Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-30

] eminent. The Provisional tOuStitu'
ton was adopted at a late hour on
/ Friday night, the sth. a motion Wa
/ then made to 90 Immediately into the
election of officers, but upon sUgges.
ton that it would be better to allow
each Of the State delegations time To
| confer among themselves, it was re-
| solved to defer the election until next
day. Saturday, the 9th. On that day.
as is known, Mr.. Jefferson Davis, Ol
| Mississippi, received the unanimous
vote of Jhes six States then present, for
! the office of President; and in like
manner 7 was elected TO the Office OF
Vice President. Mr.. Davis was not
at Montgomery. He was in MisSis-
5ippi. II vas generally understood
from statements made by the MIssIS-
sippi delegation, as well as from 9TH
ers who knew his personal views upon
the subject, that he did not desire the
Office OF President. He preferred a
military position, and the one he de
sired above all others was the chief
command of the army, which the
States might deem il necessary to or
ganize.
Major Heister-Pray tell US, Mr..
Stephens, if yOH have no objection,
how this came about; how Mr.. Davis
came to be chosen President, and you
Vice President, under these CirCum-
stances
MIR. Stephens have no objection
TO giving you my opinion on the sub
iect, as to how MIR. Davis came to be
chosen under the circumstances. 1t
is, however, only an opinion. l was
somewhat surprised myself at both
results as they occurred, but as 1 took
only a very small part in the elections
any way, L cannot speak of my own
knowledge as TO but few facts con
nected with either. The conclusion
came to, from all the facts ] learned
from others before and afJerward,
was that the selection of MIR. Davis
grew out of q misapprehensiOu on the
part Of some of the delegates of one,
or, perhaps, two Orthree of the States,
i'm their consultations of the night be-
fore. as to the man that the Georgia
delegation had determined to present.
A majority of the States, as l under
stood, and afterWard learned, We're
looking to Georgia for the President.
Major Ueistcr-WhO was the man
Georgia had determined to present?
Mr.. Stephens-GeOrgia at the time
had not acted in the matter. Her
delegation did not hold their c~Onsulta-
ton until next morning. Mr.. TOOmbS
was the man whom they then uuani-
moUsiy agreed to present; at least
there was perfect unauimity on the
subject, with all the delegates in at
tendance. Two, Mr., Hill and Mr..
Wright, were absent. ] now speak OF
my own knowledge. 1 was at this
meeting of the Georgia. delegation. and
therein was acted the only part ! took
in the matter. That was by making
the motion for Mr.. TOOmbs' nOmiBa-
ton to the Convention, suppOsing that
it would be unanimously acceptable to
that body but in this meeting il was
stated after my motion was made,
that two or three Of the States in their
consultations, which had been held
the night before, had determined to
present the name Of Mr.. Davis. The
TACT only, without any reason for it,,
was stated. 1t was stated also, only
as something which had been heard,
but not positively known. On this
announcement, a committee Of our
delegation, of which Mr.. Crawford
was Chairman, or perhaps he alone Il
am not certain whether any or how
many more were united with himI
was appointed, to ascertain if what
had been heard i'm relation TO the ac-
ton of the delegations of the other
States referred to, was true; and If il
was, it was understood, al the in
stance of Mr.. TOOmb5, that his name
was not to be presented by Georgia,
and that our delegation would vote
for Mr.. Davis, and have no contest ON
the subject.
I'm tins meeting of our delegation,
after the announcement alluded TO
had been made, and the course i'm
reference TO- ii had been resolved
upon. Mr.. keuau moved, that in case
what had been stated as rumOr should
be found to be true, and the name Of
Mr.. TOOmbs should not be presented
for the first Office, then mine should
be for the second. This motion was
cordially seconded by Mr.. Nisbet, and
was unanimously agreed to, after a
distinct understanding arrived at, by
what L said in reference to it, which
was, that in no event was my name
to be presented, unless it was first
ascertained positively that Mr.. Da-
Wis name was to go before the Con-
ventiOn, and not that of Mr.. TOOmbs,
and further, that my name wOnld be
unanimously acceptable to the States
and their respective delegations.
These points the committee of
our delegation was instructed speed
lily to inquire into and report
upon, to the delegation Mt the Capitol,
before the hour of the meeting OF the
Convention. Soon after the adjourn
ment Of our delegation, Nh. Crawford
reported to me, that upon inquiry,
what had been stated in our meeting
was found to be true, and that Mr..
TOOmbs had forbidden the presenta-
ton Of his name, and further that my
name was acceptable to all the States,
and to every member Of the COnven-
ton, as far as he could ascertain, and
he believed it to beacceptabletO every
Dne. Being thus informed of these
facts, I did not that day 20 to the
Convention. The election, however,
rs is known, wars made by ballot. On
5he call OF each State, the chairman OF
.he delegation presented the vote OF
.he State for each officer to be chosen,
and upon counting out the votes, the
result was as before stated.
What ! learned alterWard from
others, upon which ] have expressed
he opinion / have, was that some
of the delegations from
south Carolina and Florida, and / be-
ieve Alabama too, had heard that
Georgia intended to present the name
IF Mr.. Howell Cobb, whom these
members, from old feelings of some
sort, produced in some way in past
party conflicts, were unwilling to sup
BORT. The same objections did not
.pply to Mr.. TOOmbs. They were
Jerfectly willing to vote for him. As
.ll these members were willing. how
,ver, TO harmonic upon Mr.. Davis, /
{ was thought best and determined
~ these delegations, therefore, to pre-
eut his name, Notwithstanding his
preference for another posi-
On.
viii here state that Mr.. Cobb is a
nan Of very marked and positive !