The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-15
Letter from Hon. Jore clemens.

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In late number Of your paper a ipd
the following
"The Times very properly disclaims
the authorship Of 3 paragraph relstive
70 the Hon. Jere Clemens credited to il
by an Eastern print The paragraph
originally appeared in this paper, and
was based upon information furnished
BY gentlemsn-s very decided Union
man from Alabama-who had just re-
turned from Washington. he might
have been misinformed touching the
relations between the President and
Mr. Clemens"
As I have never seen either the para /
graph referred to by the Times, or its /
disclaimer, 1 have only to say that {
touching the relations between the
President and myself if by that Is
meant private relations, there are just
none at all Ny whole intercourse with |
him has been Official In that respect
my relations with him have been
satisfactory 70 me, and that is more
than ever said before.
supported Mr. Lincoln for Presi-
dent earnestly and warmly, but not
from feelings of private friendship.
did so because 1 believed him to be the
very best man who could have been
selected for that position and that the
South as well as the North would have
cause to rejoice in his election. wish
ed to see the development Of no such
hesitating, halfway, timid policy, as 1t
was evident Mcclellan would adopt,
and dreaded the elevation 10 power of
such men as he would gather about
him. With Mr., Lincoln's Cabinet, ]
was satisfied, and sincerely believed
| their removal would be a National
calamity. But of this they knew moth
ing, we know nothing now, unless they
have accidentally read something I
have written for the papers With one
exception my intercourse with them,
as with the President, has been eXelu-
sively official e-
There is an error in your own edito
rial which l cannot wonder at, since /
have found it almost universal outside
of Alabama l never gave in my adhe
sion to the doctrine Of secession. There
never was an hour when did not pro
nounce it treason. Immediately after
the secession Of Ala, adopted line of
policy which had for its object the res
toration of the State to the Union But
this is not the place TO refer to that at
length. 1t viii be more appropriately
given to the public in an address to the
people of my own State, which pre-
pose TO publish as soon as l return
loas appointed Msjor General and Com
mander of all the forces of Alabama.
But took no oath Of Office Of any kind.
I did not organize the Alabama troops
that was done by the Governor and mis-
Aids, without notice to me, and almost
without my knowledge. s-r
There were but two regiments Of Ale
ALBANIA volunteers. and part Of anoth-
; er that ! never saw until after my re
signation. Two companies of the 18th
Alabama were raised in my own town
by order of the Governor was there
l but had no notice. The regiment wai
: soon afterwards organized by one o
p the Governors Aids, al Dalsoa, Georgia
Ny Office, under the management G
the Governor, and Secretary of War
was mere sinecure There was 81
little 10 do that for months had bu
= one member on my staff .-
n But have no idea of entering int
an argument at this time to prove m,
uufaltering attachment to the Union
Ilabored &c preserve it while it eXiste'
and to restore it when ithad been vic
lently disrupted. That the means
adopted may have been liable to mit
. representation, is probable, since evel
q my friends, with whom had no op
8 portunity of communicating, misur
is derstood them. I vas not FOOLS
d enough to breast a torrent which
: knew would sweep me, and all who ac
u hered to me, to destruction When
e could not control, Tried to guideit, an
y when could do neither, endeavore
to assume that position which wOul
IS enable me to act most effectively i
s the future. You have here the clue +
e, my whole conduct during the rebellion
Is JERE CLEMESs.