The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-09-03
The JEFF. Davis Correspondence.
James Buchanan and Beaa4regard to
the Prince of Rebels.

The JEFF. Davis Correspondence.
James Buchanan and Beauregard to
the Prince Of Rebels.
Below will be found two of the pri-
vate letters from ex-President Bu-
chanan to Jefferson Davis, which were
found by our troops among the private
papers of Davis at Jackson, Miss.
They were placed in the hands of the
editor of the Indianapolis Journal by
an officer of the army of Gen. Grant.
1t will be seen that the old Pub.
Functionary was willing, in 1850 to 60
even further than the South asked the
North in strengthening the peculiar in
stitution, but was afraid that he would
not be sustained, and therefore took
his stand in public on what was con-
sidered extreme Southern ground.
Beauregard, who writes eight years la
ter, dislikes disunion but he will do
anything rather than yield to what he
is pleased to call the "upjust demands"
Of the North. He had high opinion
of the good qualities of the Yankees,
but loved Slavery more.
JAMES BUCHANAN TO JEFFERSON DAVIS.
private and ConfdentiaD
WHEATLAND, 10th March 1868.
MY DEAR SIR: l was in town this
afternoon, and, receiving your letter
there, gave it hasty answer, pro-
voked thereto by the conduct of Cam
eron.
So far from having in any degree re-
coiled from the Missouri Compromise,
l have prepared letter to sustain it
written with all the little ability of
which l am master. You may ask
why it had not been PUBLISHED? The
answer is very easy. From a careful
examination Of the proceedings in Con-
gress, it is clear that n-intervention
as all that ,ciX6e required by the South.
Webster's speech is to be the base of
the compromised is landed to the
echo by distinguished Southern men
and what's it? Non Intervention, and
nonintervention simply because the
Wilnot Proviso is not required to pre-
veat the curse Of Slavery from being
inflicted on the Territories. Under
these circumstances it would be mad.
ness in me to publish my letter, and
take higher ground for the South than
they have taken for themselves. This
would be to out Herod, and to be more
Southern than the South. 1t could do
no good, but might do much mischief.
The truth is the South have got
themselves into condition on this
question from which it appears to me
now they cannot extricats themselves.
My proposition of the Missouri Com
promise was at once abandoned by
them, and the cry was non Intervention.
They fought the battle &C the last Presi-
dental election with this device upon
their banners. The Democracy of
Pennsylvania are now everywhere
rallying to non-intervention. They
suppose in doing this they are standing
by the South in the manner most ac-
ceptable to their southern brethren.
Our Democratic journals are praising
the speech of Webster, because all the
appearances are that it is satisfactory
to the South. 1t is now too late to
change frent with any hope of success.
You may retreat with honor upon the
principle that you can carry your slaves
to California, and hold them there un-
der the Constitution, and refer the
question to the Supreme Court of the
United States. / am sorry both for
your sakes and my own that such is the
condition in which you are placed.
Isay for my o,on sake, because /
can never yield the position which l
have deliberately taken in favor of the
Missouri Compromise. and l shall be
assailed by fanatics and free-soilers as
long as l live, for having gone further
in support of the rights of the South
than Southern Senators and Represen.
tatives. / am committed for the Mis-.
souri, Compromise, and that committal
shall stand.
Should there be any unexpected
change in the aspect of affairs at Wash
ington, which would hold out the hope
that the publication of my Missouri
Compromise letter would do any good,
it shall yet be published.
Twas about to write more bat this
letter is long enough.
1t may be, and doubtless was the
fact, that in 1919 or 1920 my name
was placed On committee which re-
ported the resolutions to which that
scamp Gen. Cameron, refers. | was