The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-08-25

MIR JEFFERSON DAVIS AND TIE
GRAND ARMY OF THE
REPUBLIC.
Some time since the managers OF
the Winnebago county Agricultural
Society. Rockford, Illinois. invited
Mr.. jefferson Davis to deliver the
annual address before their Society
at its Fall meeting. Mr.. Datis ac-
cepted the invitation in a courteous
and well timed note. But this &C.
ceptahce was no sooner made public
than the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie, of that section, went actively to
work, and in public meetings passed
the most violent and denunciatory
resolutions against the action of the
managers of the Society, and against
Mr.. Davis. This feeling of antago-
nism was also largely reflected by
the leading men of the county, who
threatened to withdraw any efforts
for the success of the Fair i: Mr..
Davis was present as orator. Mr..
Davis at once wrote the following
temperate and sensible letter, revok-
ing his letter of acceptance
MEMPHIS, Aug. Is, 1875.
To Henry Fl. Kimball, Sec. of the Win
nebago County Agricultural Society,
Rockford, Illinois:
DEAR SIR ST yesterday sent to
you telegram announcing my re-
vocation of my conditional accept
ance OF the invitation to address
your association at their annual
meeting in September next. The
long period which has elapsed since
the receipt of your first letter and
the considerate courtesy which has
marked your correspondence, make
it my duty toward myself, that
sufficient explanation should Oe given
of this change of purpose. Three
objects mainly induce me to accept
the invitation. First, the hope that
personal intercourse might remove
some of the prejudiees which had
been generated by partisan factions
and nurtured by individual and Sec
tional hate. Anxious, as in former
years, to promote the interest of our
great valley of the Mississippi. and
believing that with mutual confidence
and co-intelligence, much could be
done for their advancement, L only
delayed my acceptance of your invi-
tation, until it became reasonably
probable that it could be met. The
productive capacity of the North
west needs for its development
cheaper and safer transportation to
the markets of the Southwest and
also to those foreign countries in
England, especially. Earnest at.
tention has been directed for several
years past to a more direct and eco
nomical trade with the Mississippi
valley. In this connection there was
a desire to confer with the patrons
of husbandry in your rich and
prosperous section, to discuss with
them questions involved in securing
better means of transporting your
farm produce to the most favorable
markets and providing agencies
which should secure larger returns
to the free men and by such confer
ence to learn the views of one mem
Der of the family of the Mississippi
valley, a family. the chief interest
of all members of which is agricul-
ture, but cultivators of such various
crops as to make trade among them
selves extensive and lucrative, while
il stamps upon each and all, the
same interests and the same policy
as to their foreign trade. To render
such conference elfectual there must
needs be a disposition, surely not a
purpose, to smother it by the inter
position of matters having no just
relation to it.
Second, An effort was made to
recognize the courtesy OF your Board
and was encouraged to believe that
your reception of me would be bene-
fetal rather than Injurious to your
association. This was the more
supposable because several other
agricultural societies of Illinois had
in like manner invited me to address
their annual meeting. Yesterday /
received printed paper, it being a
protest of a number of your fellow
cOuntrymen against the action of
your Board in their invitation to me
to make the annual address at the
county meeting. Thereupon l sent
you telegram, withdrawing my &C
ceptance of the invitation, under the
conviction that it would not be use-
full or agreeable to participate in the
meeting, and / hope that neither
your association nor the directors,
will suffer harm by the delay in pro
curing an orator by the correspond
ence which has caused it.
Third-The object was to crafty
wish long entertained, TO see in its
cultivated dress the country known
to me as a trackless wilderness. But
that being merely a personal gratifi-
cation, it may be INDUCED at my
convenience or postponed indefinite
~. / can we'll believe that the
cause which has changed my purpose
was as unforeseen by you as by me,
and you may be assured that / feel
no dissatisfaction tow ards the direc-
tors or yourself, and have suffered
no personal embarrassment from the
event, as the invitation was unex-
pected and only accepted as an ex.
preston of general good will. So
my only regret is the loss of oppor.
tunity to promote the public interest
in which the welfare of your COM
munity is identified.
Again expressing the hope that
neither tho diroetOrS nor r,orrsoIf