The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-09-19
LETTER FROM MIR. DAVIS.
He Says He is Not and Will Not BE n
Candidate for the United
States Senate.


States Senate.
The following letter was written by
Hon. Jefferson Davis in reply to one
addressed him by the editor of the
Ledger, 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 he held at the breaking
out of the war between the States:
BEAUvoIR p. o., MISS, Aug, 10.
r. II. Henry, Esq, Editor Brookhayen
Ledger:
My Dect,' iSi': To your inquiry /
might succinctly reply, that 1 am not a
candidate for the Office of United States
Senator of Mississippi, and do not de-
uniform friendship and early advocacy
of me for that high station, entitle you
to full statement of the reasons which
control me in 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 de-
nying to our State the right to choose
her own representative, 1 proceed to
consider the case alphabetically pre-
| Sented.
Holding that the personal wishes or
private advantage of an individual
should not enter into his selection for a
public trust, 1 do not the less gratefully
appreciate the generous preference for
me which you give assurance is enter
tanned by majority of the people of
Mississippi. The best return I 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 adopted
and interpreted by the fathers, or the
unrestricted will of the majority. The
first is liberty; the last is dcspotism.
The supremacy of law is indispensable
! to the preservation of popular freedom,
and whether the ruler, who is law
unto himself, be one man or a multi
tude, the result is alike a despotism.
The checks and balances, the distri-
button of powers, and the cautious res
ervation in the tenth article of the
| amendments, which were as conditions
annexed to the compact between the
States, all distinctly show the purpose
to organize 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 change of masters. 1t was
for self-government that the States de-
clared their Independence, and fought
until they were severally acknowledged
to be free and independent nations.
Thoroughly convinced that the res
| toration of the ideas and 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 I could, as an
United States Senator, be useful in at
tanning that end. The other political
questions which agitate the country,
are, in my estimation, SO subordinate
that 1 think, after the contemplated
restoration, they could all be easily and
happily adjusted.
Taking as far as one may in q 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
theGG Is dtl OppooAtioh ~
the doctrine of State rights; and that
my assertion of it, with whatever con-
clusions were necessarily deducibie
therefrom, is made the special object of
sectional hostility. 1t has, therefore,
followed that others could say, without
creating excitement, that the like of
| which if uttered by me, would be
swollen and distorted for uses in par
tisap agitation. The future of the
country needs that. there should be
calm reflection, and by tho 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, 1 trust, by the force of their in
hcrent truth, vindicate themselves to
the common sense of our countrymen
| of every section. To hasten the con-
summation, Mississippi has many SONS
ablcr than /. From among them let
one be selected who has no POLITICAL
ndisabilities'' to obstruct his admit
| fo tho Sanofo and aOoipSt whom