whether the harmony of the party
quired his Withdrawal" has decided that it did.
and he stands pledged to withdraw. No PROPOSE
ton can be palmer than this. You cannot help
but see it. But, my dear sir, you deceived in
your man. He may have made those pledges,
but he never intended to abide by them. / have
this upon the authority Of gentleman who heard
him make declarations which initiate directly with
the You make in your letter.
Having thus answered the two questions which
arise in the discussion, propose to notice one or
two other points
You say you have objections to Barksdale, or
rather "Serious complaints to make against him. :"
But YOU state them in such hiperbocal language,
that do not fully compIe nd them and there
fore cannot meet and remove them. His conduct
in the Convention entirely honorable. his cleo
ton cyond his control. In conversation | had
with hum, he avowed to that he no candi-
date, that he was for Davis, and as Il I Mon man.
he was perfectly willing to see a State Rights man
chosen for Governor and Congress too, SO that
Davis got the post of Congressman. His brother
of the ''Mississppian" made the same or SINH
lar declaration To me.
You say, the move there, is not bv YOUR pro-
curement, but sis the unbdden movement of the
masses Of our party" Suppose you and Davis
Trad gone home. other disappointed gentlemen
did, and told your negIbers and friends that the
Convention may have erred, but that it did all for
the best, and have persuaded them to support the
- H., H.,
would not the result have been very different? Do
you think it would then have been necessary for
you to have compared them tQ~R~ "herd of wild
cattle or buffalo, any other herd" in their
crowded and crushing tramp!' Instead of do
ing this, you persuaded them that they had been
''wronged, insulled and outraged" and hence an
outburst of Indignation. for which no one blamcs
them. What else could have been expected Of
them, when you seized the blade" which you
say, had been drawn upon your back in the
dark" all streaming with tle blood of the 'chaste
Davis and run ovtr the hills" where the dark
shadows of coming events are frightening" cry
ing for vengeance? They know you to be an
honorable man." when, therefore, Brutus like,
you ''bathe your hands in C9Sor'S blood up to
the elbows, and beSmeared your sword, and then
walked ior,h into the market place AND waving
your red weapon over your head, crying Free
dom Liberty and vengeance" and portrayng
to excited multitudeS all the horrors of the magi
nary tragedy which was perpetrated at Jackson
upon the unsuspectlng and innocent Davis !! how
could you expect the ''SunShine of peace to rest
upon your plains TIE northern people are all
honorable men," they know their rights and dare
maintain them, and once let them believe that
wrong, insult and outrage, has been done them
and they will OF course seek vengeance upon the
wrong docr That is all right but let them un-
derStand that they have been neither ''wronged,
insulted, nor outraged" but treated and esteem
ed brethren, and their condu will be quite tie
reverse of what you say it now is. Men seldom
act without motive, and pray, what motive can
We of the south have in inficting wrong. insult
and outrage" upon our northern brethren? We
know their aid is requisite in whatever political
move We may undertake. We cannot elect a can
didate, or carry any important measure without
their aid; we have therefore the most powerful
motives IN the world for trying to conciIate their
good will. Uuii interest, our all requires that it
should be So and is it to be supposed that we will
leopard all. for the miserable graticaIiU OF sec
! iona jealousy or for the more contemplate OF.
/ lect the defeat of man, of whom we think as
little of and about. as that of any other living
ture feel Inundated that charge SO grave
so disgraceful to us. and withal SO groundless
should be preferred against by our northern
brethren. There is no such feeling AS political
jealousy in the Choctaw Purchase, it is stranger
to each of our posoms Ii such ii feeling prevails,
it lies farther north than this 1t is confined to
those whose vision is bounded by the horizon
which settles upon the Chickasaw "Hills." 1t
has no birth place here. We esteem our northern
brethren as brethren of the same great family.