Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-30


| l remain respectfully your fellow country
man. LEONIDAS POLK,
| Maj. Gen. Commanding I'd Department, C. 5. A
| While on the way to Richmond, l had some
| conversation with a portion of the Tennessee
delegation to the Southern Congress, and dur
ing my ssfsy there was visited by various MEM
| bers of Congress and other public men connect
| ed with the Southern Confederacy. The -in-
| tense solicitnde which was expressed, especial
| ly by the most prominent and distinguished OF
the original Secessionists, who, without any re-
| qnest my part, volunteered their kind
offices with generous liberaisy, in regard to the
coneiation of the people of East Tennessee,
and the unusual kindness aud consideration
with which was treated as prisoner, consinc-
| ed mefhat Twas in error in supposing that the
| military power would be exerted for any other
| purpose than that of retaining the rail
| road and of aggressive acts on our part. Act
| ing under this changed conviction, believing
| that, If were retained as prisoner, or pun
ished with death, under any strained construc-
| ton of the treason laws, my friends in East
Tennessee would, in either event, retaliate by
arfesting public men of the opposite party here;
that this would lead to counter arrests, and that
| the horrors of civil war would Immediately ex-
| list among US felt that it was due to you and
| to myself that / should obtain nv release as
| soon as possible, on the best terms could eff
| feet without dishOnor; and after various infor
nal propositions and consultations finally adj
dressed to President Davis the following letter:
e 2 RIcHaoNp;-Fx Aug. II, 1851. -
| To HIS Ercettesacy, JEFF DAVIS President of
the Confederate States:
Sri have been arrested and, as / learned
sinoe my arrival in this city, upon the charge,
of treason, but whether against the State of
Tennessee or the Confederate States, am not
III -. -,
against the State or the Confederacy, that will
support or sustain such an accusation.- N
l am sincerely anxious to preseryethe peace
and quiet of East Tennessee, the section of the
State in which l reside, as best promotive of
the peace and interest of the entire State. /
ask to be discharged from vexatiOus prosecu-
ton that / may return home peacefully to fol-
low my private interests and pursuits, assuring
your Excellency that will not, either directly
| or indirectly, by counsel, advice or action, en-
courage, aid or assist the United States Govern
ment to invade, or attain success in the present
struggle with the Confederate States, nor will
il counsel or advise others to thwart cripple
the Confederate States in the pending contest
with the United States, nor will l do so by my
own acts.
In viewof the increased majority in the cleo
/ ton which has just taken place in Tennessee,
shall feel Tiny duty, a citizeu of that State,
to submit to her late action, and shall reli-
giously abstain from any further words or acts
of condemnation, oraopposition to her Govern
ment- -
The parties arrested with me, with the ex-
ception of my son, who acted bymy command,
were mere guides and conductors through the
mountain passes, on my way to my place of
destination, and whatever view may be taken
of my own course, they are innocent, in no
way responsible legally, or morally, and have
committed no offence against the laws of the
Confederacy of or the State of Tennessee and
l ask that they also be discharged by your Ex-
cellency.
Very respectfully,
Your obt. serv't.,
l. -. ..,5r-- -..--..- THos. A. r. NELSON. .
: To which the following answer was return
ed: ----1H- ..-r- -.ss .. -l5fIl a-s..-
-=s-r E=e-i-= RICHMOND, Aug. 18th, 1861.
MI have received your letter of 18th
inst, in which you ask to be discharged from
arrest and prosecution, and make promise
that you will las citizen of Tennessee submit
to her late action and religiously abstain from
any further words or acts of condemnation
whatever or opposition to her government"
The desire of this Government being TO
maintain the Independence it has asserted, by
the united feeling and action of all its citizens,
it has been its policy not 10 enter into questions
of difference of political opinions heretofore
existing. '''
/ am therefore pleased to be spared the neces-
sity of inquiring whether the accusation against
you be well founded or not, vexatious or not,
and to rest content with your submission as a
loyal citizen of your State, TO her recent ac-
ton in adhering to this Confederacy and
adopting its permanent Constitution by an in
creased majority. / have ordered your dis
charge and that of your companions from Gus
tody. 49, 81. / am, &c,
..f-. -.,5 JEFFERSON DAVIS
To THos. A r. NELSON, Esq. F.-..-
Since my return home, am thoroughly sat
isfed that my friends would have risked the
action dreaded, and, upon mature reflection,
am content with my own course in the prem
ises. But, whether it was right OF wrong, wise
or unwise, / feel bound, as an honorable man,
to act up to the spirit and letter of the obliga-
ton / assumed. | shall offer no plea of du-
ress because neither the Southern Confedera-
cy, nor any other earthly power, could have
compelled me to make an agreement which my
Judgment and conscience did not approve in
the situation in which was placed. ipa.'7 H"g
No terms or conditions, express or implied,
public or private, attended my release other
than those plainly expressed in the two
above quoted, butt have thought it due to our
past relations and the painful solicitude many
of you have felt in my behalf, that / should
thus briefly address you.
While did not promise allegiance or active
support to the Southern Confederacy, and will
not advise you to assume any obligations con-
trary to your convictions of duty, L feel per-
fectly free to say that the failure of the Gov
eminent of the United States for four long
months to sustain US in our position; its appa-
rent inability to do so, since the battle of Ma
nassas, within any reasonable time; the delib-
a},O 81. Sfotn IN fhn al
ton; the assurances of public men that no test
oaths or drafting measures will be adopted or
required; the mutual hatred which has grown
up between the antagonistic sections of the
Union and the recent confscation laws which
have been either adopted or proposed on both
sides, as well as other causes, have painfully |
impressed my own mind with the belief that, |
unless some wondrous and improbable change |
is effected, our beloved Union is gone forever,
and it is our policy and duty to submit to are
suit which, however, we may deplore it, seems |
to be inevitable. .HiYdt3 .aaEE1 -
Aware that my advice as well as my motives
may be liable to misconstruction, / would still |
most respectfully recommend to my friends the |
propriety of sustaining from all further opposi- |
ton or resistance to the Confederate authori- |
ties, or the action of our own State, and /
should this be DONE. although have no au-
thority to speak for them, / am satisfied that
no military power viii be exerted among US,
except such as may be indspensably necessary 4
to retain military possession of East Tennessee.
AndYte those of our citizens who have gone
beyond the limits Of the State, either through |
fear or the purpose of arming themselves to re-
sst course of action which is disavowed in /
Gen. Folks letter, I think l can safely say,
without arrogance, that from the course which |
was adopted toYards me-, they would risk |
nothing by returning to fhe State and submit
ting to a result which they have in vain en-
deavored to prevent. slEl'l1 iliA ljiilz II
THos.A r. NELsoN.4i.-I
Knovr;lIa To,n A,r~,st ~ 1oe1 ..-g