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Head Quarters Major General Price

Tupelo, Missi. August 27, 1862

Sir:

On my return to Head Quarters from an Official visit to Montgomery, under instructions from General Price, your letter of the 10th Instant was handed me. I hasten to acknowledge its receipt, but not to reply, in full, to its contents. I will, however, address you more at large within a few days. For the present I will merely observe, in relation to the first paragraph, that whereas I have little, or no "faith, in the integrity & patriotism" of Southern Politicians of the Washington Stamp, having watched them well at Home & at Washington for twenty years, and the more especially sine 1849, still, for the sake of charity, I am willing to ascribe to President Davis, simply, "nonability to meet the emergencies of this Crisis." - that he has never "comprehended them" I have always felt assured. Nevertheless, I pray you consider well how far you grant the two measures he is now asking at the hands of Congress - first, the extension of the Conscript Law; - second, the power of remove officers at will. Place me in his shoes and, with these two acts in my Pocket, I could, and - such is the infirmity of human nature - probably would, while achieving Independence, place the Republic beneath my heel and plant a kingly crown upon my brown. By the first I would draw from