Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-28
LETTER FRox JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Uns BILE to Attend the Laying OF tbs Corner
Stone Of the Oonfso crate Monument.
JACKSON, MISS, May 2S.-During the
ceremonies yesterday connected with the
laying of the corner. stone Of the Confed-
crate monument here the following letter
of regret from Jefferson Davis wss read
by Colonel j. L. Power:
REAUvo1R, MISS. May q, 1888.
Ladies Of the Confederate Monument Assoeia-
ton of Mississippi:
1 duly received your gratifying invita-
ton to my family and myself to be pres
emit at the laying Of the cornerstone OF
the monument to commemorate the dead
of Mississippi who died for the state.
This acknowledgment has been de-
lsyed under the hope that my
health would soon improve to
enable me to participate in the ceremony.
The earnest desire to be with you on thst
occasion led me to hope against the bet
ter Judgment OF others that might be
physically able to join you in a work
which Is very near to my heart. The
monument will be the first erected by
Mississippi to her sons who at the call
of their mother forgot all selfish csres and
went forth, If need be, to die for her
cause. This omission cannot be
ascribed to the absence Of meritorious
claims to such considerations for Missis-
sippians have neither been OF the war
party 10 peace nor of the peace party in
war. In the territorial infancy OF our
state, when the population was mainly
confined to q few river counties, an In
dian war with it's characteristic ferocity
WAS waged on the frontier settlement.
At the cry of the helpless, the Missis-
sippians rushed to ms though fe and
iliy prepared for war. Among the list OF
nv memories was the grief Of our people
because of the massacre at Fort
Mimms, where many Of our mel hbors
died in the fulfllmeut OF that
noblest motive OF human action which
causes one to give his life that others may
have life. No monument for the instruc-
ton of the rising generation commemor.
stes these evente, and the commonly used
school books are not devoted to southern
history. At Pensacola OF Fort Bower ana
in the battle of New Orleans, Mississippi
bore an honorable part. Your monument
will stand In the county Of Kinds, the
name of the leader OF the Mis-
sissippi Dragons whose conduct IN
LQe D&ktlS Vi NOV O.kVaA6 W"o
commended In the general orders
for the admiration Of one army ana the
wonder of the other. At later day
when Mississippi was sent 3 requisitlon
for troops to serve in the war between the
United States and Mexico the difficulty
was not 10 get the requisite number OF
companies, but to discriminate among
those effsriug in excess OF the numbers
which would be received. An attempt
was made to build monument to those
who bled and died in the foreign lanc,
but IL failed. If asked why, the reason Is
on the surface. It was not woman's
work. Daughters Of Mississippi, you
have lsoored in q cause the righteousness
of which only he can deny whose soul is
devoid of patriotism, that in his country's
strife he could give cid and comfort
to the enemy. Il would have been great
qualification to me to stand among the
survivors Of the Mississippi army, snd In
the laying Of the corner stone OF the
monument to their deceased comrades to
recall their virtues, mingled attributes Of
hero and the saint under this definition.
Please be assured that In spirit shall be
with you and for the zeal with which you
have faced all discouragement and the
devotion you have shown to the purpose
which had only its merits for its reward,
pray you to accept from the inmost hber
OF his heart the thanks OF An old Miesls-
sippian. Faithfully,
TSignedl JEFFERSON DAvIas Z