New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-08-13
THR JEFF. DAVIS CORRESPOND
ENCE.
] ames Buchanan nnd G.. r. Beaurcgurd
10 the Prince Of Rebels.

from ex.President Buchanan TO Jefferson Davis,
which were found by our troops among the private
papers of Davis at Jackson, Mississippi. They were
placed in the hands of the editor Of The Indianapolis
Journal by an officer of the army Of Gen. Grant.
It will be seen that the Old Pub. Functionary
was willing in 1850 to 90 even further than the
South asked the North in strengthening its peculiar
institution but was afraid that he would not be sus-
tanned, and therefore, took his stand in public On
what was considered extreme Southern ground.
Beauregard, who writes eight years later, dslikes
disunion but he will do anything rather than yield
to what he is pleased to call the unjust demands"
ofthe North. He lad q high opinion of the good
qualities Of the Yankees, but loved Slavery more.
JAMES BUCHANAN TO JEFFERSON DAVIS.
if"''' w Wa ESar is.h March, 1880
MY DEAR Sin: / was in town this afternoon. and
receiving your letter there, gave II n hasty an-
swer, provoked thereto by the conduct of Cameron.
SO far from having in any degree recoed from
the Missouri Compromise, / have prepared n letter
to sustain it, written with all the little ability OF
which am master. Yon NAV ask, WHY has il not
been published The answer is very, easy. From
a careful examination of the proceedings in Con.
ress it ia clear that non-interrentoR rs aHttdt c
be required by the South.
Websters speech is 10 be tho base Of the COM
promise-it is lauded to the echo by distinguished
Southern men-aud what is it Non-interventlon,
and non.,nterrsntioa SIMPLY beeause the WtinOt
Proriso is not required 10 pr,vent the curse Of
S'arery from beng inflicted on the Ierrit0ries.
Under these circumstances II would be madness in
me to pub,h my letter, and take higher ground for
the South than they have taken for themselves.
This wond be TO ou-Herod Herod and TO be more
Southern than the South Ii could do no good, but
might DO much mischief.
The truth il the South have GOT themselves into a
condition on this question from Which 1t appears 10
me they cannot exsficate themselves. My
proposition Of the Missouri Compromise was at once
abandoned by them, and the cry was Don.interyen-
ton. They fought the battle at the last Presiden-
tial election with tins device upon their banners.
Tue Democracy OF Pennsylyanla are now every
where rallying to non-lntervention. They suppose
in doing this they standing by the South In t1e
manner most acceptable TO their Southern brethren
Our Democratic journals praisiDg the speech
OF Webster, because all the appearances are that j.
/, sats factory 20 the South. II ia now too late TO
change front with any hope OF success. You may
re,r, ut with honor upon the principle that you can
carry YOUR slaves 10 California, snd hold them
there under the Constitution and refer the question
to the Supreme Court Of the United States. am
sorry both for yonr sakes and nv own that euch is
the condition in which you are placed.
sag for my ofcn sake, because | can never yield
the position which have deliberately taken in ia
vor OF The Missouri Compromise. and shall be as
for having gone further in support Of the rights Of
the South than Southern Senators and Representa-
tiver. am committed for the Missouri Compromise,
and that sormittoi shall stand.
Should there be any unexpected change in the
asrect Of affairs AT Washington which would bold
out tho hope that the publication Of my Missouri
Compromiss letter would do any good, IL shall yet
be published.
was about to write more, but This letter is long
enough.
II may be- and doubtless was the fact, that IN 1919
or lS2U my name was placed on a committee which
reported the resolutions TO which that scamp, Gen.
Cameron refers. | was then "A young man, had u
great yeneraion for the chairman of the committee
a. my legal preceptor, and probably was under the
influence Of the excitement then universal III Penn
sylvania first went 10 Congress in December,
ISL, aud throughout my public career have been
uniform in manning the just constitutional rights
Of The South.
have made more speeches on the subject, both
on the floor of the Senate and at home than proba-
by any other man living. One Of them | now in
close 10 you marked. which fell into my hands last
evening while wa. looking for 9th er matters.
wish you would read my speech through on the
fully pleases myself.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
To Hon. JKrTER,oS DAVIS.
L. s. Why did not the Southern gentlemen agree
upon "A common basis Of settlement Please let the
hear from you soon. am Invited rery specially 10
a wedding In Washington, and possibly | may be
there for one day on the 9th Of April. Would to
Heaven that Gen Taylor might come out in favor
Of the Missouri Compromise / should glory IN sus-
tanning him.