The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-09-11
LETTER FRNN NN. DAVIS.
arc Says sse il NOT aud VIII Not
he "a Candidate for tlac u. ~.

INN by tue editor OF IHE
LnDapn, asking If he would consent to
allow his name to go before the next
Legislature for the office of United
States Senator, stating that we believed
it was the wish of % majority OF the
people of this State to return him to
the position lie held at the breaking
ont of The war between the States:
BEAuv IR, P.O Mss, Doth Aug 10.
r. H. HENRY. Esq
EditU, Bopkhaven Ledger
My Dear Sir To your inquiry !
might sucoinctIy reply that | am not a
candidate for the ofice of United States
Senator of Mississippi, and do not de-
sire to be elected to that position.
Your uniform friendship and early adj
vocacy of me for that high station,
tntitle you to a full statement of the
reasons which control mel this matter.
Assuming what, in view of recent
events, is by no means probable. that
the requisite majority of Congress
would remove my political disabilities,
and thus spare our, State the affront of
denying to her the right to choose her
own representative, [ proceed to con
slider the case alphabetically presented.
Holding that the personal wishes or
private advantage of an Individual
should not enter into his selection for a
public trust, | do not the less gratefully
appreciate the generous preference for
me which you give assurance is enter
tanned by a majority of the people of
Mississippi. The best return l can
make for such kindness, is to insist
that the only consideration shall be, as
to what will best .promote the welfare
and prosperity Of the State.
The vital issue before the country is
the contest between State-rights and
consolidation. Or, in other words, be-
tween the constitution as it was adopt
ed and interpreted by the Fathers, or
the unrestricted will of the majority.
The first is liberty; the last is despot
ism. The supremacy of law is indis>
pensable to the preservation of popu>
lar freedom, and whether the ruler,
who is a law unto himself, be one
man, or a multitude, the result is alike a
despotism.
The checks and balances, the distri~
button of powers, and the cautious res
ervation gin the tenth article of the
amendments, which we're as conditions
annexed to the compact between the
States. all distinctly show the purpose
to organized a general government
which should be responsible to the
States and their people. Surely the
blood of the revolution had not been
shed merely to effect a change of mas
tiers. Il was for self-government that
the States declared their independence,
and fought until they were severally
acknowledged to be free and indepen-
dent nations.
Thoroughly convinced that the res>
toration of the ideas sDd practices of
the founders and early administrators
Of the general government is the one
thing essential to secure the liberty,
safety and happiness of the people OF
the States and their posterity, the
point for deliberation before answering
your question was, whether [ could, as
an United States Senator, be useful in
attaining that end. The other political
questions which agitate tie country,
are, in my estimation, so subordinate
that | think, after the contemplated
restoration, they could all be easily and
happily adjusted.
Taking as far as n may in a matter
affecting himself, the attitude of a dis
interested party in this discussion, l
will first remark, what is equally known
to you, that in the northern mind there
is an uureasoning opposition to the
doctrine of State rights; and that my
assertion of 1t, with whatever conclu>
sions were necessarily deducible there
from, has made me the special object
Of sectional hostility. Il has, there
fore, followed that others could say,
without creating excitement, that the
like of which if uttered by me, would
be swollen and distored for uses in par
tisan agitation. The future of the
country needs that there should be
calm reflection, and by the light OF
history the relation of the States to the
Union be justly and permanently de-
termined. Sooner or later the princi~
pies to which reference has been made,
will, I tlust, by the force of their inner
ent truth, vindicate themselves to the
common sense of our countrymen of
every section. To hasten the consum
nation, Mississippi has many sons
ADLER than I. From among them let one
be selected who has no political "dis>
abilities" to obstruct his admittance to
the Senate, and against whom there are
no bitter prejadices to impair his use
~fuiness.
Did | desire to return to political life,
the considerations herein presented
would outright that desire. But the
fact is the reverse. Personally, there
fore, while I am grateful to you for
your advocacy, I do not wish to re n
ter the United States Senate. To the
public considerations given, might be
added private reasons, which. conioint-
ly, under existing circumst ances, render
me averse to public station. You are
to announce that my name
will not be, with my consent. included
among the candidates for the United
States Senate to represent Mississippi
in that body.