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

Mississippi. Governor; Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867; Secession--Southern States.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Pettus Collection. Letter from Charles D. Fontaine in Pontotoc, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus explaining that the local citizens are in favor of leaving the Union.

Fontaine, Charles D.

Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (electronic version);

Mississippi Digital Library. (electronic version)

1860-11-12

Funding for this project provided by The Dale Center for Study of War and Society-USM, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Digital Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Watson-Brown Foundation

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Document

English

mdah_757-930-10-8

Pg. 1

Pontotoc Nov. 12. 1860
Gov. John J Pettus
Dear Sir

Before this raeches you, I persume, 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 to that which in Pontotoc se=cured the large majority of [strikethrough] [unclear] [strikethrough] 67 ^667^, Mississippi will secede. Our people are ripe 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 states, or wait until we could see what they would do. I at least took this ground that we would secede First and cooperate afterwards, That Mississippi before all other States, was in a situ=ation to set such an example, and [strikethrough] [exercise] [strikethrough] practically illustrate the right

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of peaceable secession. She has respects of entry of consequence, and not enough of Revenue is collected on her borders to bring her conflict with the Revenue Cutter or ^other^ branch of the millitary 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 mode of redress, if the Election of Lincoln, shall occur asnd thus satisfy the public mind that the northern masses have at length been brought together upon a plat=form of hostility to [strikethrough] our [strikethrough] section.

I sincerely believe that 9 out of every 10 who voted for Breckinridge will vote for direct secession. And I know that most of the Douglas men, to repel the free soil suspicion their late conduuct, 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 sufficent to justify

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Secession; So that I am satisfied that for every timid Breckinridge man who will vote for acquiescence we will gain two from the ranks of Bell and Douglas, 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 to the posts of Leadership. All they want is some Known Leader who will throw himself in to the Breach

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

In great haste—I want to 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

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kindly remembered to Cousin Millie. and remain

Very truly
Your frend &c.
Chas D Fontaine

PS. We have not heard of your decision in the case of Holladay's application for a commutation of his sentence

I am more confident of the fact than when I wrote you last that the public sentement is favourable to such exercise of the Executive clemency. I think the wish that his sen[strikethrough]tence[strikethrough]tence should be com=muted is now univeirsal

Yours &c
C D F

letter