The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-21
Hon. o. r. Singleton:

BEAUvCIR, HARRISON COUNTY, MISS.
Maya, 18i8 J
Hon. 0. r. Singleton:
My Dear SRI have just received yours of
the eighteenth instant with the incosed copy
of the Congressional Record containing your
speech, In which references was made to the
conference held by Gov. Pettus with the con-
pressiOnal delegation of Mississippi. ] had
read the speech previously, and must apollo
gize to you for not having returned my THINKS
for your manly vlndicatiOn of myself from
the charge SO often reiterated OF having in
cited the people Of Mississippi to preciptate
secession. My memory accOrds with your
own as to my position In that conference,
l. e. that secession should only be adopted
as the last resort, and that O. single
State could not exercise the right to with
draw from the Union without the most
serious injury to herself, even If permitted
peaceably to do so. And that Mississippi and
South Carolina, not being geographically con-
nected, could afford little, If any, support to
each other II they alone should adopt the
remedy of secession. The subject had in
different form been previously 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
opinion upon the point involved, and replied
to him that so far from considering
South Carolina bound by any previous
declaration to proceed to the extremity Of
Il
rather under obligation to confer with and
conform to the wishes of her southern sisters
in like situation to her own. So that when, in
1860, had to express an opinion on the same
point in regard to Mississippi, I am quite sure
that 1t was In favor Of waiting for the Coop
Grafton of as many Southern States as would
give dignity to the measure and the physical
power o ma 'Rtain it; for at that time was
one of the few men who believed that secession
would inevitably be followed by war, albeitnO
enc more positively held than myself that the
coercion of State by" the Federal govern
ment was the most palpable violation OF the
compact of our Union1the power to DO SO not
having been given in the constitution, but ex-
pressly denied by the convention which
framed that Instrument.
Ny recollection of the event OF our meet
ing with the Governor was for the purpose OF
consultation In regard to the message he
would send to the Legislature about to cen
vene in special session to decide whether or
not convention should be called for the puF
pose ofdetermining whether the State of Mis-
sissippi should withdraw from the Union,
and / can have no doubt OF the correctness OF
your statement Of my declaration then, viz: :
to abide by the decision of Mississippi and
share her fortunes, whatever they might be-
Before the adjournment OF the meeting re-
celved a telegram from two of Mr.. Buchanan's
cabinet urging me to come immediately to
Washing ton, and you will probably re-
memb that upon my handing it to
the Governor and members of the dele
o Ltion present, that reason for the request
was supposed to exist which made my COM
plance desirable, and that / left promptly
for Washington. My hope, as well as that of
yourselves, was that might do something to
avoid this excitement which would be inten-