The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-06-19

BEAUyoIR, HARRISON Co, MIss..l
June lnth. ISIS {

3 ~
JuHe 10th, 1873. {
/ Hon. E. Barksdale-Ay Dear Sir:
I The speech of Mr.. Singleton, the notice
/ in THE CLsRIoN. aud 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 10.
gratefully recognized the friendship
which dictated your editorial notice, and
! equally appreciate the same spirit i'm the
( speech of Mr.. Singleton which suggested
| il. The only material difference which
/ perceive exists between you, grows ont OF
\ the different circumstances under which
/ the acts referred to were performed. From
/ the earliest period when | could be said to
have had decided opinion upon the char
actes OF the union OF the States. my unva-
rying creed has been, that the right of a
! State TO secede from the Union, was inner
ent in the sovereignty which each pos
| sessed, but that the exercise of that right
was great, but not the greatest of political
evil, and should therefore only be resorted
to when all other means had been exhaust
ed, 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 I'M
frequently declare the opinion that it was
the right and duty OF the State in such con-
tfngeucy, to resume her sovereign function,
so far as they had been delegated to the
general government, and as announced in
the Declaration OF Independence in l776. to
institute a new government which would
seem most likely TO effect the safety and
happiness of the people.
When the Governor held his conference
with the Congrc ssional delegation which
has been referred to, | did no. regard the
effort to maintain our rights in the Union as
hopeless, and though secession NUT be the
separate act of the State, | did not believe
that a single State if put upon that trial
could possibly succeed. That, therefore
as preliminary to such action, there should
be an understanding among the States geo
graphically connected, and politically sim
llarIy situated. As you and many others
will probably remember, while | had no
doubt OF the right of a State to withdraw
from the Union, | believed that the Sc
quence of secession would be war, and few
knew as we'll as myself how unfavorably
the South cOmpa red with the North, i'm the
possession OF the material necessary to the
prosecution of military operations. Like
most, may not say nearly all OF the people
of Mississippi, | desired to maintain the
Union OF the Constitution in the terms, and
III the spirit, with which our Fathers had
made it, So it would in any case be to me
a matter of regre, to see Mississippi with
drawn from the Union, and would be ac-
cepted as an alternative, not that | loved
the Union less, but the rights of frecmen
more. Not that | wished to iniure other
States, but that Mississippi was my first
and highest care. Therefore in the Con-
ference referred to, | was opposed to imme-
diate and final action, and left the confer
ence with the approval of the other mem
beers, to 90 % Washington in answer to a
telegram which was understood to call me
there to aid in preventing such action as
would tend to further excite the South, and
embarrass efforts for peaceful solution of
the issues which then threatened the coun-
try. After the meeting of Congress, the ar
rogance OF the party about to come into
power, and its refusal to accept, or to pro-
pose any terms looking to peace, destroyed
the last hope that the South would be per
mitted to remain in the Union. In pos session
of the equality and rights which our sires
had left US for an Inheritance for our chill
dren. Then the contingency arose which
had been dreaded, never desired, and which
it seemed to me needful and proper to
meet by the prompt Withdrawal of the
States which stood ready to secede.
Hence the difference between my position
when advising at Jackson, and when sign
ing the letter issued al Washington by Rep
resentativGs of the Southern States. The
creed which | adopted early in life, has
been tenaciously adhered to down to the
present hour. If | was not the first to
plunge into the conflict, | am among the
last to withdraw from it, Thanking you
sincerely for your kind interposition in my
vindication from what | hope you will see
was not intended as a disparagement by my
friend Mr.. Singleton, L am as ever,
Trdly your friend,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.