The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-11-20
Two Dollars a Year.

1 Davis prominence in any public position.
Mr.. Davis Was but one OF millions capable
ana equally clear in their views. and he
I hat the concurrence OF millions North.
The conflict l. certainly 20 be traced even
4 Though then in abeyancr) To the Derlara-
4 5ion OF Independence, which declared '.a!i
men t. be free and eqal; thar they were en-
! tipWed by their Creator with cprtaip in
/ tlieuabe rights; that amongst turm are
/ life, liberty, aud The pursuit OF happiness"
! Then .fter. ia the constitution OF Tie Uni
ted States. an instrument in large part made
/ by the same uen, their priuciple OF iuda.
/ peudeuce i virtually disavowtd: slavery
| IS permitted anl political privileges given
/ 10 the holders OF slaves not given to any
| other-a principle they We're 50 ashamed of
a. not 10 BE- willing 10 boldly avow. bur
conceded under the curious paragraph OF
| ''three-h ithS OF all other persons = Here
| was the foundation OF the irrepvessfblr
| conflict and OF secession. a principle which
| required the concurrence of the individual
States 10 be etiectual, and designating thus
| that there was 4 power surrendered and 81
power reserved. Mr.. Davis was nor even a
| prime mover of secession in 1861 nor i he
| more responsible for the views he enter
| aimed IN common with those millions who
cuncurred with him in the South than are
| II so much, that other great body Of North
| ern men who, in 1864. in Chicago declared
| war To be wrong and failure, and should
| be stopped; who threatened Assassination
If IL could not be stopped by ballot; a party
| with those who had arms in their hands
| fighting 20 sustain secession and mum her
| ing l,S0S,125 voters, the action OF Jefferson
| d avis, the views he expresses. the part hf.
| took, does not, think, under the circum-
| stances, justify the rxpletves used against
him of "sEretch." "trairor," etc certainly.
! in no greater measure than t. Generals
Lee, johnson. Polk and others. Mr. Davis
| opinions and his course differ from that OF
the writer in many respects; but no more
lFKrFf f1t fAtTlFa fAN 2 ftr,Hg. ~.
those great national measures now equally
| or nearly equally OF moment in the opinion
| of the people, about which they are dirncrl =
opposed, and ombating almost to often
| threatening war now.
| There are few men who have been more
| distinguished in the various walks of life.
| from the highest TO the lowest than MIR
/ Davis. As a soldier in the Back Hawk war
| and in the Northwest for ten wears after
ISIS; IS representative in the Congress OF
the United states from Mississippi: A.
/ Colonel and General in the Mexican war.
| where he was terribly wounded under Gen
eral Taylor, his father-in-lgw; As senator ia
Congress for two terms; As Secretary OF
War for four years; again as Senator and
then as Confederate President Of ali the
/ people who believed in secession Ar
| Davis has been the political peer of his AS
socjates; has been spected b. all a one OF
the foremost has ably and purely done bis
duty, as IL believed it, in the positions he
has occupied. and in Ali his relations in life
aud has retired with no such odious chArro,
a we now hear so often in rhe North and
yet, with the respect and affections OF his
associates evSrv where, it is quite out Of
place, think, to apply to such "A man epi-
thets NOT often used in papers OF high posi-
tion or between gentlemen.
OF course there is, between the North auC
the south, mutual MISUNDERSTANDING, re.
elimination, and n wide difference vet
The military records in the War Depart
ment of the United States sent me, presen
very curious facts in regard tn prison life
20 bitterly poken OF while 81 ,593 Fedora
soldiers died in Confederate prisons. 30
7I5 Confederate soldiers died i'm TTnioi
prlsons-a difference of only SIT against til,
South. such fact should teach us caution
in the use OF abusive cpithets, when tact.
: so vitality of interest to all have been, eac
side, so diVerseiy understood and represent
ed, and at the same time so presented as t
forbid unbeiief.
LETTER FROM MR.. DAVIS.
When the sey re structures and sever
language was read, there were bat sna
, portions of the speech commented mo
; given. | doubted whether the views, al
tributed to Mr.. Davis were correct. rs the
differed altogether from those found in h
: CORES pondence with me since the war.
! order 10 he certain. | sent Mr. Davis th
I paper, and asked him direct questions
E quote part of his letter in reply, other parr
l left out having no reference to this que.
ton. He wrote:
= IF any, who do not know me as well a
> you do. have believed from the language q
nay assailants that l was seeking to rene
= sectional strife, word uttered by N
: gives support to that opinion. | did NJ
say it; do not wish it.
: "NOthing could be more unfounded all
) | absurd than the attempt to construe m
= ! speech at Mississippi City AS IA dsclaratio
, OF a purpose or wish to re establish A africa
u slavery in the Southern States, passing b
: the void attempt OF the Federal GOVERNED
U by undelegated power TO emancipate n
slaves in the Southern States it is enough
u remember that conventions, representa-
:, the sovereign power in those States, haV
q passed valid acts of emancipation. an
) there Is no power ia repeal them. But
may be as well to add, that If there WEI
e such power, there are few. il any in tF
e South who would now wish to exercise
u The good in that Institution was so unit,
e to the lifelong and unquestionable chara
y ter of that relation. that the bond havif
II once been broken, could never be useful
= or happily re-esfablished.
Il "Tlme, that great healer of social wound
= has mitigated The evils inflicted by the su,
= den and violent disruption of master Al
ii slave"
le The article makes me say the question
State ghts-secession in lS6l-was deb
R. table, but in the speech it was spoken Of
an attribute of sovereignty, etc. thus shOy
ing that | must have said as reported in Il
sc Democrat, that the exercise Of the RIG
III was debatable in 1861 that is that the e.
.: pediency of resorting to it. was quesJi.
oi on which men might differ, as they hi
ie while agreeing as TO the existence Of tn
y right The writer quotes, and then max
e remarks contradictory 10 his quotation.
AC substituting for abide by the ConstitutiO
A. and laws made in conformity with it
n submit only TO the laws as they original
DIT stood
of at is asserted that secession was new
III heard of except in the interest of SLAYER
re There stands the record of the Hartfo
~ Convention, the speeches in Congress
~ the admission OF Missouri the legislati
50 proceedings in Massachusetts and otf
~ New England States, on that question; a
"a at later day. on the annexation OF Tex
3 All threaten TO secede from the Union, 40
treating it as debatable right, but only
OF a question of expedencv."
u The writer has not the slightest dou
~ | that these are truly the views Of Mr.. Dav
u and that he has been greatly miscons ru,
c Mr.. Davis from lis boyhood has been a te'
- less man to declare and defend his view
Y He is not the base and tmid man To p
oh yariea'e. The estimation in which he
- held by the Southern people is shown
y many WAYS. The gathering and prest
or tatiops which called out this late speech
~ his friends, shows respect amidst all
~ TEN ptatlon5 of so varied a public Ii
~ There is no stain attributable 10 him. exec
1l 80 far AS is from that great difference
- views or duty which gave rise to the W
- and which he shares or is chargeable
r. more than the millions who concurred "
ne him, and aided by sacrifices and strugg
~ unIurpas> ed, North or South. ConSideri
~ Mr.. Davis' position. as described, his .
~, uI sonal denial and explanation will be
ne onaStion ,li-c,ssad DC - III rro .
Is views. CRAFTS j. WRIGHT
ng
n of Fair Agnes.
nd