The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-12-18
And the Latter Cannot be Accused OF
Telling the Truth.
A CHAPTER ON conscRlPTIohs
For tho Confederate Cause In Document
Directed 20 Gov. Vance, Saying
"stand Together Like
Band OF brothers"
"oNLY THIS AND NOTHING MORE

CHICAGO, Dec, IA Raleigh, North
Carolina special says: In reference to
the recent controversy between Gen.
Sherman and Jeif Davis, in which the
former charged the latter with having
threatened To force certain states TO re-
main in the confederacy, 1t has been
stated that Mr.. Davis letter, containing
this tn eat, was written TO Gov. Vance,
now United States senator, in reply
To his letter 10 President Davis,
of October q, 1862. 1t has
been stated also that the
letter of Davis had been destroyed.
This is mistake. The letter Is hero
and is now in the possession OF aBeh-
tleman OF Raleigh. 1t Is AS follows:
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. II, ls62:-To His EX-
celloncy, Governor Vance, Raleigh, NORM
Carolina:
DEAR SIR:-I have the honor to
acknowledge yours of the 18th ult., anu
regret the disappointment 70 which
some of the recruits of North Carolina
have been subjected. l concur with
you AS TO the policy o; allowing the con-
scripts, as far as the stale Oh
service will permit, to select
the companies and regiments in which
thew are to serve. The right secured by
law, of volunteer to select his own
company was lost. 1t is true that
by enrollments the policy was 80
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 inabil-
ity to draw troops from the army OF
northern Virginia, rendered 1t
proper that the greatest exertlon
should be- made Immediately to
fill up the regiments in Gen. French's
but this did not interfere
with allowing conscripts to select
among those regiments to which they
would be assigned, so long as 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 re-
Div to you, and hope Tor the future there
will be no ground for dissatisfaction,
and that as far as is feasible the
appointments to which you re-
fer may be corrected by transfer.
I feel grateful 10 you for the cordial
manner in which you sustained every
proposition connected with the public
defense and trust there will always be
such co-intelligence and accordance
as will enable US 10 cooperate Tor
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 retain
ing the twelve months men beyond the
term OF their original engagement, and
was fairly regarded as measure equl
tably to distribute the burden OF
public defence; but state authorities
have nowhere offered opposition to its
executive or withheld their aid except
in this state of Georgia, and so far as the
cadets of the Military institute are
concerned in the state OF Virginia, l
shall endeavor by judicial decision to
settle the question raised on those two
states, and in the meantime I have been
cheered by the evidence OF the popular
sentiment which supports any measure
necessary to protect our country and
secure our political independence. Like
Yourself, have hoped that party dis
tinctions, which existed at a former
time, would be buried in the graves
of the gallant men who have fallen in
defense of their birthright, and that we
should all, as band of brothers, strike
for the inheritance our fathers left us.
With sincere regards, am, respect
fully and truly,
ISigned JEFFERSON DAVIS.