The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-08-25
President Jefferson Davis Letter Declining
to Address the Winnebaga County. Illinois,
Agricultural Society.
MEMPHIS. Tenn, August 18th, 1871

MEMPHIS, Tenn, August 18th, 1875.
Henri p KenaJaH Secretary of the Winaebago
County Agricultural Society, Rockford, Ill.,
Dear Sir,-I, Yesterday, seat to you a telegram
announcing my revocation Of my conditional accep
lance 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 eonsnerate courtesy Whlch
has marked your correspondence, make 1t my duty
to your board and to myself hat sufficient expana'
ton should be given of this change OF purpose.
The objects mainly induced me to accept the IN
vitation were,
First. The hope that personal intercourse might
remove some of the prejudlc.s which had oeen geu-
Grated By partisan factions aud nurtured py lhul-
vidual and sectional hate Anxious as In former
years to promote the interest of our great valley
Of the Mississippi and belioVing that, with mutual
confidence and co-intelligen@, much good could DC
done for their advancement | only delayed my ac
ceptance Of your invitation until it became reason
ably probable that it could be met. Tue produc-
tive capacity of the Northwest needs Tor It's deVei
opment cheaper and safer transportation to the
markets of the Southwest, and also to those OF 1or
eign countries. In England, especially, earnest
attention has been directed FOR several years past
to more direct and economical trade with the MIS-
sissippi Valley. La this connection there was de-
your rich and prosperous section, to discuss with
them questions involved ID securing better means
of transporting your farm products to the most Ia
vorabe markets. and prov&lng agencies when
should insure larger retulps-to the treemen, and
by such a conference to learn the views OF one
member of the famiyAf ibe Mississippi Valley,
family, the chief inteSey Of al, tie members OF
which is agriculture, butEultlvators of such va
rous crops as to make trade among themselves ex
tensive and lucrative, while 1t stamps upon each
and all the same interests and the same policy, as
to their foreign trade. 10 render such confer
ence effectual there must needs be disposition to
attend to the subject under consideration; surely
not purpose to smother i by the intcIpoTtlon oil
matters having no Just relation to 1t.
Second An effort was made to recognize the
courtesy of your board, and | was encouraged to
believe that your reception OF me would be bench
cial rather than Injurious 10 your association Ihs
was the more supposable because several other ag-
ricultural societies of Illinois had IN like manner
invited me to address tEelr annual meetings.
Yesterday | received printed paper, 1t being
protest of number of your countrymen against
the action of your board in their invitation to me
to make the annual address at the county meeting
Thereupon sent you a telegram Withdrawing my
acceptance of the invitation, under the conviction
that it would not be useful or agreeable to parcl-
pate in the meeting, and hope that neither your
association nor the directors will suffer harm by
the delay ia procuring an orator or by the cores
poudence which has caused it.
Third. The jact was to crafty wish long en-
tertained to see III its cultivated dress the country
known to me as trackless wilderness, but that
being merely personal qualification, it may be In
dulged at nay convenience or postponed indefinitely
can well 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 dissatslac
ton towards the directors or yourself, and have
suffered no personal embarrassw ent from the event
as the invitation was unexpected and only accepta
bic as an expression of general good will. So mJ
only regret is the loss CT the opportunity to pro
mote the public interest with which the welfare o.
your community is identified.
Again, expressing the hope that neither the di
rectors nor yourself may suf9rirj jury or annoyance
and thanking you for the kindness and cOnsldera
zion you have manifested,
| am, respectfully yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS