Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-01-26
Davis anss FOOfs,.


certain letter written by th. la!e President of
the late Cou;eaeracy concerning GovernorFoote,
and SO many garbled extracts, that We are in-
duced to give publication to correct copy 1t
reads as follows: : Washington GtpituL
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Nov. 25, 1873.
Mr. L. G.
DEAR SIR: Yours of the Goth instant has
been this day received. have not seen any Of
the articles which you inform me H. S. Foote
had written IN abuse of ME, nor have | had any
desire to read whatever he might write.
ln the year 1851 published him as constttu-
ttonaly liar, and his subsequent career only
served to coDfrm me 10 that judgment. Since
that date, therefore, [ have taken no heed Of
the utterauces Of said Foote.
His hattery, when he was seeking political
prctcrment in the Contederacy, and his abuse
when, taithless to his trust as representative
in the Congress of the Confederate States, he
was preparing for his subsequent desertion to
their enemy, were aiked disregarded by me.
You are at liberty TO use this as you think
proper.
remain, respectfully and truly yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
As a portion OF the community may possibly
expect from me some notice Of the Insulting
aud grossly aspersive letter over the signature
of tffcrsou Davis, which yesterday morning
made its appearance in the columns OF the
Capital, though the glaring mseadttcity of all
the allegations OF fact contained therelu might
we'll justify me IN treating the letter itself and
its Infamous author with cool aud passonless
contempt yet, for certain reasons, not difficult,
imagine, to be OWNED, have thought pro-
per to take somewhat different course.
shall not now go Into detail OF past occur
reEces with view Of my own yIndictlon. 1t
is not possible for the ruined and disgraeed
champion of disunion to say aught Of die, or OF
my pnbiic career, which could in the least de-
gree disturb my cquanimity. He has cherish
ed an undyiug hatred for me ever since his own
preSumplu0us arrogance, on a very noted occa-
sion. compelled me to slap his jaws, in this
city, 10 the winter of lS47-4S The hostility
| thus engendcred was afterwards much light
ened by my defeat of his reasonable aspirations
to the Office Of Governor of Mississippi, as a
| secession candidate, 10 1851 My constant and
uoyielding opposition to him and hi, netarlons
schemes in Richmond during the war of the
rebellion, for three Years, was not at all calcu-
lated to assuage his enmty. My free, but un-
answered, and, venture to say, naanstccrdble
cXpuSltlOuS last summer, VI his lDucccnl duu
scditious attempts to keep alive in the bosomS
OF his countrymen feelings of irritation and
| alienation, which ought never to have been
brought toto existence have doubtless much
infamed the malignity which was slumberlng
in the recc>ses Of heart capable OF all mischief.
[ ri ice to know that the blighing curse OF
| Mr.. Davis commentator it never can now b.
my ilI-tor,uue to incur. But bid this mighty
man of Gath, who writes so blustrously for
publication liz the newspapers, that | do u"t
live in absolute conccalment; my 1ChereahoMS
may be easily found by him or his idoliZlug
coutedcrates He knows, as thousands Of 9TH
ers know, that for full twenty years have stood
ready to accord to him such satisfaction as he
might deem necessary to his decpiy-woundcl
honor and that whatever general views may
entertain touching the propriety OF settling such
| issues as have arisen between HIM and myself
in the mode referred to, yet that, frou special
Difference to him. shall be altogether induced
| TO make his IN ercept'ondl ease. The hab'tmnt
,lun,niator Of houcst unl patriotic men h1s no
right to stnl behind the Aypocriticui prente'1ses
| Of ectry1nc Ioiety. Ii. 5. FooTE.