Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-19
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
REPORTED eoR THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.

The Confederate States OF North Americn
INA ca CRAL ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT JEFFER.
SOY DIl IFS
MONTGOMERY Ala, Feb. 1S-The inaurura.
ton Of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, as President
Of the confederate States, took place here to.
day, and was the grandest pageant ever wit.
messed in the South. An immense crowd no.
semb!cd on Capitol Hill, consisting of the
beauty, military and citizens of the different
States. President Davis commenced his in.
augural address precisely at | o'clock, He
said:
Gentlemen of the Congress of the Confcde.
derate States Of North America-friends and
fellow citizens: Called to the difficult and re.
Sponsble station Of Chief Executive of the
Provisional Government which you have inst;
tuted, approach the discharge of the duties
assigned tue with an humble distrust Of nv
abilities, but with sustaining confidence in the
wisdom Of those who are to guide and aid me
in the administration of public affairs and an
abiding faith III the virtue and Patriotism Of
the people.
Looking forward TO the speedy establishment
OF 4 permanent Government to take the place
Of this, and which BY its greater moral and
physical power will be better able to combat
with the many difficulties which NAV arise
from conflicting interests with separate nations.
| enter upon the duties Of the Office to which |
have been chosen, with the hope that the be-.
ginning OF our career as Conlederacy NAV
not DC INSTRUCTED by hostile opposition TO our
enjoyment in 4 separate existence and indie.
pendencc which we have asserted, and which,
with the blessing of Providence, we intend To
maintain. Our present condition was achieved
in manner unprecedented in tho history of
nations ltillustratcs the American idea that
Governments rest upon tho consent of the
governed and that it is right for the people to
alter or abolish Governments whenever they
become destructive of the ends for which they
were established The declared purpose of the
compact Of Union from which we have
withdrawn, was to establish Justice ensure
domestic tranquility, provide for the common
defence. promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessings Of liberty To ourselves and
rpoSterity; and when, in the judgment of the
sovereign States now composing the Cunlelle.
racy, 1t has been perverted from the purpose
for whichit was ordained, and ceased to answer
the ends for which it was established, peace
tul appeal to the ballot hox declared that, so
Tar as they were concerned, the government
created by that compact should cease to exist
In this they merely asserted the right
which the Declaration Of Independence OF l776
defined to be inalienablc. Of the !lIue and
occasion for its exercise, they, As sovereignS,
were the final judges, each for itself The
impartial and enlightened verdict Of mankind
will viadicate tie rcct!tude of our conduct,
and He who knows the hearts OF men will Judge
Of the sincerity with which we laLored to pre-.
serve the government OF our fathers in it's
spirit.
The right solen0ly proclaimed at the birth
Of the States, and which has been affirmed and
re.afirmed in the bill Of rights of States sub
sequently admitted into the Union of 1883,
undeniably recognizes in the people the power
to resume authority delegated for the purposes
Of government. Thus the sovereign States
here represented have seeded from this Con-
fcderacy, and it is by IN abuse Of language
that their acE has been denominated revolution.
They have formed IL new alliance, but within
each Of the States its government has remain
ed; the rights Q! person and property have
not been disturbed: the agent through whom
they communicated with foreign nations is
changed, but this does not necessarily interrupt
their international relations.
Sustained by the consciousness that the tran
stion from the former Union to the present Con
fcdcracy was not produced from any disregard
on our part of our just obligations, or any failure
TO perform every constitutional duty; moved
by no interest or passion 10 invade the rights
of others anxious to cultivate peace and COM
MERGE with all nations, If we may not hope to
avoid war, We may at least expect posterity
will acquit us Of having needlesSly engaged in
it; doubly justified by the absence OF wrong
on our part, and by wanton aggression on the
part Of others. there can be no cause for doubt
that the courage and patriotism Of the people
of the Confederate States will be found equal
to any measures of defence which our honor
and security may require.
An agricultural people, whose chief interest
is the export OF commodity required in
every manufacturing country, our true 20.
licy is peace and free trade. While our
necessities will permit, it is alike our
interest aud that Of all those to whom we
would sell and from whom we would buy,
that there should be the fewest practicable re-
strictions upon the Interchange Of commodities.
There can be but little rivalry between ours
aud any manufacturing or nari eating comuu.
nifty, such as the North Eastern States Of the
American Union. 1t must follow, therefore,
that mutual interest would invite good will
and kind offices II, however, passion or last
should dou,iuccr, shculd cloud the judgment
or int1ame the ambition Of those States, we
must prepare To meet the emergency
and maintain, by the final arbltrameut
of the sword, the position which we have
assumed among the nations of the earth
We have entered upon career ofindependcnce,
and it must he iuhexibly pursued. Through
many years of controversy with our late as
sociatcS, the Northern States, we have va;nly
endeavored to secure tranquility and obtain re-
spcct for the rights TO which we were entitled.
As necessity, not choice, we have resoried 10
the remedy of separation, and henceorth our
energies must be directed to conduct our cwn
affairs so as to perpetuate the Conlederacy
which we have formed. II q just perception
Of mutual interest shall permit US pcaceably to
pursue our separate political career, my most
earnest desire will have been fulfilled; but il
this shall be denied U.S. and the integrity Of
our territory and jurisdiction be assaled. It
will but remain for us, with firm resolve, to
appeal to arms and to invoke the blessing OF
Providence on our just cause.
In consequence Of our new condition, and
with view to meet anticipated wants, 1t viii
be necessary to provide for speedy and ciii-
cient organization Of the branches OF the Exc
cutive Department having special charge OF
foreign intercourse, finance, military affairs
and postal service. For purposes OF defence,
the confederate States may, under ordinary
circumstances, rely mainly upon their militia
but it is deemed advisable in the present con.
dition Of affairs that there should be We'll
instructed and disciplined army, more nulntr-
Gus than would usually be required on peace
establishment.
I also suggest, that, for the protection Of our
arbors and commerce on the high seas, q ma
Wy adapted to those objects be ORGANIZED -
These necessities have doubtless engaged the
attention Of Congress.
With Il constitution differing only from that Of
our fathers in SO ara as it is explanatory Of their
m II l.,orn ;ntarr snd freud from sectional