The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-05-31
JEFF DAVIS,
He Writes Another Letter, This
Time to the Ladies of
Mississippi.
The Two Branches of the Pres
byterlan Church Rapidly
Approaching Reunion.

JACKSON, Miss, May 26.-During the
ceremonies connected with the laying of
the corner stone of the confederate monu-
msnt here, the following letter of regret
from jefferson Davis was read by Col. j..
L. Powers:
BEAUvoIR Miss, May 81, 1SsS.-Ladies
of the Confederate Monument Association
of Mississippi: 1 duly received your
gratifying invitation to my family and
to myself to be present at the laying of
the corner stone of the monument to
commemorate the dead of Mississippi who
died for the state. This acknowledgment
has been delayed under the hope
that my health would soon improve so
as to enable me to participate in
the ceremony. An earnest desire to be
with you on that occasion led me to hope,
against the better judgment of others,
that l might be physically able to join
you in work which is very near to my
heart. Your monument will be the first
erected by Mississippi to her sons, who,
at the call of their mother, forgot all selfish
cares and went forth, if need be, to die
for her cause. This omission cannot be
ascribed to the absence of meritorious
claims or considerations, for Mississippi
ans have neither been of the war
party in peace, nor of the peace party
in war. In the territorial infancy of our
state, when, the population was mainly
confined to few river counties, an In
dian war, with Its characteristic ferocity,
was ravaging the frontier settlement At
the cry of the helpless, the Mississippians
rushed to arms, though few and ill-pre-
pared for war. Among the first of my
memories was the grief of our people be-
cause of the massacre of Fort Mimms,
where many of our fighters died in
the fulfillment of the noblest motive of
human action, which causes one to give
his life that others may have life. No
monument for the instruction of the
rising generation commentaries the
event, and the commonly used school
books are not devoted to southern his
tory. At Pensacola or Fort Bower, and
in the battle of New Orleans, Mississippi
bore an honorable part. Your moEu-
ment will stand in the county of Kinds,
the name of the leader of the Mississippi
Dragons, whose conduct in the battle OF
New Orleans was commended in the gen
ersl orders for the admiration of one
later day, when Mississippi sent a requi,
sition for troops to serve in the wal
between the United States and Mexico, the
difficulty was not to get the requisite
number of companies,bu to discriminate
among those Offering, in the excess oil
numbers which would be required AL
attempt was made to build monument
to those who bled and died in foreign
land, but it failed. If asked why, the
reason is On the surface-it was mo-
woman's work. Daughters of Miss
issippi, you who have labored il
the cause of righteousness which only hi
can deny whose soul is devoid of patriotism
that in his country's strife he could giv'
aid and comfort to the enemy. ItSwoulc
have been great qualification to me tc
stand among the survivors of Mississippi't
army, and in laying tie corner stone Of
the monument to their deceased comrades
to recall their virtues, the mingled attri-
butes of the hero and the saint. Under
this definition please be assured that II
spirit shall be with you, and for the yea
with which you have faced all discourage
ments and the devotion you have shown t.
the purpose which had only its merits TO
its reward, 1 pray you to accept from the
Utmost fibre of his heart, the thanks of al
old Mississippisn.
Faithfully,
GSigned. JEFFERSON DAVIS.