The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-15
MR.. CALHOUN IN REPLY.
He il of The Same Opiujon Still

Columbia, ). C.. July II. In the matter o
the last meeting OF the cabinet of the South
ern ConfederacS, II has been my aim To Try
to settle il detiuateIy. 1t should be settled
beyond donbt-not to satisfy the local pride
of either A Abbevlle or Washngton-buti In the
interest OF history.
so far, the facts seem to establish very con-
clusiveIy that the last real and legal cabinet
meeting WAS held at Abbeville. S. u, that the
great seal OF the Confederacy was last seen
and destroyed there, after the cabinet meet
ing, In opposition To the wishes OF Mr.. Davis,
hau formally dissolved the Cunlederacy.
No denial oJ the JacL is made that MIR. Davis
was in Washington with few members OF
his cabinet, that hessu ed.certain orders there
as II appears, wi hout signing himself As the
president, and that he did other things that
did not require q cabinet meeting. All that
he did there was 10 Issue orders 10 dispose OF
that portion OF the Confederate luuds That
were in charge of Mr.. Clark, and to appoint
that gentleman treasurer for the purpose oil
dlsoursing them, that being necessity. so
far as l can zee, no facts are given of Il cabinet
meeting at Washington. the people OF that
place simply rely ylng on what Mrs: DAVIS sara
statements OF Mr.. H. NJ. Clark. AT AbbevlIe
the facts and the subjects discussed at the
meeting are given, as we'll as the conduct OF
MIR. Davis.
In the face of all that Mrs. Green and Mr..
Emmet Callan, of Washington, Ga, still try
to prove that that city Is the place where the
last cabinet meeting took place, and they take
me seNeIeiJ AZ tosn ioi no' "S'eei" "A'
them.
through ,the Chronicle, thinking that there
would be no other Richmond IN the neld !;
but since MIR. Callsn has made bis appear
ance, and has taken up the cndgels and tried
10 give me some bard knocks. l will publish
my reply 10 Mrs Green with few corrections
crack The following IL Mrs. Green's letter
Dear Madam: 1 read this morning your
reply in the Augusta Chronicle 10 what had
10 say shout the last meeting Of The Conled
crate c biuet.
~ call your attention to my second letter
on the letter on the same subject In the
Chronicle OF yesterday, covering the ground
more fully. 1 will have the data,to show that
the Confederacy expired before 1t reached
II do not consider your letter by any means
conclusive, nor Is the one from Mr.. Clark that
you seem to have lost the track on one or
two ilnprtant points and then you do not
agree with MIR. Clarke In some important
dates, etc., thus still more confusing the mat
ter, will not now 70 into all OF them, but
will call your attention TO two or three.
Mr.. Clark states that the last cabinet
meeting was held May anc that they left on
that night. You date the appointment Of
Mr.. Clark on the 5th. That appointment was
made after was dissolved at Abbevtlle and
while there was q man fl ling that Office who
had not resigned or been removed and who
was still dlscharging his duties. Mr. Davis
az he was no longer president OF The Confed-
eracy from legal standpoint. There was no
cabinet officer with the president Ut Washing
ton, but Mr.. Reagan, Mr.. Mallory and MIR.
Breckenridge, 80 far as my knowledge goes,
and none were appointed to NIL the places OF
The absent members OF the cabinet, Mr..
Clark you must remember, was simply act
ing as disburslng officer and was not
member Of the cabinet.
.. what you state about the great seal of the
Con iederacy, so far as It's use Is concerned, Ia
correct; but what you say about the probable
place OF deposit of IL will certainly be news u
ihe general public. Great search has been
and the well on the Burt place bas been
searched for II. There Is no question about
The fact OF II having been at Aubeyille and IT.
Is more than probable that IL WAS thrown
Mr.. Perrin. OF Abbeville II Is not among
the war records ct Washington. There are
copies of IL, one OF which Is In Columbia In
the Office of the secretary OF the state. The
original would be OF great value, historically
as we'll as from money standpoint.
"There are other discrepancies IN your let.
ter that | will now point out. Your letter
has totally failed TO convince me OF the cor
rectness of your position th lat the last cabinet
meeting was held at Washington.
II read what you had 10 say with great
pleasure.
definitely. II ought 10 have been done years
II have written TO Mr.. Reagan. He will
state. II am correctly informed, that there
was no meeting of the cabinet, officially. al
Washington. Please read what Mr.. Parker
says about the matter.
Trusting that We will finally reach the
real facts IN this matter, am, with kind re.
"WM. P. CALHOUN"