The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-24
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Montgomery, May 8, 1861.


Mr.. Justice Campbell 70 SScTetaTy SeIcdrd.
WASHINGTON CRY, April I3, 1861.
SIR.-On the 18th of March ult., / left
with Judge Crawford. one OF the Commis-
sioners of the Confederate States, a note
in writing to the effect following:
Il feel entire confidence that Fort
Sumter will be evacuated in the next five
| days. And this measure is felt as impo-
sing great responsibility on the admins
traTion.
Il feel entire confidence that no mea-
sure changing the existing status, preju-
dicially to the Southern Confederate
States, is at present contemplated.
Il feel an entire confidence that en- i'm
mediate demand for answer to the COM
munication of the Commissioners will be
| productive of evil and not Of good. / do
not believe that it ought at this time to
be pressed"
The substance Of this statement l COM
municated TO you the same evening by
J letter. live days ELAPSED ard ! called
4 q. .iall IraEa from Zen. Beauregard to
| the effect that Sumter was not evacuated,
but that Major Anderson was at work ma
| king repairs.
Thenext day, after conVersing with you,
| communicated to Judge Crawford. in
writing. that the failure to evacuate Sum
| ter was not the result of bad faith, but
was attributable to causes consistent with
| the intention to fulfill the engagement,
and that as regarded Pickens, should
/ have notice of any design to alter the ex-
isting status there. Mr.. Justice Nelson
| was present at these conversations, three
in number, and submitted to him each
/ Of my written communications to Judge
] ff-.w-E.wl a,.1 s,farr,a1 lido ~ I.N
they had his Judge Nelson's) sanction.
gave you on the 22d OF March, a sub
stantial copy of the statement had made
on the 18th.
The Both of March arrived, and at that
time a telegram came from Gov. Pickens,
inquiring concerning Col. Lamon, whose
visit to Charleston he supposed had a con-
nectiOn with the proposed evacuation of
Fort Sumter.
left that with you, and was to have
an answer the following Monday, list of
April On the lst of April / received
from you the statement in writing: al
am satisfied) the Government will not un-
dertake 10 supply Fort Sumter without
giving notice to Gov. P" The words 81 am
satisfied" were for me to use as express
sive of confidence in the remainder of
the declaration.
The proposition as originally prepared
was "The President may desire to supply
Sumter but will not do So" &C., and your
verbal explanation was that you did not
believe any such attempt would be made,
and that there was no design to reinforce
Sumter.
There was departure from the pledges
of the previous month, but with the YER
bal explanation, | did not consider it a
matter then to complain Of | simply
stated to you that had that assurance
previously.
On the 7th of April l addressed you a
, letter on the subject of the alarm that the
: preparations by the Government had
, created, and asked you if the assurances
| had given were well or ill-founded. In
respect to Sumter your reply was, Faith
as to Sumter, fully kept-wait and see.'
In the mornings paper read, IAN au
thorized messenger from President Lin
coin informed Gov. Pickens and Gen
! Beauregard that provisions will be sent tC
Fort Sumter-peaceably or other10iSe B,
force" This was the Sth of April, a
7 Charleston, the day following your las
: assurance. and is the evidence of the full
faith | was invited to wait--tor and see. Ii
the same paper read that intercepted
AAsDdltlito niHElOcEu tue LUdL n. OK
who had been allowed to visit Major An
derson, on the pledge that his purpos
was pacific, employed his opportunity L
/ devise plan for supplying the Fort b,
, force, and that this plan had been adopi
, ed by the Washington Government, an,
y was in process of execution. NY recoI
/ lection of the date of Mr.. Fox's visit car
: ries it TO a day in March. learn he is
2 near connection of member of the Cab
net. My connection with the Commn
sioners and yourself was superinduced
a conversation with Justice Nelson. II
informed me of your strong disposition
Z in favor of peace, and that you were OF
. pressed with a demand of the Commi
sioners of the Confederate States for r,
ply to their first letter, and that you d,
sired to avoid it if possible at that time.
told him might perhaps be of som
te service in arranging the difficulty. cam
s. to your Office entirely at his request an
Of without the knowledge of either of I'll
Commissioners. Your depression was ol
III vious to both Judge Nelson and mysel
Is l was gratified at the character of tl
r. counsels you were desirous of pursuir
be and much impressed with your observ
ton that civil war might be prevente
ne by the success of my mediation. Yo
nv ! read a letter OF Mr.. Weed to show no
irksome and responsible the withdraw
Of troops from Sumter was. A portion
my communication to Judge Crawford Q
the 18th of March was founded upo
= these remarks, and the pledge to evacua
Sumter is less forcible than the wore
YOU employed. These words were Is
fore this letter reaches you Ia propose
ut letter by me to President Davisl Sumt'
will have been evacuated.
The Commissioners who received tho
Mt communications, conclude they have bee
ce abused and overreached. The Mon
", gomery Government hold the same OPT
i'd ion. The Commissioners have suppose
re that my communications were with yo
he and upon the hypothesis were prepare
or 10 arraign you before the country in co
he nection with the President. placed
ay peremptory prohibition upon this as b
d, ing contrary to the terms Of my eommuI
It. cations with them. ! pledged myself
a, them to communicate information upC
nd what considered as the best authorit
ar and they were to confde in the ability
ID. myself, aided by Judge Nelson, TO dete
I'd mine upon the credibility of my inf
al, mAnt.
think no candid man who will rel
over what have written, and conside
for . moment what is going on st sumt'