Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-08-21
LETTER FROM JEFFER.
son DAVIS.
Why He Declines to Deliver
An Agricultural Address.

AH ASE1CuAbuTstt AuuTcSS.
MEMPHIS, Aug. 19.-The follow
ing letter is published in the morn
ing papers:
MEMPHIs, TENN, Aug. 10, 70
III. p. Kin,boU, jSec'y. Of the Winne-
bogo Co. Ag. Society, Rockford, III:
Dear Sir: II yesterday sent to yon
telegram announcing my revocation
of my conditional acceptance of the
invitation to address your association
at their annual meeting in Septem-
Der next. The long period which has
elapsed since the receipt of your first
letter, and the considerable courtesy
which has marked your correspond
ence, make it my duty to myself that
sufficient explanation should be CIV
EN- of this change of purpose. These
objects mainly induced me to accept
the invitation !:
FSrst.-The hope that personal in
tercourse might remove some of the
prejudices which had been generated
by partisan factions and nurtured by
individual and sectional hate, anX-
ious, as in former years, to promote
the interest of our great valley of the
Mississippi, and believing that with
mutual confidence and co intelli-
gence much could be done for their
advancement, / only delayed my ac-
ceptance of your invitation until it
became reasonably probable that it
could be met. The productive capa-
city of the northwest needs for its
developments cheaper and safer
transportation to markets of the
southwest, and also to those foreign
countries, in England especially, at
tention has been directed for several
years past to more direct and econo-
mical trade with the Mississippi val
ley. In this connection there was a
desire to confer with the Patrons of
Husbandry i'll your rich and prosper
Gus section, to discuss with them
questions involved in securing bet
ter means Of transporting your farm
produce to the most favorable mar
kets, and for providing agencies
which should insure larger returns
to freemen, 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 men,
bers of which is agriculture, but
CultlNdtOIo VI ouCll fdIiOuto CIOpo
&C., as to make trade among
themselves extensive and lucrative,
while it stamps upon each and
all the same great interests
and the same policy as to their for
eign trade. To render such confer
ence etfectual there must needs be a
disposition to attend to the subject
under consideration, surely not apur-
pose to smother it by the interposi-
ton of matters having no just rela-
tion to it.
Socond.-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 sup
possible because several other agri-
cultural societies of Illinois had in
like manner invited me to address
their annual meetings. Yesterday
received a printed paper, it being
protest Of number OF your fellow
cOumtrymen against the action of
your board III their invitation to me
to make the annual address at the
county meeting. Thereupon i sent
you a telegram withdrawing my ac-
ceptance OF the invitation, under the
conviction that it would not be use
full or agreeable to participate in the
meeting and | hope that neitheryour
association nor the directors will
suffer harm by the delay in procur-
ing an orator or by the correspon-
dence which caused it.
Ihird.-The object was to CRAFTY
the wish long entertained to see in
its cultivated dress the country
known to me as a tracEleSs wilder
ness, but that being merely Il per-
sonal qualification it may be INDUCED
at my convenience or postponed in
definitely. ! can well believe that
the cause which has changed my pur-
pose was rs unforeseen by you as"by
me, and you may be assured that !
feel no dissatisfaC tion towards the
directors or yourself, and have suf-
tered no personal embarrassment
from the event, as the invitation was
unexpected and only acceptable as an
expression of general good will.
80 my only + greet is the loss of the
pportunity to promote the public In
crest, with which the welfare of your
community is identified. Again ex-
pressing the hope that neither the d.
iectors nor yourself may suffer injury or
annoyance, and thanking you for the
kindness and consideration you have
manifested, | am respectfully yours.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.