Year: 1875




MEMPHIS, Aug. 19.-The following let
ter is published in the morning papers:


Memphis, dug. 19, lS75.-H. P. Kim
ball, Secretary WinnebagO County Agri-
cultural Society, Rockford, Illinois-Dear
Sir; yesterday sent to you a telegram an
nOuncing my revocation Of the conditional
acceptance Of an Invitation to address your
Association, at their annual meeting in
September next. The long period which
has elapsed since the receipt Of your first
letter, and the cOnsiderate courtesy which
has marked your Correspondence, make it a
duty to the Board and myselfthat sufficient
explanation should be given Of this change
of purpose. Three objects mainly induced
me to accept the invitation:


l. The hope that personal intercourse
might remove some of the pTejudices which
had been generated by partizan factions
and nurtured by individual and sectional
hate. Anxious now, as in former years, to
promote the interest of our great Valley Of
the Mississippi, and believing that with
mutual confidence and cO-intelligence,
much could be done for its advancement, l
only delayed my acceptance Of your invi-
tatiOn until IL became reasonably probable
that it could be met. The productive Ca
pacity Of the Northwest needs for its de-
velOpment cheaper and safer transpOrta-
tiOn to the markets of the Southwest, and
also to those Of foreign countries. In
England especially earnest attention has
been directed fer several years past to a
more di. ect and economical trade with the
Mississippi Valley. In this cOnnec-
tiOn there was a desire TO confer with
the Patrons Of Husband-y in your rich and
prosperous section, to discuss with them
questions involved in securing better
means Of Transporting your farm products
to the most favorable markets, and pro-
viding agencies which should insure larger
returns TO farmers, and by such conference
10 learn the views of members of the
family Of the Mississippi Valley-a family
the chief interest Of all members Of which
is agriculture, but cultivatOrs Of such va
rious crops as 70 make trade among them
selves extensive and lucrative, while it
stamps upon each and all the same inter-
ests and the same policy as TO their foreign
trade. To render such a conference ef-
feCtual, there must needs be a disposition
to attend to the subject under cOnsidera-
lion. Surely not purpose to smother it
by interPositiOn Of matters having no just
relation to is.


2. My effort was to recognize the cour-
tesy Of your Board, and was encouraged
to believe your reception Of me would be
beneficial, rather than injurious, to your
Association. This was more suppOsable,
because several other agricultural societies
of Illinois had in like manner invited me
TO address annual meetings.


Yesterday l received a printed paper, be-
ing a protest Of a number of your fellow
cOuntymen against the action Of your
Board in their invitation to me to make
the annual address at the county meeting.
ThsreupOn / sent 20 yOu a telegram with
drawing my acceptance, under the cOnvic-
ton that it would not be useful or agree
able 10 participate in the meeting, and /
now hope that neither your Association nor
the Directors will suffer harm by delay in
procuring an orator, or by the correspond
ence which has caused il.


Ny third object was to crafty a wish
long entertained to see in its cultivated
dress the country known 10 me as a track
less wilderness, but that being merely a
personal qualification, it may be INDUCED
al my convenience. l can well believe
that the cause which has changed my pur-
pose was as unforeseen by you as by me,
and you may be assured that feel no dis
satisfaction toward the directors or your
self, and have suffered no personal eUbar-
rassment from the event, as the invitation
was unexpected, and only acceptable as an
expression of general good will; so my
only regret is loss Of opportunity to pro-
mote the public interest with which the
welfare of your community is identified.


Again expressing the hope that neither the
directors nor yourself may suffer injury or
annoyance, and thanking you for the kind
ness and consideration you have manifest
ed, l am very respectfully yours,


JEFFERSON DAVIS.