Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-26
Of an Outrageous
Charge.
A VERY EFFECTIVE SHOT.
WILL DO MY BEST"
The Sergeant Succeeded I'm Getting
The Rangc-The Enemy's Guns
Were Silenced ana Chpture"-
Picrce Young-yVar Songs.


Mr.. J. A. Kelvin. Of this city,
saws the Norfolk Pilot has been
Good enough (at our requesO 70 furnish
ga FOR publication with the original of
,.sr,. interesting letter which he received
q, 1856 from Mr.. Jefferson Davis, eS-
presideut of the Southern Confederacy.
This letter has never been in print here
tofore. and as great interest attaches just
now 10 everything relating TO the charac-
Ter and conduct Of the illustrious south
ernor. his letter will attract much atten-
,,,, as II is a characteristic one and deals
an a temperate and magnanimous way
with a foul SANDER once current against
him.
In conveying the letter 70 us Mr.. Hell
vim writes as follows:
'Tear Colonel.-On the morning OF May
a 1850. en- route from my suburban home
20 the city OF New York, a reverend gem
tleman approached me on the cars, and.
I'm the presence Of q number Of persons
including ladies'. handed me clipping
from the New York Tribune, saying as he
dd so: THAT Is what YOU rebels have in
YOUR hearts"-he knowing that 1 was an
cx-Confederate soldier. The clipping gave
q circumstantial narration TO the effect
that q Mr. Porter nephew Of Ex-Governor
Porter OF Pennsylvania, had heard Mr.
Jefferson Davis speak az Montgomery,
Ala. and that Mr.. Davis there said that
he had prayed 10 live 10 see Grant ana
Lincoln dead, buried. and IN HI and as
d. bad been so fortunate. he was now
ready 10 depart IN peace. Porter, accord |
ing TO the clipping. felt his blood boil, !
and impJlsiyely cried out; Yes and you |
should have been hanged at Fortress |
M0nrocp Whereupon he was seized, push |
"a. and rushed out Of the audience-no- !
body taking his part. sc.
CO., Of course, resented the reverend |
euuemans words and tone, and de- |
MED the crodlbility Of the clipping |
fpeakng OF Mr.. Davis as a gentleman, |
q great man. sc, who would scorn TO |
use such language as that attributed 10 |
him. The people around US In the car, |
/ am glad 20 say, applauded my response
1.-THE enclosed correspondence then en-
sued-l having preserved a copy of my |
letter-ths reply 10 It being the original |
from Mr.. Davis.
"Yours. &c, J. A. KELVIN"
The letter TO Mr. Davis is here given:
New York City, May IA, 1886.
"Mr. Jefferson Davis:
"llustrious sir.-The enclosed clipping
from the New York Tribune |
Of the 18th viii explain itself.
i served the Confederate cause in
the Forty-Fourth Virginia Battalion Of
Petersburg. Va. Since the close Of the
war j have been much among the people
Of both North and South. / must say
so far rs kind treatment is concerned. /
know no dinerence. Personally, / dsbe-
hovc the statement (of the clipping. and
would Ike very much 60 demonstrate 10
tho reverend gentleman that the clipping !
Sc an error. But for this fsct l would not
think OF asking so great "a favor as an
answer from you. Hoping. indeed that
you VIII grant this favor, ] am. sir,
Yours truly. j. A. KELVIN.
'Supt y. q O. Tel. Co.,
'6S Broadway, n. Y"
Mr.. Davis promptly responded as fol-
lows:
Beauvoir, Miss, May II. 1856.
ar. J. a. Kelvin:
Dear Sir have received your letter |
OF May 18th containing d printed slip
pIrportiug % be "a statement OF a person
named Norman Porter Of language used
10y me In a speech at Montgomery In re-
.iI 10 the late President Lincoln and
General Grant
The ftory is so extravagantly absurd
ana bears its refutation so plainly on
SOC face that j take 81 for granted YOU ,
could not have wished me 10 contra ,
oct otherwise than 20 crafty a rever-
'ia friend, whose capacity FOR believing ,
SANDERS against me must have grown
with the meat st feeds upon.
lAou6h the audience 1 addressed at ,
montgomery was large. Il was so placed
D. TO De fully under my view and both
H.. ]
vision OF a trained police. no such scene
as described could have Occurred at
nag meeting without my knowledge
ani without notice being taken Of H.
HeWncre, and under very different
fcumstancee the location and charac-
ef oi which may be described by those
$40 had better opportunity 10 know
DIAN myself, heard that a man was
% IN the neck. 1 VIII send the slip
.on enclosed 20 the Mayor Of Mont
Emery Tor such notice as ne may think
roper 20 take Of IL.
Prompted by notice that reporters
Qr distant newspapers would be pre-
ent al the meeting 81 Montgomery,
900 what was very unusual thing
with me--wrOte ont extended notes
rom which 1 spoke, and those notes !
landed 20 the reporter FOR the Asso-
atcl Press. SO that q libeIer had ! 4
'ftter have selected any other speech
Or Misrepresentation than that made al
lonie0mery. and the only one in which
otcs were used.
! have no doubt the printed report
vas more than usually accurate, though
ot having seen II. but well remember
lg what / intended 10 say as well as ]
'hat 1 ala say Ny belief Is that 1 did
ot use either the name OF Mr.. Lincoln
Z General Grant. and certainly ala not &
mona my refined audience by profanity
? inyectiyo directed against the
cad. Yours respectfully. y
JEFFERSON DAVIS. K