The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-09-23
AN OLD QUESTION.

AASNAUy ~ OAUA EAAV1SAA1SAA - eAAA
community, in the course of IA general
conversation, broached aud reviewed the
question of the circumstances under
which United States Senator David Lee
Wy Of Florida changed his name to David
Yulee aud the probable cause which in
duced the change. Several explanations
of the matter were recalled and debated,
but nule of these were fortified by suf-
ticient evidence OF authenticity to prove
conclusive, aud the problem remained as
far from satisfactory solution as it had
previously been. According to Que ac-
count, the Senator's original PATRONAGE
was Yulee aud its altaratinn~-was -.>f-
effected at the request of Il wealthy Is
raelite who wilied tho Senator u large
sum Of money on condition that he as
sumo the name of Levy. Other versions
assign motives less creditable, but they
are..founded mainly on conjecture.
One Of the gentlemen engaged i'll the
discussion of this question was our we'll
informed friend, Judge H. II. Carver,
who, recalling the intimacy known t"
have existed between Mr.. Yulee and Hon.
Jefferson Davis during their service to-
gether as members Of the United States
Senate, addressed a letter to Mr.. Davis
asking information OH the subject under
dispute. To this the following reply was
accorded by the distinguished gentleman
around whose name cluster memories OF
so many great events in the history OF
the past thirty years:
BEAuvoIR, HARRISON Co., MISS, !
| August TO- 1882.
| CAPT. Fl. H. CARVER:
Ny Dear Sri have no positive information
as to the reason why Mr.. Yulee changed his
name, or as to manner of doing SO. There could
have been nothing secret i'll tho transaction
! and my close relations with him in the U. s.
Senate. assures me that there could not have
been any discreditable motive for the change
Indeed you will readily perceive, that it was but
a liberal matathesis.
| There WAS stony that his grandfather changed
his patronymic from Levy to Yulee, and tina,
| his father resumed the name of Levy, and thai
/ the subject Of your inquiry took the grand
fathers hume Of Yulee. OF the truth of the
story have no reliable authority. for though
| intimate with Senator Yulee we never conyersee
on the subject of his name. That there wai
nothing secret in connection with his change Of
name is plain from the facts, that he FIRST
| appeared by the name of David Levy, at the
opening Of the Twenty eighth Congress, as thu
Territorial delegate of Florida; in the Twenty
ninth Congress his name does not appear; anc
ut the Thirtieth Congress, he took his seat c.
the Senator from the State of Florida, by thu
name of David Levy Yulee.
do not recollect that the U. s. Senate took
any action on the matter of his change Of name
nor can see how the question could have bee.
entertained by that body. His election, as vel
as his name, were subjects which the Stat'
Legislature controlled, SO far as the making o
the one, or the change of the other was con
cerned; that is, it was so, when we had Suite
with the powers originally retained by them
If had possessed more exact information, m,
answer might have been shorter and NOR
satisfactory.
Respectfully and truly your friend.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.