The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-27

| gresham StnSleU0nS speech,
The jackson (Miss.) Clarion of last week
prints the following letter addressed by Jeffer-
son Davis to its editor, who is chairman of
the Mississippi Democratic State Committee ::
BEAUvoIR, HARRISON COUNTY MISS,
June 10, 1873.
| Hon. E. BarksdaIe
lfy Dear Sir-The speech of Mr.. Singleton,
| the notice in the Clarion, and the letter of
| Hon. Reuben Davis, published by the same,
with editorial comment, prompt me to write
to you briefly on the subject-matter therein
referred to.
Igratefully recognized the friendship which
dictated your editorial notice, and equally
appreciate the same M spirit in the speech Of
material differences which I perceive exists
between you, grows out Of the different cir
cumstances under which the acts referred to
were performed. From the earliest period
when l could be said to have had decided
opinion upon the character of the union of
the States, my unvarying creed has been that
the right of State to secede from the Union
was Inherent In the sovereignty which each
possessed, but that the exercise of that right
was great, but not the greatest of political
evils, and should, therefore, only be resorted to
when all other means had been exhausted, to
secure the liberties and welfare which the
Union was formed to perpetuate So, in view
OF the probable happening of such an event
| did publicly, and not unfrequently, declare
the opinion. that it was the right and duty of
the State in such contingency to resume her
sovereign functions, so far as they had been
delegated to the general government, and as
announced in the declaration of independence
OF ITS, to institute new government which |
would seem most likely to effect the safety
and happiness of the people.
When the Governor held his conference
with the congressional delegation which has
been referred to, I did not regard the effort to
maintain our rights in the Union as hopeless, |
and though secession must be the separate
act of the State, I did not believe that sim
gle State, II put upon that trial, could posi- |
to such action, there should be an understand |
ing among the States geographically con-
nected, and politically similarly situated. |
AS you and many others will probably re-
member, while had no doubt of the right of |
q state to withdraw from the Union, l be- |
lleved that the sequence Of secession would |
be war, and few knew as well as N.Y. |
self how unfavorably the South compared |
with the North in the possession Of the mate
nal necessary to the prosecution of military
operations Like most may not say nearly
all, Of the people of Mississippi, l desired to
maintain the Union of the constitution In the
terms and in the spirit with which our fathers
had made it, SO, 1t would in any case be to
me matter of regret to see Mississippi with
drawn from the Union, and would be accepted
as an alternative, not that | loved the Union
less, but the rights of freemen more. Not
InaC WlSned TO lnlufe other States, but
that Mississippi was my first and highest
care. Therefore, in the conference referred
to, was opposed to immediate and final &C
ton, and left the conference with the approval
of the other members to go to Washing
ton in answer to a telegram which was
understood to call me there to aid in prevent
ing such action as would tend to further ex-
cite the South, and embarrass efforts for a
peaceful solution of the issues which then
threatened the country. After the meeting of
Congress the arrogance Of the party about to
come into power, and its refusal to accept or
to propose any terms looking to peace, de-
stroyed the last hope that the South would be
permitted to remain in the Union in possess
sion OF the equality and rights which our
s1res had left US for an inheritance for our
children. Then the contingency arose which
had been dreaded, never desired and which it
seemed to me needful and proper to meet ly
the prompt withdrawal OF the States which
stood ready to secede.
Hence the difference between my position
when advising at jackson and when signing
The letter issued at Washington by Repre-
sentatives of the Southern States. The creed |
which adopted early in life has been tena-
ciously adhered to down to the present hour,
If I was not the first to plunge into the con-
iict am among the last to withdraw from {
It. Thanking you sincerely for your kind in
.erposition in my vindication from what I
nope you will see was not intended as a dis {
engagement by my friend Mr.. Singleton, ]
lm az ever, truly your friend.
JEFFERSON DAVIS,