The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-10-03
speech Of The Hon. JcR. Davis.

N speech Of the Hon. JEFF. Davis.
On Wednesday last, in accordance with
the notice contained in our paper, of that
morning, this distinguished gentleman adj
dressed a large and attentive audience
of his fellow-citizens, in the Court House
yard in Oxford He spoke for nearly
two hours; and, though he was evident
" in feeble health and suffering from
IN affection Of the throat, his discourse was
as eloquent and mastery as any we have ever
4 heard from him. We have toerably full
report OF the speech; but from the nume-
rous demands upon our space this week, We
have been compelled to omit a considerable
portion it. This, Of course, will very much
detract from the interest and value of the
portion which we publish; but, under exist
ing circumstances, we have done tire best we
could. Having been gracefully introduced
to his auditors by Col. Lamar, Mr.. Davis
spoke as follows -
FELLow-cTizENs: We have a common
enemy, and must share common fate. l,
as one of your representatives, have long
been battling, at Washington, with that
enemy. have carried on the contest amidst
severe trials, and while the hand of disease
was heavily laid upon me; but, during all
those struggles and in all that suffering,
experienced no pain like that | felt when
came home to find division in the camp of
our own friends. now appear before you
to counsel with You as one of yourselyes-as
a Mississippiah; and, in discussing before
you the great questions that now agitat6 the
public mind, should feel that did not de-
serve your confidence, if did not rise far
above the common views Of ordinary poll
ticians and partisans.
We are told, 10y our enemies, that slavery
is less strong than orr rights under the Con-
stitution, and that oar own people will not
assert their rights, it they believe they will
thereby endanger the pcipetuity of the
Union. If that be so, then such Of our peo-
pie as would tamcly abandon their rights,
rather than contend for them, occupy even a
lower ground than the tories Of the Rcvolu-
ton; for they believed that the mother conn
try had full power over even the chartered
rights Of the colonies-that the colonies, in
short, had no rights-and they acted con
sistently with that belief; while the tory of
the present day, if there be such man in
Mississippi, declaring that he possesses rights,
refuses to lift finger in the vindication of
those rights.
1t is alleged, by some among US, that the
present slavery agitation is all TO be ascribed
to the Democratic party. Those who make
this assertion can claim but little credit for
the accuracy Of their knowledge. That agi-
tation commenced more than twenty years
ago, upon grounds that were in no wise po-
litical. 1t presented, at first, purely moral
aspect, of wholly abstract character; and
it has gone ON, waxing in intensity Of force,
and assuming, more and more, with its grad
ual increase of strength, political com
plexion, until it is no longer question Of
abstract right that underlics its structure, but
it boldly grasps at the government ITSELF
which it would wield to your undoing. This,
however, is the work of Northern fanaticisin,
and not of the Democratic party. The same
work would have been wrought il there had
never been a Democratic party. 1t is those
men who are carrying on the work of anti
slavery agitation, who are your enemies. Lin
coin declared, years ago, that there was Gan
irrepressible conflict between freedom and
slavery" lie has now been nominated for
the Presidency, and Seward has been waking
speeches for him, in which the same doc
trine was announced. This doctrine is, as
against the South, declaration Of perpetual
war. 1t contemplates nothing less than
your utter subjugation, or your entire dc
struction. When, before, in any other cOun--
try Of the world, did a people, who knew
their very existence was imperilled, manifest
so much of patient forbearance as our people
have already done! The government was
instituted to protect rights-OHr rights, as
well as those Of others-and yet, Mr.. Seward
tells Us that none Of the powers OF govern
ment shall be employed to enforce our
rights. Every newspaper that is true to
truth, brings with it evidence of the fact that
the designs Of our enemies are such as
have stated them to be. One only course Of
safety yet remains open to Us. We must be
united among ourselves. And what canse
for difference Is there smong usl Is not
Mississippi an equal in the Unioul Ought
not the government, which you pay taxes TO
support, to give you that protection which is
your duet