Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-12-25
LrrrrR rRnr srnArnR sLInKLL
A DIRECT CONTRADICTION.

To ne Editors Of ne WdsAiassOn Uni0as
Ia The New Orleans Crssoeat, OF the lin IN
slant, received BY me to-day, ! md the follow
ing article
ADIREcT CONTRADICTION.
M. DoUeLAs' CEATTELs- The SToRT
Amour SENATOR DoUeLAs' s~LAyEs--Just pre-
Vioas to the recent election IN Illinois, the Chi
cago Press,a Republican paper, published a
statement charging that the slaves Of Senator
Douglas, held In LOutaiana, are ~oEer-woTked,
il-fed, badly clothed, and Otherwise neglect
fully treated. and gave Mr.. Slidell, Of this
State, as authority for the statement
The whole story was an election eaaard.
Mr.. Slidell made no slch statement. OF that
We are fully advised. and the facts alleged are
as apocrypbai 10 the authority. The slaves
in which Mr.. D0ugias is interested are in
charge Of Mr. Jas. A Mediation. one Of the
most enterprising citizens Of the State, a pop
ulsr and humane gentleman AID plsnter.-Nep
0Tlsaas PioaRuas.
Upon the foregoing the Chicago Daily Prsss
and TTibaEs, Of The 31instant, remarks
&" We have only to say that the story came
10 Us from a personal friend 81 Mr.. Slidell-s
gentleman Of charscter and influence 10 this
ctY-and that be assured Us that be had the
statement from Slidell himself, during his visit
10 Chicago, while the late canvass was going
CO. His name is at the service OF any one au-
thOrized TO demand it's
As We are neither a political nor an au-
tnoriZedS friend OF Mr.. Slidell, Of course We
cannot make any "6smaDdn in the emisss
But il seems to us that some Of our dis,in-
guished Senator's friends should take the ne
cesSary steps 10 set bins right before The eoun-
Try. The auth lritatige statement Of the Chi
cago Press aud TTlbHnc should be met, ex-
planned and T%siuted, # it be possible to meet il,
explain it and refute it.
We viii say, IN Conclusion, that The idea Of
the gentleman named treating his own, or any
body else's slaves, with even neglect, 70 say
aotbing q inhumanity, is IN the highest de-
gree preposterous aRd absurd. IL this STATE,
where the gentleman is well known, such q
statement or insinuatioa Would be merely
laughed st-not dignihsd with formal notice Of
any kind or description from anybody.H
had heard some two or three days since Of
the assertion made by the Chicago Press and
Tri5uac, and bad also heard that subsequently,
the sane journal had given the name of DR..
Daniel brsinerd, OF Chicago; as authority for
that assertion ! have not been able, after
causing diiigcnt search 70 be made, to 6nt
either II these number OF the Pres Gai Tri-
bsas. Il would seen shat DR.. Brainerd has
not thought proper 70 disavow The declaration
imputef 10 him By the Press Gad TTibHHe
Il is not ny habit 70 notice Anonymous news
paper attacks, bur, a. a person said 70 Be Of
respectable standing In the Community where
be resides is cited as its responsible author, /
deem It due 20 myself, as wen as to Mr.. Ne
Hatton, who is one Of nv most intimate per-
soDsi and political friends, 70 say that the al
legged statement, let il cone from whatever
source it mas. is a base fabrication, in whole
and 10 part, without the shadow OF foundation
in truth.
DR. BraineTd is said to Be a personal friend
OF mine. have rot the honor OF sny other
acquaintance with that person than bis having
called on me at the New York Hotel, some
tine in June last, in company with a gentle
nan from Chicago. I had 20 conversation
with DR.. Braiuerc but in the presence Of that
gentleman, who Is row In this city. was in
Chicago towards The close Of July last and
passed two days there. DR.. B. is said "to
have had the statement from Slidsil himself,
during bis visit to Chicago, while the late can
Vass was gong o."
While 10 Chicago I did not see DR.. Brainerd;
be called to see me and left bis card. / did
not return bis call, but think that ! sent him
nv card | never saH MIN but on the oces-
sion above referred TO, and have 10 r%seollec-
ton Of ever having written a line 10 hi o il I
have, be lie at liberty to publish 1t.
an constrained to believe either that DR..
BrsineTd did not make the Statement attribu-
ted 10 bin b. the Chicago Press GHd TTibHae,
or that be has been guilty OF a deliberate and
malicious fslsshood. have no recollection Of
ever having spoken Of Mr. Douglas saves ; it
is possible that I nay have been asked il h
bad any properly Of that description II So,
could only have answered that they were EN-
pioyed in cotton planting on the Mississippi
river, aud were il possession OF an old and
valued friend, James A. McHattoh than whom
a more honorable man or better master cannot
be found IN Louisiana.
As I have been Obliged 10 allude to my visit
to Chicago, It may be as well to say that it
was made with no political purpose, and that,
until I reached Cleveland, / had hoped ts make
ny Northwestern tour with Vice-President
Breckinridge. His company, / suppose, would
have shielded me frem any suspicion of being
engaged in a political crusade against Mr.
Douglas wish it also to be understood that
this note is written solely to protect myself
against q base cslumny snd 10 vindi ate the
character Of Mr.. McHattou. Mr.. Douglas
has, BY authorizing and c0uHtensnciBg anon
ymous attacks on me, through q person Off
cisting as bis private secretary, lost all claim
to the explanation that / would otherwise have
promptly volunteered to give him..
Very respectfully, JOHN SLIDELB.
WAsHTNGToN. December IS, 1858.