The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-29
A PoRTENTous BREEZE,

This mornings Republican contains the
following:
"The following letter has for several
days been awaiting space for publication;
BEAUvorR, MISS, November 8, ISL
Editor So. Louis, Republican:
DEAR SIR have tonight received
the enclosed published account of remarks
made by General w. 7. sherman, and ask
the use of your columns to notice only SO
much as particularly refers to myself, and
which is to be found in the following ex-
tracts
THE following is taken from the st.
Louis Republicans:
Frank p. Blair Post, G.. A. r., opened
their new hall, corner Seventeenth and
Olive streets, last night
General Sherman addressed the as
scmblage. He had read letters which he
believed had never been published, and
which very few people had seen. These let
tiers showed the rebellion to be more than
a mere secessiun-it was a conspiracy,
most dire. Letters which had passed be-
tween Jeff Davis and man whose name
it would not to do to mention, as he is
now member of the United
States Senate, had been seen by
the speaker and showed Davis
position. He was not a secessionist.
His object in starting the rebellion was
not merely for the secession of the South,
but to have this section of the country so
that he could use it as a fulcrum from
which to fire out his shot at the other
sections of the country and compel the
people to do as he would have them. JEFF.
Davis would have turned his hand against
any State that would secede from the
South after the South had seeded from
the North. Had the rebellion succeeded,
General Sherman said, the people of the
North would all have been slaves"
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
'The following is from the GlObe-Demo-
Gratis report:
referring to the late war, he said it
was not, as was generally understood, u
war of secession from the United States,
| but conspiracy. Il have been behind
the curtains said he, and L have seen
| letters that few others have seen and have
| heard conversations that can not be re-
| peated, and l can tell you that jeff Davis
never was n secessionist. He was con-
! spirator. He did not care for divisions
| from the United States. His object
was to get fulcrum from which to oper-
ate against the Northern States, and If
he had succeeded he would to-day be the
master spirit of the continent and you
would be slaves. | have seen letter
from Jefferson Davis to a man whose
name can not mention, because he is
United States Senator. l know Davis
writing and saw his signature, and in that
letter he said he would turn Lees army
| against any State that might attempt to
secede from the Southern Confederacy'"
''The public assault, under the covert
plea that it is based upon information
which regard for United States Senator
does not permit him to present, will, to
honorable minds, suggest the idea of ir-
responsible SANDER.
at is thus devolved upon me to say
that the allegation of my ever having
written such a letter as is described is I'M
qualifedly false, and the assertion that
had any purpose, or wish to destroy the
liberty and equal rights of any State,
either North or South, is a reckless,
shameless falsehood, especially be-
cause it was generally known
that for many years before, as well as
during the war between the States, was
al earnest advocate of the strict construc-
ton State-rights theoryof Mr.. jefferson.
What motive other than personal maligni-
ty can be conceived for so gross libel.
eff General Sherman has access to any
letters purporting to have been written
by me which will sustain his accusations,
let him produce them, or wear the brand
of base Slanderer.
..t Yours respectfully,
JEFFERSON DAVIS"
General William T. Sherman was sitting
at his desk in his study this morning at
the Sherman residence, on Garrison
avenue, writing letter, when the re-
porter called. 81 have read the letter of
Jefferson Davis in this mornings paper"
he began at once, anticipating ques-
tions, sand l have nothing to say
to the newspapers" He laid
down his pen and turning in his chair
said with that firm tone which showed
that the subject had stirred up his
ire: "This is an affair between two
gentlemen. l will take my time about
it and write to Mr.. Davis himself. We
will settle the matter between us"
''Have the papers misrepresented you
: in your remarks before Frank Blair Post
, G. A. r ?'' was asked.
az say nothing about that. My reply
to Mr. Davis will not be through the pa.
pers. They are not the arbiters of this
, question, nor the go-between for any
dispute. / have no more to say"
, The General began writing again and
, closed the interview.
What the outcome of this direct charge
and positive denial will be, of course nc
> one can foretell, but the characters of the
/, two men are well known, and unless there
has been mistake or misrepresentation
somewhere which, when discovered, vii
furnish key to the solution of the mis-
: understanding satisfactory to both par
} ties, serious results may follow. Furthe
: developments will be anXiously awaited
y
+ The Long Trance.
D | CLEVELAND, o.. NoYember o