The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-27

'Centrevilie, Va, January 81, 1862.
Signed, q. r. Bea,ircgard General
G. q. "A. y
"ssned In tfiplicate
~. ID Johnston, General c. s. Al"
Then follows the notification, which
from the word 'late" has evidently been
mndo since the wnr.
"A true copy, @. r. Beauregnrd, lato
General. G. S. a."
Will YOU have the goodness to inform
me how the derivation from the certified
copy occurred?
My recollection is that tho army was
not at Centreville on October l. 1851.
II General Smith, as early ns tho lat
October, Was engaged In Il combination
to undermine, his subsequent cores
pondetlce and intercourse intensity by tho
hypocrisy the bascness Of tho net. I
however think 1t more probable that he
was inspired and wrote the paper about
the date OF his signature, as set forth In
the MSS, viz.: a1st January 1862.
one purpose would be served by the
early date. I. e.. to make II appear to
nave been written very soon after the
conference. Believing n fraud has been
practiced. I desire to learn the facts OF,
the case. did not feel willing to writo
to Colonel Scott about this matter and
therefore trouble you. rs one of tho
1nWiiy o.: =. 3. A. s.
Ever truly your friend.
JEFFERSON DAVIS. II
Note from Colonel Scott on receipt OF
Mr.. Davis's letter:
THE date, October l. 1861, Is that OF
the meeting, and does not appear on tho
document. See note at foot OF page 1884.
Inc Date Of the paper from the comple-
tion OF It by signature Is shown on page
ssa to have been January 81, 1862.
ne record Is printed from triplicate
copy turned In by Goneral Joseph p.
johnston. Copy sent to Mr. Davis must
nave been from Benuregard's copy.
"R. N. 81
On receiving this endorsement from
Colonel Scott, MFR. Davis wrote me as
follows:
Beauvoir, December 20, 1882.
General NJ. J. Wright:
MY Dear Sir-Please accept my thanks
for your attention to my inquiry about
the printed letter OF 8. G. and B. found
in Vol. Is.
The explanation, you must permit me
to say. does not quite cover the case.
The date ut the top Is added to the GER
titled copy OF the original and the date
OF Smiths signature near the close OF
the paper IS omitted. and substituted by
the date for the Joint signature Of the
three, that being after the endorsement
oy G. and B. whereas in the original the
cate OF Smiths signature was before It.,
though you inform me that the letter az
printed was taken from tho copy turned
over by General j. E Johnston, YOU do
not say whether the additional omission
was made by him or the printer
Very truly yours.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
This letter being submitted to Colonel
scott, he made the following endorse.
ment: lN'
The date Oct. /, 1861, does NOT ap-
pear in General Johnston's copy or
Smiths man.; that date is that OF the
meeting. The date, January 81. 1862,
appears IN the Johnston copy as date OF
signatures Of Smith and Beaurcgard.
I'm End edition III have that Oct. I,
derstanding. It should have been in fine
Italic caption
Beauvoir, Harrison Co., Miss,
20 July, 1882
General Marcus ]. Wright:
MY Dear Sir-Vnrious circumstances
have delayed the preparation and copy
Ing OF the accompanying paper, reviews
ing the secret plot. as I must consider
It's makeup o record for themselves. by
officers to whom ! hoped to co cooperate
for our country In the unequal contest
forced upon 1t. You need not be told
how entirely the mass OF our people
sunk all private considerations In their
zeal for our cause.
That those to whom the lives and
liberaties OF their countryment were
speedily entrusted should have been ex-
ceptions to the general spirit OF the Con-
federates must equally be the cause OF
surprise and regret.
trust II the poison Is circulated by
publication among the records. that you
will be able to have the antidote out
with It. II the other is not published
please add another to your many kind
attentions by returning my own. ~.
Very truly your friend.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Beauvoir, Miss. 18th Oct, 1880.
Gen. Marcus j. Wright:
Dear Sir.-Please accept my sincere
thanks for your kind letter OF the 9Th,
instant, and for your consideration in
enclosing to me the copy OF O paper
the existence Of which was unknown to
me. and which because OF its special
reference to myself ! am glad to possess.
The paper purports to be state
Llent OF conversation OF two hours
duration. and to have been prepared
from memory four months after the
conversation occurred. The occasion Is
represented to have been an official con-
ference or council between myself as
the President OF tho Confederate States.
and the three senior generals OF the Con-
fcderate army In Northern Virginia,
1t Is a condemnatory fact, not stated
In the paper. that no notice was given
to me OF a purpose to make a record OF
the conversation. and no opportunity
allowed me to make any correction OF
expressions attributed to me In the
paper. thus secretly prepared and so
preserved until, in the nineteenth year
after Its date, 1t was revealed to me by
being offered to the United States, tor
publication among, the documents relat-
Ing to the war; It may naturally be
asked why was It secretly prepared. and
why now offered for publication?
Without assigning n, motive. or di-
rectly answering tho questions. think,
however. 1t can scarcely be claimed that
the object was thereby to increase the
military power and to promote the ulti-
~ ho