The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-17

| ". II. Chrd,oeH, Esq:
| my Dear Sir,-l nm placed under special
| Obligations TO you by your letter just received
| enclosing several printed pages, which un.
| derstnnd to be part of forthcoming volume
| entitled L,Je Of JeferSon DGris, etc, by Edward
| a. Pollard regret that Mr.. Pollard should
have fallen In to the notable error of supposing
| that certain peace propositions introduced by
| me In the Confederate Congress, just after the
| second battle OF Manassas, were prompted in
| any degree by Mr.. Davis, and that nc should
| have made them the pretext Of unjust ami
| madversion upon this gentleman. thought
| that there were no intelligent persons In Rich
mond during the war that did not know that
there had been between Mr.. Davis and myself
since our painful contest In 1851 in Mississippi
no intercourse whatever up TO the day of my
arrival in Richmond, and that 4 week or two
after took my seat in the Confederate Con.
gress, had felt compelled to commence n
course Of Jealous oppositio to his administra-
ton, which was kept up withoutan hours in
termission rs long us ! remained in the per-
formance OF legislative duties. To speak OF
| me, as Mr.. Pollard has done, rs being, at the
time of bringing forward these peace resoln-
| tions, "1n intimate relations with Mr.. Davis"
and 10 attempt to subject this gentleman to
the diScredit Of having been guilty OF cunning
and ambideXtrous political management, in
| the instigation of a deceptious public move
ment intended to beguile the northern Democ-
racy, seems to me TO be one OF the most extra
ordinary proceedings that have ever heard
Of The truth is, that never during my stay
in Richmond did enjoy Mr.. Davis's political
confidence for one minute. / saw him but
three times in three years. and on all these
occasions my Interchange OF words with him
was most brief, ut his office, and always in pre-
sence Of others. did on no occasion advise
or confer with him, or with any mem Der of
his Cabinet, in regard to any movement which
/ contemplated making in Congress, and GER
tainly never had reason 10 con lecture that Mr..
Davis had derived the smallest qualification
from any act performed by me, or from any
word uttered by me, whilst I was endeavoring
conscient tiously and independently TO perform
my duty rs Represen tative in the Confederate
Congress from the State Of Tennessee. My re.
lations with MIR. Davis could surely not have
been very "intimate,' or even kind, when ]
was warmly opposing conscription, confisca-
ton, forcible mpressment, martial law, sus-
pension OF hd6edS corpus, and other kindred
measures :; or when l was moving resolutions
of want OF confidence. i'll several OF his Cabi-
net officers; or when / was denouncing
Bragg, Pemberton, and Hindman, and vim
dicating Joe Johnston, Stonewall Jackson,
Gustavus Smith, Polk, Beauresard, Forrest,
Morgan, Floyd, and Pillow. The truth is,
that brought forward peace resolutions, or
counselled others 10 bring them forward, re-
peatedly, and always simply because pre-
ferred peace to war, aud thought 1t better to
strike for peace whilst n fair and honorable
one could be obtained instead of waiting, rs
others thought best, until orr armies were all
dispersed and we should be compelled to sub
mil TO such terms as the conqueror might i'm
pose. What l attempted in the interests OF
peace attempted openly, and am not will
ing now that the burden Of responsibility
should te shifted from my own shoulders to
thcce of any other individual whatever.
To Mr.. Pollard's dsTespectfnl allusions and
inuendoes in reference 10 myself l have no
response to make. My acts are before the
country. The history of the Confederate
struggle, and Of the events which have snc
cccded that struggle, will be hereafter written
by some calm, enlightened, and lust-mindcd
individual, and what have done of good or
of evil in the past will be fairly estimated by
posterity.
l shall patiently and cheerfully await the
test of " scrutiny of talents and of time
With a grateful sense of your friendship III
some Of the most trying scenes of my past
life, have the honor TO be, very truly and
cordially, your obcdient servant,
H. S. FooTE.