Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-21
LETTER FROM JEFFERSON DAVIS.
He Writes 20 COHgressu,an Singleton
and Denies than he InciJed the
People OF mississippi 10 Pre-
cipitate Secession.

The Jackson (Mi~- } Clarion prints some
correspondence supplied by Congressman
Singleton, of that State, including the follow
ing letter from Jefferson Davis:
BEAUvoIR, HARRISON Co, Miss, May -, 1873.
Hon. o. R. Singleton:
Ny DEAR SIR-I have Just received yours |
of the eighteenth instant, with the Inclosed |
COPY of the Congressional Record containing |
your speech in which reference was made to |
the conference held by Governor Pettus with |
the congressional delegation of Mississippi. |
| had read the speech previously, and must |
apologize to you for not having returned my |
thanks for your manly vlndicabon of myself |
from the charge, so often reiterated, of hav-
ing melted the people of Mississippi to pre-
cipitate secession. My memory accords with
your own as to my position In that confer
ence-i. e., that secession should only be
adopted as the last resort, and that single
State could not exercise the RI ght to withdraw
from the Union without the most serious in
jury to herself, even if permitted peaceably to
do so. And that Mississippi and South Caro-
lima, not being geographically connected,
afford little, If any, support to each other, II
they alone should adopt the remedy OF seces-
sion. The subject had In different form
been presented TO me, and had been maturely
considered. When, in 1851, the question OF
separate State action, or cooperation with
| other southern States was under discussion IN
South Carolina, the late Hon. A. L. Butter
| UrotA 10 me IOr my OplUlOn uDpb TIC pOiht
| involved, and replied to him that so Tar
| from considering South CaIUlin's bound by
| any previous declaration to proceed to the ex-
| tremity Of separate secession, that | thought
| she was rather under obligation to confer
| with and conform to the wishes of her south
ern sisters in like situation to her own. So
| that when, in 1860, | had to express an opln-
| ion on the same point In regard to MIssIs-
sippi, am quite sure that it was In favor OF
waiting for the corporation OF as many
southern States as would give dignity to the
measure and the physical power to maintain
it. For at that time | was one OF the few
| who believed that secession would inevitably
| be followed by war, albeit no one more posi-
| lively held than myself that the coercion CT
State by the Federal government was the
most palpable violation of the compact OF
cur Union-the power to do so not having
been given in the constitution, but
expressly denied by the convention
which framed that instrument. My recol-
lection of the event OF our meeting
with the governor was for the purpose ofcon-
sutation in regard to the message he would
| send to the Legislature, about to convene IN
special session to decide whether or not con.
vention should be called for the purpose OF
determining whether the State of Mississippi
should Withdraw fIom the Union, and l can
have no doubt OF the correctness of your
statement of my declaration then, VIZ, to
abide by the decision Of Mississippi and share
1
fore the adjournment of the meeting l re-
ceived telegram from two of Mr.. Buchan-
| ans cabinet urging me 10 come Immediately
to Washington, and you will probably re-
member that upon my handing 1t to the gov
ernor and members OF the delegation pres
emf, that reason for the request was sup
posed to exist which made my compliance
desirable, and that | left promptly for Wash
inpton Ny hope, as well as that of your
self, was that | might do something to
avoid this excitement, which would be lnten-
sifed by unfortunate expressions In the forth
coming message of the President. After the
meeting of congress the manifestations were
such as to leave no ground for expectation
that the party about to come into power
, would fail to use it for purposes destructive
alike Of the rights and interests OF the south.
There is, therefore, no discrepancy between
your statement of what occurred IN Jackson
! and the advice contained IN letter of a sub
sequent date. Neither do the opinions eE-
pressed in that letter evlnce a desire uDd2l
other circumstances for dissolution OF the
Union. Had it been so, l could not have
served in the following January on a commit
tee raised for the purpose of pacifcation, and
| the threatened secession or to Southern
States; nor could you, sir, have remained II
the house of representatives, discussing and
voting about the general welfare OF the
United States, if you had not wished, though
; you might not hope to preserve the Union OF
, the constitution. with the rights aad blessings
it was intended to secure. When the people
, | of Mississippi In convention passed the ordI-
nance of secession, and we were officially no.
titled of the fact l remember with pride and
pleasure that each and all of her delegates
7 vacated their seats, and, true to their allegi-
ance to the State, returned to serve her IS
best they might. Be assured, my dear friend
that | did not in anywise mistake the spirit
in which you spoke, and If it should subject
, you to any inconvenience, shall regret the
! task l imposed upon you when my confidence
,, and regard induced me to write to you in the
! interest OF the veterans Of the war with
Mexico. Yours faithfully.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.