Beschreibung:

Manuscript copy of a letter originally signed by Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) and nine other southern politicians urging South Carolina to defer hostilities in the standoff with the United States government over Fort Sumter. 4pp, 15.75 x 11.875 in. (sight), matted to 21.75 x 17.875 in., “Washington City.” January 15, 1861. Addressed to South Carolina Attorney General Isaac W. Hayne, who was acting as the state’s envoy to President James Buchanan at the time. Davis and the other signatories write that Hayne ought to delay his demand of the surrender of Fort Sumter until after the first meeting of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States: “We are apprized [sic] that you visit Washington as an Envoy from the state of South Carolina, bearing a communication from the Governor of your state to the President of the United States, in relation to Fort Sumpter [sic]. Without knowing its contents, we venture to request you to defer its delivery to the President for a few days or until you and he have considered the suggestions which we beg leave to submit.” After arguing that the possession of Fort Sumter by United States troops was not undertaken with “with any hostile or unfriendly purpose towards your state, but merely as property of the United States, which the President deems it his duty to protect and preserve,” the letter then presents its primary objective, namely, “to prevent war or the shedding of blood.” The undersigned express that they "represent states which have already seceded from the United States, or will have done so before the first of February next, and which will meet your state in Convention on or before the 15th of that month. Our people feel that they have a common destiny with your people and expect to form with them in that convention a new confederation and provisional government. We must and will share your fortunes, suffering with you the evils of war, if it cannot be avoided, and enjoying with you the blessings of peace if it can be preserved…. We, therefore, trust that an arrangement will be agreed on between you and the President, at least ‘till the 15th February next, by which time you and our States may in Convention devise a wise, just and peaceable solution of existing difficulties.” Davis originally signed the letter along with Louis T. Wigfall, John Hemphill, D. L. Yulee, Stephen R. Mallory, C. C. Clay Jr., Ben Fitzpatrick, A. Iverson, John Slidell, and Judah P. Benjamin, and their names have been listed by the clerk on the last page of the letter. This is mostly likely Jefferson Davis’ own copy, retained because of the import of the document. And he needed it: He felt it important enough that he had the letter printed in full in his own memoirs, devoting a full page to it in those memoirs. It is reproduced in full on pp. 10-12 in volume 7 of the LSU edition of the Davis Papers. Davis also discusses it on p. 219 of the first volume of his memoirs. The original was sold at a 1981 Sotheby's auction for $9,600. This is the only other contemporary copy extant. Condition: Creasing as expected, with some minor discoloration along fold lines.