The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-05-12
A ATARTAR FOR WOLSELEY
Ex xPREsIDENT DAVIS REPLIES TO
RECENT ARTICLES.

The One in the North American Re-
view for This Month the ecreed That
Brought Forth the Answer - 4 he
British Geueral Asked to Prove His
Glittering Generalities.
NASHVILLE, May 1.-THE American
tomorrow will publi'h the following letter
from Hon. jefferson Davis. The letter was
written in reply to request made OF Mr..
Davis by K. W. Carmack, editor Of the
american, fer a statement in reply to Gen.
Wolseley's article in the North. A mericdn
Reciet0 for May, criticising Mr.. Davis
course as president of the confederacy. The
letter of Mr.. Davis is as follows.
BEAuvoR, Miss, May 8, 1880.
Mr.. r. W. Cdrmdct.
My DEA1 SIR-Your kind le ter and copy Of
the North american ReuieU of this month, for
wardel by you, have both been received
comply with your request for a notice OF the
article by Gen Wolseey, which s contained IN
that Revieic. Supposing that you have only
against myself, IL will be 80 limited. year
or sol since that same writer publ he'd
an article co ltainiug matter purporting to have
been gained by intercourse with Gen H. Lee,
wdile his guest during the war between the
states of the American union. To those per
sonally acquainted with Gen Lea who knew his
characteristic discretion, his strict regard for
soaai friendship and ~ confide tial re re-
lations which had long existed between
him and Pres dent Davis. it was Incredible that
he should have seized the opportunity offered
by the arrival OF an itnerant foreigner to
make such statements as woult afford maternal
for the cynical criticism OF the article
referred TO on the administration Of the
confederacy. For the mantle ted host lity
TO me | could imagine no cause unless
an egregious vanity had been wounded
by my failure to not ce his presence IN our
country, presence which It is most prohabi
WAS unknown TO me. My reply then made to
his article exposed his historical errors, his
baseless 1ctions, and acknowledged that / had
previously known nothing OF him save through
his large promises and small performance on
memorable occasion. In the article 10 Which
you now call my attention the adtutant general
of the British amy, Viscount Wolseley, with Ia.
creased venom, renews his attack upon ms aud
opeus IL with the mean cover of a hypocr tical
pretenson Of sympathy. His arrogance here
tofore ex iibltei, was so extreme as TO BE- harm
less, and merely provoked contempt, while il
suggested the inquiry put 10 me Of
whether ne thought knowledge would die with
him. Now, having learned that facts are needed
to sustain allegations, he follows his deprs-
catory remarks concerning me by lbelUua
statements. Where, when or how did ! ever
express the opinion that 10000 Il field rifles
would suffice for the coufederacy? Where,
when Sor how did | then refuse 10
receive '36 200 mon offered for the Confeder.
ate serNCeF Wuefe, When ana now was Etuo
East indian Il et' ever Offered TO meY What
means were rejected by me when proposed by
others for placing the finances Of tie
Confedecy on sound besisi The o
are sp cihcations OF his arraignment.
Where are the proofsf He expresses regret
that no answer was published In the Century 20
20 forth with toe indictments axalnt me, but
was be restricted TO rehash of the articles
there published and TO the views evolved from
his internal consciousnessi : Why, If he wished
TO know the truth, and 10 tell II did he not con.
suit more authentic sources Of Information,
such as Admiral Semmes memoirs Of
the Confederate States In Europ'," by Capt.
James d. Bullock the naval representative OF
the confederate states Ia Europe. or "a History
OF the Confederate States Navy" by j. r.
Scharpe, q. 4. A., or the port OF Mai Caleb
Huse. charged with the pL chase and shipment
OF ordnance aud ordnance stores, or of Gen. j.
YoTghs chief of the ordnance department,
or the re orts Of the Treasury, War aud Navy
departments OF the confederLcy, or the signal
refutation by Secretaries Memmin ler and Tren.
holm of the silly reflection made after tha war
upol confederate governor for not having
sent out the cotton crop OF 1861 as
elsewhere. exc 'pt In the writings Of sectional
enemies or our disappointed candidates for
executive favor, Is To be found concurrent evi.
dence of prompt and energetic efforts
TO secure large importations Of arms and
munitions, and aL the same time
the grossly misreprosented policy of
enrolling only men who could be armed by
drawing from large amount OF private arms
in the country weapons 10 supplement our den-
cheney when the co federacy was organized.
Respectfully and truly JEFFERSON DAVIS.