Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-15
The VERY DOCUMENT.
That Letter of Which TeCumseh
Sherman Spoke
SUCH POSITIVE TERMS
An Alleged Copy Furnished From the
Capital Of the Tar Heel
State.
READ 1T F0R YOURSELF

RALEIGH, N. c., December l4.-In ref
e,ence to the recent controversy between
Gen. Sherman and Jefferson Davis, in
which the former charged the latter with
having threatened to force certain States to
remain in the Confederacy, it has been
stated that Davis letter containing this
threat was writtento Gov. Vance, now United
States Senator, in reply to his letter to
President Davis, of October 25, 1852. 1t
has been stated also that the letter of Davis
had been destroyed. This is mistake
The letter is here, and Is now in possession
of gentleman of Raleigh. It's as follows:
RICHMOND, Va, November II, 1862.
To His Ercellcncy Gorernor Tdnce, Raj
eigh, ~ e.:
DEAR Sill have the honor to acknowl-
edge yours Of the 10Th ult., and regret the
disappointment to which some of the re-
cruits Of North Carolina have been sub
iected. concur with you as to the policy
of allowing the conscript, as far as the
state of service will permit to select the
companies and regiments in which
lbev are to serve. The right secured
by law, of the volunteer, to select his own
company was lost, it is true, by the enroll.
mems, but the policy was so obvious OF
associating men together who would best
harmonize 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 in.
ability to draw troops from the army, OF
Northern Virginia rendered it proper that
the greater exertion should be made
Immediately to fill up the regi-
ments in General French's command,
but this did not interfere with allowing con.
scripts to select among those regiments one
TO which they would be assigned, SO long as
vacancies existed in the companies chosen
and that expected would have been done.
will send your letter to the War Depart
ment with copy of my reply to you and
hope for the future there viii be
40 ground for dissatisfaction, and
hat as far as feasible the disappointments
10 which you refer may be corrected by
rrarafer. / feel grateful to you for the cor:
dial manner in which you have sustained
every proposition connected with the public
IefeLse, and trust there will always be such
co-inlelligence and accordance as will ena'
ple 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 dIscontent
which resulted from retaining twelve
months men beyond the term oftheir orig
inal engagement and was fairly regarded
as q measure to equitably distribute the
burden of public defense, but State author
lies rave not offered any opposition TO its ex-
ecut;on or withheld their aid eX-
cep, in the State Of Georgia and so
far as cadets Of military institute
are concerned in the State OF Vir-
ginia. shall endeavor By judicial decis'
ion to settle the question raised in these two
States. and in the meantime / have been
cheered BY evidence of popular sentiment
which supports any measure necessary
to protect our country and secure
our political independence. Like
Yourself have hoped that party
distinctions which existed at former
time would be buried in the graves Of the
gallant men who have fallen in defense Of
their bir,hright, and that we should all. az
band of brothers, strike for the inheritance
our fathers left US. With sincere regards
am Respectfully and truly,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.