Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/376

 364 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[From the Richmond Dispatch May 20, 1901.]

POLIGNAC'S MISSION.

An Interesting Chapter in Confederate History.

DEFENCE OF PRESIDENT DAVIS.

The Story of the Proposed Cession of Louisiana to France Exploded An Interview With the Emperor- Foreign Aid and Slavery.

The following throws interesting light on an incident of Confed- erate history, which has been greatly distorted:

VILLA JESSIE, CANNES, FRANCE, April 17, 1901. General Marcus J. Wright :

My Dear General, I enclose the narrative of my journey to France in 1865, intended to refute the suggestions of the Washing- ton Post, and beg that you will kindly, in defence of the honor of President Jefferson Davis, General Kirby Smith, and my own self, give my explanations the widest publicity. You will observe that on page 6 I gave the military rank of Governor Allen as colonel, written in pencil; the reason is that I do not remember whether he was then colonel or general, and I wish you would kindly correct the rank and the initials to his name. Had I been able to refer to clippings and memoranda notes I could have supplied more precise dates.

I hope you received my telegram of 2d instant, worded: "Will answer your letter, meanwhile I deny emphatically suggestion of Washington Post"

Should you be able to find in print the speech of Hon. Jefferson Davis, to which I allude, please substitute the exact wording into my manuscript.

Hoping that you will do me the favor of acknowledging the re- ceipt of my manuscript, believe me, my dear General, ever your

friend,

J. C. POLIGNAC.

The letter was printed in the Washington Post, and is reproduced here: