The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-11-26

native State, returned in good faith to Washing
ton, to settle his accounts and fulfill all the oblga-
tons into which he had entered, he was prehdlous-
" arrested and imprisoned in New York, where
he now is. The unsuspecting confidence with
which he reported to his Government was abused,
and his desire to fulfill his trust to them used to
his injury.
In conducting this war we have sought no aid
and proposed no alliance offensive or defensive,
abroad We have asked for recognized place
in the great family of nations. But in dong SO
we have demanded nothing for which we did not
offer fair equivalent The advantages of inter-
course are mutual amongst nations, and seeking to
establish diplomatic relations were only en-
deavoring to place that intercourse under the regu-
lation of public law.
Perhaps we had the right, if we had chosen to
exercise it, to ask to know whether the principle,
that blockades to be binding must be efectual, so
solemnly announced by the great powers OF Europe
at Paris, is to be generally enforced, or applied
only to particular parties. When the Confederate
States at your last session. became party to the
declaration referring to this principle of interna-
tiOnal law, which has been recognised so long by
pnblcists and Governments, we certainly supposed
that it was to be universally enforced
The customary law of nations is made up of
their practice rather than their declarations, and
if such declarations only to be enforced in par
them then the commerce of the world, so far
from being placed under the regulation Of gen
eral law, will become subject to the caprice of
those who execute suspend ct at will. 1t
such is to be the course of nations in regard to
this law, it is plain that it will thus become a
rule for the weak and not for the strong.
Feeling that such views must be taken by the
neutral nations of the earth, have therefore
caused the evidence to be collected which proves
completely the utter ineffciency ofthe proclaimed
blockade of our coast and shall direct it to be laid
before such Governments as shall afford us the
means of being heard.
But although we should be benefited by the
enforcement of this law, so solemnly declared by
the great Powers of Europe, We arc not dependent
upon that enforcement FOR the successful prosecu-
ton of the war. AS long hostilities continue,
the Confederate States will exhibit a steadily
increasing capacity to furnish their troops with
food, clothing and arms. If they should be forced
to forego many Of the luxures and some of the
comforts of life, they will at least have the conso
laton Of knowing that they are thus daily becom
ing more and more independent Of the rest of the
world. If in this process labor in the Confederate
States shoud be gradually diverted from those
great Southern staples which have given life to so
much of the commerce of mankind, into other
channels, so as to make them rival producers
instead of profitable customers, they will not be
the only the chief losers by the change
in the direction of their industry.
Although it is true that the cotton supply from
the Southern States could only be totally cut off
by the subverson of our social system, yet it is
plain that long continuance Of this blockade
might, by diversion of labor and investment
Of capital in other employments, so diminish the
supply to bring ruin upon those interests of
foreign countries which are dependent on that
staple For every laborer who is diverted from
the culture Of cotton in the South, perhaps four
times as many elsew here, who have found subsis-
tence in the various employments growing out of
its use, will be forced also to change their occupa-
tion while the war which is waged to take from
US the right Of self government never attain
that end
It remains to be seen how far it may work a
revolution in the Industrial system of the world,
which may carry suffering to other lands as we'll
as our own. In the mean time, we shall continue
this struggle, in the humble dependence upon
Providence, from whose searching scrutiny We
cannot conceal the secre Of our hearts, and to
whose rule we confidently submit our oestinies.
For the rest, we shall depend upon ourselves
Liberty is always won where there exists the I'M
conquerable will to be free, and we have reason
to know the strength that is given by conscious
sense not only of the magnitude, but Of the
Righteousness Of our cause.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Richmond Nov. Is, 1861.
E&g- The annual meeting of the Grand Division
of the Sons Of TEN perance Of North Carolina was
w held in Concord Y & The follOWiru