The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-20
LETTER FROM JEFFERSON DAVIS.

MEMPHIS, Aug. 19.-The following letter Il
published in the morning papers:
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Aug. Is, 1875.
To Henry P. KimbalI, Secretary Winnebago
Agricultural Society, Rockford, Ills:
Dear SRI yesterday sent to you tele-
gram announcing my revocation OF condition
n acceptance of the invitation to address
your Association at their annual meeting in
September next.
The long period which has elapsed since
peeeiBt of your first letter and the cOnsid-
crate courtesy which has marked your CORES
pondence, make it duty to the board and to
myself that sufficient explanation should be
given Of this change of purpose. Three OBJ
lects mainly induced me to accept the invita-
ton.
First The hope that personal intercourse
might remove some of the prejudices which
had been generated by partisan factions and
nurtured by individual and sectional hate.
Anxious now as in former years to promote the
interests of our great Valley of the
Mississippi, and believing that with
mutual confidence and co-intelligence,
much couli be done for their advancement,
I only delayed my acceptance of your in
vitation until it became reasonably probable
shat it Scould be met. The productive Ca
pacity Of the Northwest needs for its devel.
0pment cheaper and safer transportation to
the markets of the Southwest, and also to
those Of foreign countries.
In England especially, earnest attention
has been directed tor several years past to
more direct and economical trade with the
Mississippi Valley. In this connection there
WIS q desire to confer with Patrons of
Hnsbandry in your rich and prosperous
sections to discuss with them questions in.
yolyed in securing better means of trans
porting your farm products to most favorable
markets, and of providing agencies, which
Should insure larger returns to freedmen and
BY such conference to learn the views of one
member of the family of the Mississippi
Valley.
A family. the chief interest of all the mem.
beers OF which is ayr culture but cultivators of |
such various crops as to make trade among |
themselves extensive and lucrative, while it |
stamps upou each and all the same interests
and same policy as to their foreign trade.
To render such conference effectual there
must needs be a disposition to attend to the
subject under consideration, and surely not
10 smother it by the interpositicn of matters
having no just relation to it.
second. An effort was made to recognize
The courtesy of your board, and I was en-
oouraged to believe thatyour reception of me
would be beneficial rather than Injurious to
your association. This was more supposable
because several other agricultural societies of
Nlinois had in like manner invited me to ad-
dress their annual meetings.
Yesterday received printed paper being
! protest of nun Der of your fello w. country
men against the action of your board in their
invitation to me to make an annual address at
he county meeting.
Thereupon sent to you the telegram with
IRA wing acceptance of the invitation under !
he conviction that it would not be useful or 8
'greeable to participate in the meeting, and / !
bow hope that neither your association or the !
directors will suffer harm by delay in procur- !;
ng an orator or correspondence which has /
aused it, =
The third object was to crafty wish long :
Entertained to see in its cultivated dress the 0
country known to me as Tackles Wilder
aRs, but that being merely personal gratifi- .
alton, it may be INDUCED at my convenience =
N postponed indefinitely.
can we'll believe that the cause which has
hanged my purpose was as unforeseen by you 4
3 by me, and you may be assured that feel a
10 dissatisfaction toward the directors or your.
eli, and have suffered no personal embarrass- .
aent from the event, as the invitation was 4
and only acceptable as an express !,
ion of general good will. :
So my only regret is loss of opportunity to p
remote public interest with which the wei 9
lre OF our community is identified.
Again expressing the hope that neither the :,
irectors nor yourself may suffer injury or 81
nnoyance, and thanking you for the kind q,
ass and consideration you have manifested,
am, respectfully, yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS