Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-02-04
JEEF DAVIS AND "HANGMAN''
FOOTE.

ePeS'o' ooHtpk'OH '.SpatC" y.
the Evening Telegraph says is rumored
here this morning that arrangements
are being made for a duel between
Jefferson Davis and Ex Senator Henry
S. Foote. of Mississippi. 1t is also saic
that the duel is probably based on the
correspondence which appeared in the
Washington newspapers. The follow
ing is the correspondence alluded te
above. The letter from Mr.. Davis
was published in the Washington Ca
pitol Of Sunday, that of L.enry s
Foote in the Chronicle Of yesterday.
LETTER FROM JEFFERSON DAVIS.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Nov 25, 1878.
Mr.L G.
DEAR SIR Yours Of the Goth in
stant has been this day received. [
have not seen any of the articles which
you inform me Ii. :. Foote had written
in abuse of me, nor have I aay desire
to read whatever he might write
In the year 1851 | published him
as constitutionaily liar, aud his sub
sequent career ouly served TO ccnirm
me IN that judgment. Since that
date, therefore, have taken no heed
of the utrerances of said Fvotc
His hattery, when he was seeking
political preferment in the Confedera-
cy, aud his abuse when, faithless to
his trust rs Representative in the
Congress ofthe Confederate States, he
was preparing for his subsequent de-
sertion to their enemy, were alike dis
regarded by me.
You are at liberty to use this as you
think proper.
| remain, respectfully and truly
yours, JEFFERSON DAVIS.
EX-SENATOR FOOTE'S REPLY
AS portion oi tie community may
possibly expect from me some notice
OF the insulting and grossly asperslve
letter over the signature of jefferson u
Davis, which yesterday morning made
its appearance in the columns of the
Capitol, though the glaring menda.
city of all the, allegations Of fact con-
tanned therein mi ght well justify me
in treating the letter itself and its
Infamous author with cool aud passion
less co.~-snt, vet, for certain reasons
not difficult: | imagine, to be OWNED
| have thought proper to take some,
what different course.
| shall not now go into detail OF
past occurrences with a view of my
own vindlcation. It is not possible 70,
the ruined and disgracea champion o
disunlon to say aught Of me or of my
public career which could in the leas
degree disturb my eouanimity. He
has cherished an undying hatred fol
me ever since his own presumption.
arrogance, on a very noted occasion
compelled me to slap his jaws in this
city in the winter of l847-4S. The
hostility thus engendercd was after.
ward much heightened by my defeat
of his reasonable aspirations to the
Office of Governor of Mississippi as
secession candidate, 10 1851. My con-
slant and unyielding opposition to him
and his netarious schemes in Rich
mond, during the war Of the rebellion
for three years, Was not at all calculated
to assuage his eomity. My free, but
unanswered, and [ venture to say. un-
answerabIe expostions last summer,
of his indecent and seditious attempts
to keep alive in the bosoms of his
countrymen feelings of irritation and
alienation which ought never to have
been brought existence, have doubt
les much inhamed the malignity
which was slunbering in the recesses
of heart capable Of all mischief [
rejoice to know that the blighting curse
of Mr.. Davis commentator it never
can now be my ilI-fortune to incur.
But | bid this mighty man Of Gath,
who writes so blusterously for publica-
tion in the newspapers, that | do not
live in absolute concealment; my
whereabouts may be easily found by
him or his idolizing confederates. He
knows, as thousands of others know,
that for full twenty years / have stood
ready to accord to him such satisfaction
as he might deem necessary to his
deeply wounded honor, and that, what
ever 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, from special Difference to him, |
shall be altogether induced to make
his an exceptional case. The habisual
calumniator of honest and patriotic men
has no right to skulk behind the hypo-
critical pretenses of extreme piety
HI. S. FooTE.
Chris. Rafferty,, the uch-tred
Chicago murderer is doomed at last.
The Supreme Court Of Illinois has de-
cidcd adversely the motion for another