The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-15
THAT JEFF DAVIS LETTER.
j Document PurpOrting To Be a Copy Of the
Letter Sent to Gov Vance.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA "A Raleigh, N. G.,
special says: In reference to the recent contro-
Versy between General Sherman and JEFF. Davis,
in which tbs former charged the latter with hav
ing threatened to force certain States to remain
in the Confederacy, it has been stated that Da-
viss letter containing this threat was written to
Governor Vance, now United States Senator, in
reply to his letter to President Davis Oct. 25,
1862. 1t has been stated also, that the letter of
Davis had been destroyed. This is mistake;
the letter is here and is in possession of gen
tleman of Raleigh 1t is as follows;
"RIcHMoND, Va, Nov, 16, 1862
"To His Excellency Governor Vance, Raleigh, N. @.
'Dear Sir-I have the honor to acknowledge
yours of the 25th ult, and regret the disappoint-
ment to which some of the recruits of North
Carolina have been subjected. | concur with
you as to the policy of allowing the conscripts,
as far the State of the service will permit. to
select the companies and regiments in which
they are to serve. The right secured, by law, of
the volunteer to select his own company was
lost, it is true, by enrolment but the
policy was so obvious of assOciating
men together who would best har-
monize with each other that it
was my purpose to continue the privilege beyond
the limit fixed by law The danger TO the coast
of North Carolina, and our inability to draw
troops from the Army of Northern Virginia
defeu IL proper tLdU the greatest eXerblOn SHOulu
be made Immediately to fill up the regiments in
Gen. Freneh's command; but this did not inter
fere with allowing couscrpts 10 select among
those regiments, the one to which they would be
~ -si's2saf long az vacancies existed in The
companies chosen and that l expected would
have been done l will send your letter to the
War Department. with copy of this reply to
you. and hope for the future there will be no
ground for dissatisfaction, and that, as far as
feasible the disappointment to which you refer
may be corrected by transfer.
II feel grateful to you for the cordial manner
in which you have sustained every proposition
connected with the public Defense and trust
there will always be such co-intelligence and ac-
eordance will enable us to cooperate for the
public good The conscript act has not been
popular anywhere out of the army. There as
you are aware, it serves to check the discomfort
which resulted from retaining the twelve months
men beyond the term of their original engage
ment and was fairly regarded as measure
equitable to distribute the burden of the pub
he defense; but the. State authorities have
nowhere offered any opposition to its execution
or withheld their aid except in the State of
Georgia. and so far as the cadets of the Military
Institute concerned, in the State of Virginia.
] shall endeavOr by judicious decision, to set
tie the question raised in those two States; and
in the meantime l have been. cheered by
the evidence of popular sentiment which
supports any measure necessary to protect our
country, and secure political independence.
Like yourself, have hoped that the party dis
tinctions that existed at n former time would be
have fallen in defense of their birthrght. and
that we should all, as band of brothers, strike
for the inheritance our forefathers left us. With
sincere regard am,
Respectfully and truly
JEFFERSON DAVIS"