Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-03-12
Letter from Hon Jefferson Davis.

Ex-Posimasler General Creswell having as
serted in his euloey Of Henry Winter DAVIS
that Jefferson Davis, the leader of the Con-
federa,e States, said in speech at Stevenson,
Alabama In February 1861, We will carry
the war where 1t is easy TO advance, where
food for the sword and torch awaits our
armies in the densely populated cities, y Mr.
Davis has addressed a letter to VIM +. Perry,
OF St. Msry's county, containing positive de-
NAL Of the same. The correspondence is pub
lished in ST. Mary's Beacon. Mr.. Davis says;
ri have no recollection ofeyer having made
"A speech Mt Stevenson, aud have examined n
Gle of newspapers OF that day containing such
matter, but could moi find any reference TO
speech made BY me al Stevenson. A. the
! time mentioned was going from my home in
| Mississippi 10 Montgomery, Ala, in conse-
quence of notice received that ! had been
chosen by the Congress to be the President OF
| the Provisional Government of the Conled-
crate States AT many railroad statious on
the route the people assembled to manifest
their good will, and | often went out on the
platform OF the car TO make due acknowledge
menis. Stevenson was one of those stations.
aud | may there, as at other places, have re-
turned thanks but neither there or else
where, neither then or at any other time,
could have used the language attributed to
me, or any language that could be fairly con-
slrued TO have such meaning. Though may
not claim to remember what | said on
these occasions, do know what we're my
thoughts and wishes, and therefore can be
positive TO not having said what ! never
thought or contemplated. Very soon, say Oh
the second day after my arrival at Monigom-
cry, the Inauguration took place, and the adj
dress on that occasion will show what were
my hopes and purposes surely more fully and
more accurately than the speeches made al
railway stations even if they could have been
supposed to be correctly reported. Ifas appre-
hended, the attempt should be made to coerce
the seeding States, and war should ensue.
certainly did prefer the Observation-Disclosures
policy, and in that event hoped it might be
possible 10 have the campaigns and battle
fields in the enemy's country. When our
army marched into Pennsylvania it Was not
TO piIlage, 10 burn and to slaughter, but to
compel the vast hosts which, after proportions
ate preparation, had invaded Virginia TO
conniermarch for the protection Of their own
territory. The means employ ed were those
best adapted TO the end-the defense Of our
country against invasion. The conduct of
our armies on every occasion, when beyond
the limits Of their friends, demonstrated the
views of their government and challenges
comparison with that Of their adversary. The
purpose of the Confederate government was
truly the welfare of our people, not the injury
OF any other except as necessary for defense.
In that spirit was The repeated declaration TO
be found in my message to the Congress that
| we only asked to be lei alone That express
sion might have been forgotten if it had not
lbeen for the jeering, scofFing manner 10 which
IL was presented to the public by The journal
lists Of those who were wagiIg against US
war Of INVASION,