Beschreibung:

DAVIS, JEFFERSON, President, C.S.A. Autograph letter signed ("Jeffers Davis") to Francis Pickens, Confederate Governor of South Carolina; Washington, D.C. 13 January 1861. 3 pages, 4to, 224 x 163mm. (8 x 6 3/4 in.), 2 tiny tears, one slightly affecting one word of text. Docketed by recipient "Recd Jay 15, 1861." PRELUDE TO FORT SUMTER: THE FUTURE CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT PROPHESIZES THAT THE SOUTH IS "PROBABLY SOON TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT FIERCEST OF HUMAN STRIFES, A CIVIL WAR" FOUR DAYS AFTER THE SECESSION OF OF MISSISSIPPI, THREE WEEKS AFTER MAJOR ROBERT ANDERSON WITHDREW HIS TROOPS INTO FORT SUMTER AND LESS THAN A MONTHE BEFORE HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERACY, EFFERSON DAVIS COUNSELS GOVERNOR PICKENS ON PREPARATIONS TO BE MADE TO SEIZE THE UNION GARRISON AT FORT SUMTER. THE LETTER CONTAINS INTERESTING SPECULATIONS ON THE READINESS OF THE SECEDED STATES TO ESCALATE HOSTILITIES, AND DAVIS CLEARLY FORSEES THE ONSET OF A BRUTAL CIVIL WAR. "I NEED HARDLY SAY TO YOU THAT A REQUEST FOR A CONFERENCE ON QUESTIONS OF DEFENCE [ SIC ] HAD TO ME THE FORCE OF A COMMAND IT HOWEVER FOUND ME UNDER A PROPOSITION FROM THE GOV. OF M[ISSISSIPPI] TO SEND ME AS COMMISSIONER TO VIRGINIA AND ANOTHER TO EMPLOY ME IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE MILITIA. BUT MORE THAN ALL I WAS ENDEAVORING TO SECURE THE DEFEAT OF THE NOMINATION OF A FOREIGN COLLECTOR FOR THE PORT OF CHARLESTON, AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS DEEMED POSSIBLE THAT IN THE SENATE WE COULD ARREST ALL HOSTILE LEGISLATION SUCH AS MIGHT BE DESIGNED EITHER FOR THE IMMEDIATE OR FUTURE COERCION OF THE SOUTH. IT NOW APPEARS THAT WE S[TILL] LACK ONE OR TWO VOTES TO EFFECT THE LEGISLATIVE OBJECTS JUST MENTIONED, AND IT WAS DECIDED LAST EVENING IN A CONFERENCE WHICH I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, THAT THE SENATORS OF THE SECEDED STATUS SHOULD PROMPTLY WITHDRAW UPON THE TELEGRAPHIC INFORMATION ALREADY RECEIVED... I CANNOT PLACE ANY CONFIDENCE IN THE ADHERENCE OF THE ADMIMISTRATION TO A FIXED LINE OF POLICY. THE GENERAL TENDENCY IS TO HOSTILE MEASURES, AND AGAINST THOSE IT IS NEEDFUL FOR YOU TO PREPARE. I TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THE TIME ALLOWED TO THE GARRISON OF FORT SUMTER HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY EMPLOYED BY YOURSELVES, SO THAT BEFORE YOU COULD BE DRIVEN OUT OF YOUR EARTHWORKS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE POST WHICH COMMANDS THEM. I HAVE NOT SUFFICIENTLY LEARNED YOUR POLICY IN RELATION TO THE GARRISON AT FORT SUMPTER TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THE EXPECTATION IS TO COMPEL THEM TO CAPITULATE FOR WANT OF SUPPLIES, OR WHETHER IT IS ONLY TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF REPORTS, AND THE RECEIPT OF ORDERS. TO SHUT THEM UP WITH A VIEW TO STARVE THEM INTO SUBMISSION, WOULD CREATE A SYMPATHETIC ACTION MUCH GREATER THAN ANY WHICH COULD BE OBTAINED ON THE PRESENT ISSUE. I DOUBT VERY MUCH THE LOYALTY OF THE GARRISON, AND IT HAS OCCURRED TO ME THAT IF THEY COULD RECEIVE NO REINFORCEMENTS, AND I SUPPOSE YOU SUFFICIENTLY COMMAND THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR TO PREVENT IT, THAT THERE COULD BE NO DANGER OF THE PAST INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE GARRISON & THE CITY[.] WE HAVE TODAY NEWS OF THE APPROACH OF A MIXED COMMISSION FROM FORT SUMTER & CHARLESTON, WITH NOTHING FURTHER THAN THE BARE FACT. WE ARE PROBABLY SOON TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT FIERCEST OF HUMAN STRIFES, A CIVIL WAR. THE TEMPER OF THE BLACK REPUBLICANS [LINCOLN AND HIS PARTY] IS NOT TO GIVE US OUR RIGHTS IN THE UNION, OR ALLOW US TO GO PEACEABLY OUT OF IT. IF WE HAD NO OTHER CAUSE THIS WOULD BE ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY SECESSION, AT WHATEVER HAZARD..."