Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-07-22

NAhOAOUN M mOss IN
The letter Of Mr. Davis IN reply 70
Mr.. Perry. dated Memphis, Fsb'y s,
1875, conveys TO me the fst intimation
that the eenuinsnsss Il the spssch at-
tributed TO him ut Steyenson was de-
MED. Up to the moment Of it, receipt
q doubt had never been suggested 10
me on the subject. His letter has been
published and has called forth reply
from the editor of the Omaha Bee, whose
statements appear to settle the question
beyond controversy. I give them a
length:
.s:17efmsor, ,Dasn l,As s&sn sbAe.11fE6|
q leStsr to William r. PeffS,S GItfken
of Maryland, denying the statement
which ex-Postmaster General Creswell
incorporated in his eulogy of Henry
Winter Davis, that he Jefferson Da-
vis) said in a speech at Stevenson, Al
ALBANIA, in February, 1861, We viii car
ry the war where it is easy to advance,
where food for the sword and torch
awaits our armies in the densely popu-
lated cities Mr.. Davis, writing from
Memphis, under date of February 5,
1875, declares i have no recollection
of ever having made a speech at Steven
son; and have examined file of news
papers of that day containing such mat
ter, but could not find any reference to
q speech made by me at Stevenson.-I
At the time mentioned I was going from
my home in Mississippi to Montgome-
ry, Ala, in consequence of notice re-
ceived that I had been chosen by the
Congress to be the President Of the Pro-
visional Government of the Confederate
States. Atmany railroad stations on the
route the people assembled to manifest
their good will, and 1 often went out
on the platform of the car to make due
acknowledgements Stevenson was one
of those stations, and may there, as
at other places, have returned thanks;
but neither there or elsewhere, neither
then or at any other time, could have
used the language attributed to me, or
any language that could be fairly
construed to have such meaning
Though may not claim to remember
what l said at those times, I do know
what were my thoughts audwishes, and
therefore can be positive as to not bav-
ing said what I never thought or never
contemplated. Very soon, say on the
second day after my arrival at Mont
gomery, the Inauguration took place,
and the address on that occasion will
show what were my hopes and purpo-
scs surely more fully and accurately
than the speeches made at railroad
stations, even If they could have been
supposed to be correctly reported
"Now, while Mr.. Jefferson Davis has
no recollection of ever having made
speech at Stevenson, tho editor Of the
Bee happens to have a very vivid recol-
lection Of that memorable event. While
the rebel chief denies that he ever ut
tered or contemplated the sentiments
ascribed to him. We are prepared to
substantiate General Creswells charges
by indisputable Documentary evidence.
In 1861 the editor Of tho Bee was sta
toned at Stevenson, Alabama, as man
ager of the South Western Telegra ph
Company's Office. Hewas present when
Jefferson Davis, then or his way to
Montgomery to be inaugurated Presi-
dent Of the Confederacy, made his
speech. He was one of q committee
Of the three selected by the citizens of
Stevenson to wait on jefferson Davis
and invite him to make that speech.
He happens to he the very person that
reported that speech and transmitted
it by telegraph to the Nashville press,
This fact can be substantiated by Mr..
George W. Trabue, now District Su-
perintendent of the Western Union Tel
egraph ut Nashville, then the receiving
operator, who copied that speech at the
Nashville Office. Mr.. Trabue is q Tennes-
secan, and his services as an ex-Con-
federate army officer should entitle him
to credence on the part of JEFF. Davis.
Furthermore, the diary written at Ste
venson, now in our possession, contains
the following record of that memorable
event: FRIDAY, Feb'y Is. l exhib-
tied copy of jeff. Davis speech to
most of the citizens here, and they
pronounced it as near correct as it could
be made. copied it for publication
in the BeilJon.a Era (the county pa
PERI; / telegraphed synopsis to Nash
Vile, and Nashville reports it took well.
Papers have issued extras, and it was
also telegrsphed through to the Asso-
ciated Press Saturday, Feb'y 10
Nashville Union and Ameriean has a
correct report Of Davis speech. The
Nashville Banner ridicules and critici-
ses it severely Here, then, We have
a record decidedly more reliable than
the feeble memory of JEFF. Davis. This
record can readily be substantiated by
n reference to the files Of the leading
Nashville dailies. The extract quoted
by Gen. Creswell is exactly what JEFF.
Davis did say, and we can unhesita-
tingly vouch for its correctness"
This makes up very sharp ISSUE
On one side, Mr.. Jefferson Davis, as
serting that he has mo reeollec-
tion Of ever having made q speech al
Stevenson" and ON the other, the eli.
tor Of the Omaha Bee, who declares
that he has "a very vivid ra,,,ll,n.;a.