Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-08-28

| end of our beloved Tennessee, as there is but
! one in the western and central districts and
| like the true patiiots Of our good old mother,
! the Old North State, we shall be one and iDdi-
visible.
/ With my best wishes for your success,
remain, respectfully, yous fellow-coun-
! tryman, LEoNADIs PoLU,
MAJ. Gen. Commanding ID Department, c.
S. A
! While on the way to Richmond, bad some
| conversation with portion Of the Tennessee
delegation to the Southern. Congress, and da-
I ring my stay theTewas visited BY various
members Of Congress and other public men
! connected With the Southern Confe1eTdcv
4 The intense sOlicitude which was expressed
4 especially BY he most prominent and dis
/ tiBgu'shed Of the original secessionists, who,
without any request on my part, volunteered
! their kind Offices, with generous liberaity, in
regard to the Cancellation of the people Of
/ East Tennessee, and the unusual kindness and
consideration with which | was treated ss a
/ prisoner. convinced me that I was In error in
suppos,ng hat the military power would be
eXerted for any other purpose than that OF re-
1 tanning the railroad and Of aggressive acts on
/ our part. Acting under this changed c0nvlc-
ton, believing that, if l were retained az a
! prisoner, or punished with death, under any
! strained construction Of the treason laws, my
4 friends in East Tennessee would in either
1 event. Tetaliate by arTestiHg public men Of the
] opposite party here; that this would lead to
! counter arrests, and that the horrors Of civil
/ war would Immediately exist among US, feit
! that it was due to yoR and to myself that
/ should obtain nv reiesss as soon as possible,
! on tie best terms I could effect without dis
/ honor; and, after vsrio1s informal PROPOSE
I tions and consultations finally addressed to
! President Davis the following letter:
"RICHMoND, Va, August y, 1861.
eFsHs EzceHency, yef Davis, President Of the Con-
fsderate States.
S1R: have been arrested, and, as learn
\ ed since nv arrival in this city, upon the
charge Of treason, but whether against the
/ State Of Tennessee or the Confederate States,
/ I am not advised. am conscious of 40 act,
/ either against the State or the Confederacy,
| that will support or sustain suca an accu-
sstion.
al am sincerely anxious to preserve the
! peace and quiet Of East Tennessee, the section
| of the State in which I reside, as best promo
4 tive Of the peace and interest of the en,ire
! State | ask to be discharged from a Vexa-
/ tious prosecution that | may return home
peacefully, to follow nv private interests and
/ pursuits, assuring your EXceiency that l will
| NOT, either directly or indirectly, bV counsel,
advice or action, encourage, aid or assist the
1 United States government tolnVsde, or attain.
/ success in the present struggle with the Con-
/ federate States, nor will ! counsel OF advise
others TO thwsTt or cripple the Confederate
States in the pending contest with the United
| States, nor win Go so by my own acts.
g In view Of the increased majority in the
election which has JUST taken place in TeHnes-
see, shall feel it ny duty, as citizen Of that
State, to submit to her late action, and shall
religiously abstain from any further words or
acts Of condemnation, OF opposition 70 her
government.
" The parties arrested with me. with the ex-
! csption OF my son, who acted bv my command,
were mere guides and conductors through the
I 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, OF morally, and have COM
I mitted no offense against the laws OF the Con-
federacV or the State of Tennessee; and ] ask
that they also be discharged from custody By
I your Exesllency.
"YeTy respectfully,
Your obedient seTV't,
1Hos. a. r. EELsoN.o
To which the following answer was re-
turned:
q RICHMOND, August IS, 1861
stSIR: have received your letter Of the I2.h
! inst, in which you ask to be discharged from
arrest and prosecution, and make promise that
/ you viii 'ss a citizen of Tennessee submit 10
/ her late action and reiigiousIy abstain from any
/ further words, or acts Of condemnation what
1 ever or opposition to her government"
" The des re OF this government being to main
/ tam the independence it has asserted, by the
united feeling and action OF all its citizens, il
/ has been is policy not to enter iuto questions
! Of differences Of political opinions heretofore
/ existing.
"I am therefore pleased to be spared the
necessity of ihquiring whether the accusation
/ against you be well founded or not, veXatious
I OF not, and 10 rest content with your subnis-
/ sion as a loyal citizen Of your State. to her
recent action in adhering TO this COnfederacy
! and adopting its permanent Constitution by q
/ increased majority. have ordered your dis
1 charge snd that Of your companions from Gus
tody. l an, etc,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
To Thos. A. R. Nelson, Esq.
Since my return home, I AN thoroughly sat-
isfsd that my friends would have risked the
action I dreaded, and, upon the most mature
reflection, in content with my own course in
the premises But, whether it was right or
wrong, wise or unwise, | feel bound, as an
honorable man, to act up to the spirit and let
ter Of the obligation assumed. | shall offer
no plea Of duress; because neither the Sou'b-
ern COnfedeTacy, nor anyotheT earthly power,
could have compelled me to make an agreement
which my Judgment and conscience did not
approve IN the situation l was placed.
No terms 81 conditions, express OF implied,
public or private, attended my release other
than those plainly expressed in the two above
quoted, but | thought it due to our past Tela-
tons and the painful solicituie many Of you
have felt in my behalf, that l should thus
briay address you.
While did not promise allegiance or active
support to the Southern CoDfederacy, and will
not advise you 10 ume any obligations con-
trary to your convictions Of duty, feel per-
/ fectly free to say that the failure of the gov
ernment Of the United States for four long
months to sustain US in our position; its sp-
parent inability to do so, since the battle Of
Manassas, within any reasonable time the
deliberate act on Of our State in the August
election tbe as urances Of public men that no
test oaths or drafting measures viii be adopt
ed or required the mutual hatred which has
grown up between the antagonist sections of
the Union and the recent conhseation laws
which have been either adopted or proposed
on both sides, as well as other causes, have
painfully Impressed my own mind with the be-
lief that, unless some wondrous and improba-
ble change is effected, oar beloved Union is
gone forever, and it is our policy and duty to
submit to result which, however, we may
depiore it, seems to be inevitable.
I Aware that my advice, as well as motives,
! may be liable TO misconstructi0n, would still
most respectfully recommend to my friends
?
position or resistance to the Contederat
authorities, 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
p military power will be eXerted among us, ex-
cept such as may be indispensably necessary
to retain military possession Of East Tennes .
see. And TO those Of our citizens who have
Q gone beyond the limits Of the State, either
through fear or the purpose Of srming them
!; selves to resist a course of action which is
J disaVOwed in Gen. Polk's letter, [ think I can
safely say, without arrogance, that from the
0 course which was adopted toward me, thew
: would risk nothing BY returning 10 the State
and submitting to q result which they have in
Q vain endesVOTed to prevent.
= IHOS. A. R. NELSON.
J. KSoxvILLE, August II, 1861.
REcRUITINe IN PHILADELFHrA.-It seems
o that little progress is making in recraiting in
Philadelphia at present. The Inquirer Of Thurs:
e day remarks:
= The whole system OF recruiting volunteers
e is bad Many thousands enlisted men are wan
g dering about this city, and cannot be musteret
e 10 because "the regiment is not fuil;'' mean
while they can get no pay, have 40 work, ar
G not drilled, and are learning habits Of intoxi
i cation. While the unhappy colenels in embryo