The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-29
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 90. 1858.

L
Like other States of the UNION, Mississippi has
two Senators-in fact, we may say-a pair of
them. Like other acknowledgements BRowN
and Colonel DAVIS are fond of making speeches.
With speech delivered during the present recess
by the former-or rather with some choice extracts
therefrom expressive of that Senator's high appro-
baton of
1.-THE good old rue-the simple plan,
That they shall take who have the power,
And they shall keep-who can"
we RECALLED our readers on Saturday. To-
day we invite attention to a speech still
more recently delivered by Senator DAVIS, be-
fore the two Houses of the Mississippi Legislature
in the Hall of the House of Representatives at
Jackson. During the past summer as it is posi-
bic that some of our readers may remember, Colo
mel DAVIS made visit to New England. During
that visit as might have been expected, he made
speeches. In those speeches-it was reported, and
the report reached the ears of his constituents in
Nississipp,-the Colonel backed down a little
from some of the ultra pro-slavery, secession
ist doctrines for which he had hitherto been dis
tinguished. He had even confessed-so it was ru-
an unwillngness to see it lightly or hastily dis
solved. That he had delivered a Fourth-ofJuly
Grafton was absolutely certain, and if necessary
could be proved on him, and that in that Grafton
he had eulogized the UNION, and said something
agreeable and complimentary about the Stars and
Stripes was thought to be, at least highly proba-
BILE. So the impression got abroad and extended
TO Mississippi, that Colonel DAVIS had publicly re-
canted some of his extravagant fire-eating notions,
and was in fair way to become quite q sensible,
moderate, practicable sort of politician. Now what
foundation-if any, indeed, ever existed for such
an idea, cannot possibly tell, without reference
to our back files for report of the speeches
in question: and that we conceive would
be taking altogether more trouble than
the subject-matter warrants. 1t is quite suf-
fcient to say, that such an idea there
was in the minds of the good people of Missis-
sippi as well elsewhere, and that it was for the
purpose of dsabusing their minds, and of reev-
ing himself from an imputation so odous in
ITSELF and so damaging to his political prospects,
that Colonel DAVIS delivered the particular speech
on which we propose to comment. In this speech,
delivered at the town of jackson aforesaid and in
the presence of the Legislature of Mississippi, as
already mentioned, Colonel DAVIS is said to have
''deined his position" We thnk-though, to be
sure, that is none of our busness-that the Col
onels reputation as a man Of sense would have
Jared better, if he had left his position alone.
As ''defned" in this speech, it strikes as being
anything but enviable. The Colonel Indignantly
scouts the idea that he has grown wiser as he has
J.. II. I.
he may have heretofore advanced with respect to
the Rights of the States and the position of the
South, he still entertains. By way of proving con-
clusively that lie is, if possible, more rabid and
more ultra than ever, he proceeds to administer
to the Legislature quantity of unnecessary and
we grieve to add, very foolish advice. He assures
them, that the problem of Southern destiny is
"physical' one, and not to be solved by any
other means than those which he recommends
He advises the establishment of State s'armory,"
in which all the old muskets now belonging to
the State shall be altered ''to conform to the i'm
proved weapons Of the present day." and in
which, con limited scale, new arms including
"cannOn and their carriages" may be manufac-
tured-'tshot and shelr' shall be cast-and "fxed
ammunition" shall be prepared. All of which
things, he afirms to be ''but the part of pru-
dent precaution." He wants the whole State to
prepare for war, and as a necessary part of per-
feet system Of military defense, and also sbecause
it is weapon Of ofense,' he urges the extension
and completion of tie different railway-lines in
the State--if any such there be-a fact. of which
we confess to have been hitherto in ignorance.
In these various military and martial prepare
tions, the gallant Colonel, after advising them to
be made, proposes to take no personal part, be-
cause, as he says, he is "a Senator of the UNITED
STATES" and, as such has ''taken an oath
ito support the Constitution" which he has
scruples about violating. So soon, however,
as the preparations" are made, and the "fxed
Ammunition has been got in readiness, and all
things are ripe for an explosion, the Colonel
promises to ''ear off his Senatorial robes'-though
what that means, we cannot for the life of us
1maglne-seeing that Senators nowadays go
dressed pretty much like other folks-but suppose
that it means something. Perhaps the Colonel
intendsao "strip'' for the fight, as they do in the
2 X. At all events-so soon as he is disencum-
bered Of his "robes," he proposes, as his next ex
ploit-this terrible Colonel--to ''tear'' from the
flag of the UNION, the 'bright and particular
"5tar' of Mississippi; which valuable piece O
bunting, he then means to ''set on the perilou
fridge Of battle" and having placed it there il
that highly exposed and dangerous situation, 1t
designs to invite-the bloody-minded man Mis-
'sssippis best and bravest," to ''gather to tn
'harvest-home of DEATH" Nice dongs, truly: for
middle-aged gentleman, with head slightly bald
and hair inclining to be grayish, to propose t.
his fellow-ctizens A likely entertainment, in
deed, to invite people tbs the ''harvest-home O
"deathr' We don't know what tMississippi's hes
Sand bravest'' may think of it; but, for our owl
part had much rather stay away and would ad
wise them to do the -likewise-to postpone al
such warlike preparations as the Colonel recon
mends, Except, perhaps, building the railroa DIS,
until the necessity for them shall become littl
more urgent and apparent. As for tn
Colonel himself we think that low diet hellebor
and wet towels, may possibly have the effect c
enabling him to resume his Senatorial ''robes'
and duties at an early period of the session. which
commences on Monday next, and which we hope
will find him, if not cured, at least convaescing