The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02

t'u'h h"'S Nv. NhpAb. ~ thO w VI DLs ~
weaEon and cripple the peace party. How
could their leading men urge the people 70
hopeful prospect Of success in opposition to the
potent argument OF thor advershries that 1t
dent Of tic Confederate States had declared ia
advance, that he would not entertain such q
proposition as they proposed 20 OFFER Had yon
len. would 1t not have been tho clear and
plain dictate OF reason not TO have said any;
the sentiments which you expressed2 Would
1t, not have been time enough to speak OF thcm
Had he been elected and the proposition made,
the control Of the question would then have
iuided to it or rejected Il as You thought
proper. The only rational conclusion ! could
d S5nNnf from n, th iSI Tei EGI rn, # the In,G pT9sG' nIS d in
sired 10 accomplish, bv II what seemed TO be
It's natural and leSitimat" results. But this
Not only was the proposition on which the
peace and states rights party at the North
In advance. but the rejection. you Will allow
me most RESPECTFULLY to say, was, accompanied
have grated very harshiy upon tho feelings OF
all those who advocated II and favored II as q
m .nSips, OF ~ tS Snmr sIsnCh t9 ,so war n,on Th iss tone snb ana
OF peace were. in short, that there, was no
prospect Of peace except by the sword; that a
by u success Of our arms over theirs, that
the only way 10 make s%paniels civil was To
dency OF such language. IL seemed TO ME, was
not only to dampen tho ardor OF the peace men
bitterness OF feelings against us and our cause.
Who would he willing In his advocacy Of peace,
submit himself to the taunts OF the war cham.
pions. that he had been whipped into his. con-
eiliatory mood, and in tbs estimator OF our
q spaniel. and q ,whipped spaniel. at thati 1t
being, as I consider 4, the natural tendency OF
E sne op ,p"nHas0 Of IN pea aees instead ins1esd Of q ft.'n friends
there; 1 could form no other conclusion but
could not suppose that such words, on such an
occasion. escaped you Internationally or I'M
Taking. therefore. all those things into
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES whols course In the case
have some OF the reasons sprInsine from some
of your acts that induced me to think that you
ga belong to that class among us: who.
Semmes. pre- ferrcd Lincoln's election to Nc clel-
lan's. / could soy n great deal more, but lie
What 1 have said has been most frankly
said: though most painfully said. For ! assure
not favor the policy of encouraging and bring
Ing into pGwer at the Sorth. II possible. a
e~reiGnty line has caused me deep regret and
pain; The belief that you. IKE many others
CleiIan's caused me Ike regret and pain. II
this opinion on my part Is not correct as TO
Yourself ! deeply regret it. not only on my own
proper sense of justice to both; but much moro
from the firm belief that 4 like opinion and
W -N'A ~ Ghit't slouNhs mas uoiC RlGhl
injury to what deem the best interest, Of our
ri Sannot think. however. that the publlca-
tion OF my opinion as to your preference be-
tween the Northern candidates will add any
on the minds OF .thoss men at the North to
whom you. alluded which was prod uced by
THE pnjliea in Of the letter IN wh bisfl' this
conclusion OF mine was expressed was a
s So Of res,e, to me; felt eops;rained to
all for the pubic. In vindication OF myself. 1
was subjected to so many erroneous criticisms
tect OF a convention OF the States and our true
be hs1s a duty Gt S'i mo le .a t to myself II than n rne to the iei public Il io
that the reasons for the views entertained by
object. 1 had not tho slightest intention to
attribute to You any senti nent In the matter re.
nothing ~ others. / did Il not feel fully n su
i,ed and even forced. though reluctantly. to be-
f ,isyS that you frte.si,nsdii1 il. S STrru respect
Mr.. Davis considered this long letter for more
than three weeks. Then he answered as fol-
lows:
'EXECUTIvE OFFICE,
"RICHMoNp. Va. Jan. o.. 1865
Hon.. Il. H. Stephens. Vice. President OF the ConJsd.
crate States.
SIR. Ny recent Illness and not arrearages
OF pressing businessiresultinR therefroE: have
prevented an earlier answer to your letter of
The letter is much longer than seems neces.
ing to be informed which OF nv acts YOU re.
ferred to when. you stated In your publication
that thai { iaGin from my acts you should think
Lincoln to Mcclellan. / find on perusal that
many pages are .occunied with an EXPOSITION
of difference which you suppose to exist be-
tween us in relation to the conduct OF public
affairs. You must pardon me for declining
10 enter into any controversy OIL the subject. 1t
does not apnear to me TO be useful, nor be-
coming to tho two highest executive officers
or the Government. especially when the COul-
try is engaged in a f4reiun war.
your "nswor. Se!ther OF them seems seem; to tom" me to
have any bearing on the question addressed to
YOU.
"Firs.-My actions in regard to the case OF
very strange; and Your statement Of facts i'm
April o.-You wrote me on the subject Of
Gable. Your letter reached me, l believe.
''Anrll, lO.-Gcn. Bragg was instructed to
cause car eS SsG II h IL be s,o sxAi wss fou I'd tr discreet re aoT o5ii,
him aud send him to YOU.
~o nApril is;mGen Bragg issued an order to
i h%!' him Il 10 SS sead Capt e. Tia iiiam nnsrie to MAKE it,s the
examination. and. IL proper, act on the sugges-
tion. Of sending him to you.
ing you of what Ind been done. and suggest
Ing my douot whether the representations of
the sA "a IL Nay, You 1f 'nsal q Esi. 'F' fs4 sa6 Ss
"Mav .. Your letter to me tr ,ceived on the
81 81. You learned from correspondence with
Col. Persons. commanding prisoners Camp.
that there there was no prospect OF Cables be-
lag able to visit you for some time and you OK
Dect TO start for Richmond day after to-mor-
row.
in the mean time Grant -rosaed the Rnpi-
dan. the series OF terrible battles on which the
fate oc Richmond depended were being fought.
and as YOU announced that you were on the
eve OF starting for Richmond | had no reason
for answering your letters. AS 1t was fair to pre-
sumo my ans wrr would not reach You. You.
however. did not come to Rich mond and did not
inform me Of your change OF purpose.
Jul" i. Your letter 10 me received on the
10th Of he same month. Gable died on the
18Th. but ! was not aware Of the fact. In your
letter YOU lnclosed one from Cable, dated, on
the 2lst of June. express sed surprise that he had
not been. examined, and urged prompt atten-
tiOn To the case
July. 10, ordered inquiry made as TO the
cnusc OF delay. md directed the Secretary OF
War to give this matter attention
July 70. Report received from Gen. BraGs's
,eaduuarters. On inauiry of Can't. Hammond.
it was learned that he had never received the
order to make the examination: thai the order
was presumed To hav" been lost IN tho disturb.
nncc, OF mail communication by the enemy's
cavalry operations.
July 3l.-Lotte. to Won hv Assistant Secre-
tnry nf Wnr nxpluiDinv the miScnFrirua ~