Letter from Charles D. Fontaine to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; November 12, 1860

Documents
Letter from Charles D. Fontaine to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; November 12, 1860

Document Network
Document Metadata

Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Bell, John, 1796-1869 Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell), 1821-1875 Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889 Douglas, Stephen A. (Stephen Arnold), 1813-1861 Fontaine, Charles D.Holliday, Unknown Lane, Joseph, 1801-1881 Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Pickens, F. W. (Francis Wilkinson), 1805-1869 Unknown, Hillie

Events

Clemency Pardon Political elections Political elections--Election of 1860 Secession

Organizations and Businesses

Mississippi. Legislature

Occupations

Tax collectors

Places

Alabama Jackson (Miss.)Pontotoc (Miss.)South Carolina

Page 1

Pontotoc Nov. 12. 1860

Gov. John J Pettus

Dear Sir

Before this reaches you, I presume, you at Jackson will have received full returns of the Election from this State, and which I doubt not will show 10000 majority at least for Breckin-ridge & Lane. If this result throughout the State has been produced, by a like Sentiment & that which is Pontotoc se-cured the large majority of [unclear] 67 ^667^, Mississippi will secede. Our people are up for it. Here, during the Canvass, we never shirked the question, "What will you do if Lincoln shall be elected?" Our answer was always prompt and expli-cit. "We will withdraw from the Union"

We never said we would cooperate with Alabama South Carolina, or other State, or want until we could see what they would do. I at least took the ground that we would secede first and cooperate afterwards, That Mississippi before all other States, was [?] a [?] to set such an Example, and ~~exercise~~practically illustrate the right

Page 2

of peaceable secession. She has aspects of Entry of Consequence, and not enough of Revenue is collected on her bonds to bring her Conflict with the Revenue Center or ^other^ branch of the military service the United States

The ground taken in the Canvass and the triumphant success of our Ticket at the Ballot Box assures me that, our people at least, will be ready to adopt this simplest and most peaceable made of redress, if the Election of Lincoln, shall occur and thus satisfy the public mind that the Northern maps have at Length been brought together upon a plat= form of hostility to ~~our~~ Section.

I sincerely believe that 19 out of every 10 who voted for Breckenridge will vote for direct Secession. And I know that most of the Douglas men, to repel the free soil suspicion their late conduct, has subjected them to, are already Earnest advo=cates of Secession. Many good men besides who voted for Bell did so in an honest effort to defeat Lincoln, and thus avoid a cause which they think sufficient to possibly

Page 3

Secession; So that I am satisfied that for every timid Breckenridge man who will vote for acquiesence we will gain two from the ranks of Bell and Douglass, who will vote for Secession. Every man of every party is in favour of Mississippi's sustaining any other Southern State who may Secede against ^any^ act of Coercion.

Governor— ^Sure^ as you live the people are a long away in ad=vance of those, they have honored with posts of Leadership. All they want is some Known Leader who will throw him self in to the Breach.

Who will show them the way= Where is Jeff Davis? Will he let this auspicious movement, pass by? If it does so pass. I greatly fear, that the Spirit of resistence will be for=ever quenched, and the flame ^of^ Libery smoulder out in the ashes of a base submission

In great haste I write to express the hope that you will at once convene the Legislation, and in your message be as Explicit as the Governor of South Carolina. I beg to be

Page 4

kindly remembered to Cousin Hillie. And remain

Very truly
Your friend & svn
Chas D Fontaine

P S. We have not heard of your decision in the case of Hollady's application for a commutation of his sentence

I am more confident of the fact than when I wrote you last that the public sentiment is favorable to such Exercise of the Executive clemency. I think the wish that his Sentence should be com-muted is now universal

Yours &c
C D F