Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-19
THE SOUTHERN CoNFEpERACY.


PREsfDKNr-ADDREss OF President DAVIS.
MONTGOMERY, Ala, Feb. Is-The inaugura-
ton Of the President Of the Provisional overn-
ment Of the Confederate States Of America took
place here a. sssio1',y sPpoiSGtsd
ever witnessed in the South. There was an i'm
mense gathering Of people on Capitol Hill, COM
pIising the beauty Of Monigo%s,y and mill
President Davis commenced his inaugural pre-
cisely at 10 o'clock. He spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress Of the Confederate
States Of America, friends and fellow citizens:
Called to the difficult and responsible station of
the Chief Executive Of the Provisional Govern
ment which you have instituted, approach the
disrust Of my abilities, but with sustaining cor
fdelce in the wisdom Of who are to guide and
aid me In the administration Of public affairs and
abiding faith In the virtue and patriotism Of the
people.
Looking forward to the speedy establishment Of
a 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 may arise from the con-
hicting interest Of separate nations, enter upon
the duties Of the office to which have been chosen
with the hope that the beginning of our career as
a confederacy may not be obstructed by hostile
opposition to our enjoyment Of separate existence
and independence which we have asserted, and
with the blessing Of Providence, intend to main-
tain.
Our present condition. achieved in a manner
unprecedented In the history Of nations illustrates
| the American idea that governments rest upon the
consent Of the governed and that IL Is the right Of
the people to alter or abolish governments when
ever they become destructive Of the ends for
which they were established. The declared pur-
pose Of the compact Of the Union from which we
| have withdrawn was to establish justice, insure
| domestic tranquility, provide for the common
defenses, promote the general welfare, secure the
blessings Of liberty for ourselves and posterity;
and when, In the judgment Of the sovereign States
now composing this Confederacy, II has been per-
| verted from the purposes for which 1t was or
| dained, and ceased to answer the ends for which
II was established peaceful appeal to the ballot
| box declared that so far they were concerned
| the government created by that compact should
cease to exist In this they merely asserted right
| which thesDeclaration Of Independence Of l776
defined to be inalienable.
| or the time and occasion Of Its exercise thew
sovereigns, were the final Judges ch for itself
| The impartial, enlightened verdict Of mankind
will indicate the rectitude Of our conduct. And
He who knows the hearts Of men will Judge of
| the sincerity with which we labored to save the
government OF our fathers in its spirit The right
| solemnly proclaimed at the birth of the States
| and which has been affirmed and reaffirmed in
the bills Of of the several States suhseo uent
| admitted into the Union Of 1889, incidentally
recognize in the people the power to resume the
authority delegated by them for the purposes Of
government.
Thus the sovereign States here represented pro-
ceeded to form this confederacY And It is by the
abuse OF language that their act has deem de nomi
mated revolution. They formed a new alliance
but within each States its government has re.
manned. The rights Of person and property have
not been disturbed The agen: through whom
| they communicated with foreign nations il
changed, but this does not necessarily interru of
their international relations. Sustained by a con-
| sciousness that the transition from the former
| Union to the present confederacy has not pro-
ceeded from a disregard our part of lust obli-
cations, or any failure to perform every constitu-
tional duty; moved by no interest or passion TO in
wade the rights OF Others; anxious to cultivate
| peace and commerce with all nations, II we may
not hope TO avoid war may at least expect that
Posterity will acqut us Of having needlessly en-
| gagged In Ii; doubly justified by the absence Of
| wrong on our part and wanton aggression on the
part Of others, there be cause to doubt that
| the courage and patriotism of the people Of the
| Confederate states will be found equal to any
measure Of defense which our security may re-
| quire.
An agricultural people, whose chief interest Is
| the export Of commodity req ured In every man.
ufacturlng country, our true policy is peace and
the freest trade which our necessities will permit
1t 10 alike our interest and that of all those to
| whom we would sell and from whom we would
buy, that there should be the fewest practicable
| restrictions upon the interchange Of commodities
There can be but little rivalry between ours and
any manufacturing or navigating community such
as the free States Of the American Union. Ii must
follow therefore, that mutual interest would invite
good will and kind offices IT. however, passion
or lust Of dominion should cloud the Judgment or
inhame the ambition of these States we must
prepare to meet the emergency, and maintain by
the final arbitrament OF the sword the positi on
which we have assumed among the nations Of the
earth.
We have entered upon career of independence.
and II must be infexibly preserved through many
years OF controversy with our late associaes-the
Northern States. We have vainly endeavored to
secure the tranquility, and obtain respect for the
rights TO which we were entitled as a necessity
not a choice. We have resorted to the remedy Of
separation, and henceforth our energies must be
directed to conduct our own affairs and secure
| the perPetuity Of the confederacy which we have
formed
ia just perception Of mutual interest shall Der
init US peaceably to pursue our separate political
career, my most earnest desire W IL have been
fulfilled. But II this be denied US, and the in
tegrity OF our territory and Jurisdiction be as
| sailed, 1t will but remain for us with a firm
re>olve to appeal to arms and invoke the blessing
OF Providence In Just cause
! A, consequence Of our new condition, and
with view to meet antci pated wants, 1t will he
necessary to provide for the speedy and efficient
organization OF the var ous branches Of the exec
utlve department, having special charge Of for
eign intercourse, finance, military affairs, and
postal service For purposes Of defense the Con-
| federate States may, under ordinary circuml-
stances, rely mainly upon their military, but It is
deemed advisable, In the present condition Of
affairs. thai there should be well instructed and
disciplined army, more numerous than would be
required in peace establishment
i alsosuggest that for the protection of our har
oors and commerce on the high seas navyadapt
Cd 70 those objects be required These necessities
nave doubtless engaged the attention Of Congress.
With constitution differing only from that of
our fathers so far as II 10 xpanatory Of their
we'll known intent; freed from sectional conflicts
which have inte'fered with the pursuit OF the
general wefafes IL is not unusual to expect that
states from which we have recently parted NAV
seek to unite their fortunes with ours under the
government We have instituted
For this, your constitution makes adeo nate pro-
vision, but beyond this, il mistake not the iudg
ment and will OF the people are that union with
the states from which have separated is neither
practicable nor desirable. To increase the power.
develop the resources, and promote the happiness
OF confederacy II Is requisite that there shall be
80 much Of homogenity that the welfare Of every
portion be tie aim Of the whole. Where this does
not exist, antagonisms are engendered which must
and should result In separation.
Actuated solely by desire to preserve our own
rights and promote our own welfare, the sopara-
ton OF the Confederate States has been marked
by no aggression upon others, and followed by no
domestic CONFUSION. Our industrial pursuits
have received no check. The cultivation of on
neds has prog ressed heretofore and even should
we be involved In war, there would be no con.
siderable dimunition In the production of the
staples which have constituted our exports. i'm
which the commercial world has an inter est
scarcely less than our own.
The common interest of producer and consumer
can only be intercepted by exterior force which
should obstruct Its transmission to foreign mar.
kes-a course Of conduct which would be detri-
mental to manufacturing and commercial interests
abroad. Should reason guide the action of the