Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-08-31

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Aug 10.-The
following letter Of dCciinatiou, from
Jefferson Davis to the Secretary of the
Wlnnehago County, H., Agricultural
Society, IS published here to-day:
MEMPHIS. Tenn, I
Aug. 15 1875. !
HENRY j. KNBALL. Secretary OF
the W'iHHebdGO COuaiy Agricultural!
Society, Rockford III.
DEAR SIR:-I yesterday sent 10 you q
telegram announcing my revocation
of my unconditional acceptance OF the
invitation 10 address your asssoCia Ion
at their ANNUAL meeting in September
next. The long period which has
elapsed since the receipt Of your first
letter and the considerate courtesy
which has marked your correspond
ence make it my duty to the Board
and to myself that sufficient explana-
ton should he given of this change Of
purpose. Three objects mainly in
duced ne to accept the invitation.
First: The hope that personal in
tercourse might remove some of the
prejuuicps which had been generated
by partisan factions and nUrturcd 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-intelligence
much could he done for their advance
ment, l only delayed my acceptance
your invitation until 1t became reason
ably probable that it could be met
The productive capacity Of the North
West needs for its development, chea-
per and safer transportation to the
markets of the South. West, and to
those of foreign countries. In Eng
land especially, earnest attention has
been directed for several years past to
more direct and economical trade with
the Mississippi Valley. In this con-
nection there was a desire to. confer
with the Patrons of Husbandry in
your rich and prosperous section 10
discuss with them questions involved
in securing better means of transport
ing your farm products 10 the most IA
vOrable markets, and of providing
agencies which should insure larger re-
turns to freemen, and by such confer
ence 10 learn the views Of one member
or the family of the Mississippi Valley
a family, the chief interests of all
members Of which is agriculture, but
cultivatoTs of such various crops az 10
make trade among themselves extern
sive and lucrative, while it stamps
upon each and al the same interest
and the same policy as to their for
eign trade. To render such confer
ence e1ectUal, there must needs be q
disposition to attend to the subject un-
der consideration, surely not q puT-
pose to smother it by the intcrpGsition
of matters having no just relation to
it.
Second: An effort was made to re-
cOgnize the courtesy of your Board,
and / was encouraged to believe that
your reception of me would be benefi-
cial rather that injurious to your assO-
citation. This was the more supposa-
bic because several other agricultural
societies of Illinois had in like manner
invited me to address their annual
meetings. Yesterday l received
printed paper, it being a protest
of number of your fellow
c0untrymen against the action OF your
Board in their invitation to me TO
make the annual address to the cOun-
ty meeting. Thereupon. | sent to you
telegram Withdrawing my acceptance
of the invitation under the conviction
that it would not De useful or agreea-
ble to participate in the meeting, and
/ hope that neither your association
nor the directors will suffer harm by
the delay in procuring an orator, or
by the correspondence which has
caused it.
Third: The object was to crafty
a wish long entertained to see in its
cultivated dress the country known to
me as a trackiess wilderness but that
being a mere personal qualification it
may be INDUCED in at any cOnve-
nience, or POSTPONED indefinitely |
can well believe that the cause which
has changed my purpose was a. un
fO.eseen by you "a by mc, and yOn
may be assured that | feel no dissatis-
faction towards the Directors oryOur-
self. and have suffered no personal
embarrassment from the event, az the
invitation was unexpected and only
acceptable as an expression Of gen
eral good will. SO nay only regret is
the loss Of opportunity TO promote the
public interest with which the welfare
of your community is identified.
Again expressing the hope that
neither the Directors nor yourself may
suffer injury or annoyance, and thank
ing YOU for the Kindness and cOHside-
ration you have manifested, ! am re-
specially yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
AvD7rv JoLrso- is the sixth 7oareher Of