Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-02-21
LATEST NEWS.
Inaugural of President Davis.
From the Charleston Mercury.

South.
There was an immense concourse on Capitol
Hill, consisting of ladies from all portions Of
this and neighboring States, the military and
citizens.
President Davis commenced his iurugural at
one o'clock precisely. He said:
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Gentlemen Of the Congress of the Confederate
States of Amertca-Priends and Fellor- Citizens:
Callei to the difficult and responsible station of
Chief Executive Of the Provisional Government
which you have instituted, 1approach to the dis
charge of the duties assigned me with an hum
BILE distrust Of my abilities, but with q suitable
confidence in the wisdom Of those who are to
guide aud aid me in the administration of public
affairs, and with an abiding faith in the virtue
and patriotism of the people. Looking forward
to the speedy establishment of a permanent Gov
ernment to take the place Of this, and which by
its greater moral and physical power, will be
better able to combat with many difficulties which
arise from the conflicting interests of separate
nations, | enter upon the duties of the Office to
which have been chosen, with the hope that be-
ginning our career as Confederacy, We may
not be obstructed by hostile opposition to our
enjoyment Of our separate existence and of the
independence which we have asserted, and
which, with the blessing of Providence, we in
tend to maintain.
Our present condition has been achieved in a
manner unprecedented in the history of nations.
1t illustrates the American idea that the govern
ment rests upon the consent of the governed,
and that it is the right Of the people to alter or
abolish governments whenever they become des-
tructive of the ends for which they were estab
ished. The declared purport of the compact
Of Union from which We have withdrawn was to
establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defence and general
welfare, to secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and to our posterity; and when, in the
judgment of the sovereign States composing this
Contederacy, it had been perverted from the
purposes for which it was ordained, and ceased
to answer the end for which it was established,
and peaceful appeal to the ballot box declared
that, so far Us they were concerned, the govern
ment created by that compact should cease to
exist-iu this they merely asserted the right
which the Declaration Of Independence of 1776
defined to be inalenable. OF the time and occa
sion of its exercise they, as soveregns, were the
final judges, each State for itself.
The i'm partial and enlightened verdict of man
kind will vindicate the rectitude of our conduct
and He who Knows the hearts Of men will Judge
of the sincerity with which We labored to pre-
serve the Government Of our fathers in its
spirit.
The right solemnly proclaimed at the birth Of
the States, and which has been affirmed and re
affirmed in Bills of Rights of the States subse
ouently admitted into the Union of 1889, unde
niably recognizes in the people the power to re
sumo the authority delegated for the purposes of
Gov vernment. Thus the sovereign States here
represented seeded from this Confederacy, and
it is by an abuse of language that their act has
been denominated revolution" They form a
new alliance, but within each State its Govern
m ent has remained The rights of persons ami
Of property have not been disturbed. The agent
through who they communicated with foreign
nations is changed, but this does not necessarily
interrupt their international relations.
Sustained by the consciousness that the transi-
ton from the former Union to the present Con
federacy, does not proceed FROM any disregard on
our part of our just obligations, or any failure
to perform every constitutional duty-moved By
no interest or passion to invade the rights Of
others-auxious to cultivate peace and com
merce with all natious, if We may not hope to
avoid war, we may at least expect that posteri
ty will acquit US of having needlessly engaged in
it,
Doubly justified as we are, by the absence OF
WEOuS VI paw eou ~ wv "dutou ok SS9toH
on the part of others, there can be no cause to
doubt that the courage and patriotism of the peo
pie of the Confederate States will be found equal
to any measures of defence which our security
may require. An agricultural people. whose
chief interest is the export of 8 commodity re-
quired in every manufacturing country, our true
policy is peace and free trade which our neces.
sites will permit. 1t is alike our interest and
that of all those to whom we would sell, and
from whom we would buy, that there should be
as few restrictions as practicable upon the inter
change of commodities. There can be but little
rivalry between ours and any manufacturing or
navigating community such as the Northern
States of the American Union. 1t must follow,
therefore, that mutual interest would invite good
and kind Offices.
If, however, passion or lust of domain should
cloud the judgment or influence the ambition of
those States, we must prepare to meet the emer
gency and maintain, by the final arbitrament Of
the srord, the position which ,pe have assumed
among the nations Of the enrh.
We have entered upon career of indepen
dence, and it must be inhexibly pursued
Through many years of controversy with our
late associates of the Northern States, we have
vaiuy eudeavored to secure tranquility and ob
tain respect for the rights to which we were en-
titled. AS necessity, and not from choice, We
have resorted to the remedy of separation and
hencefOrth our energies must be directed to
conduct our own affairs and secure the perpetui
ty of the Confederacy which we have formed.
1fa just perception of mutual interests shall
permit US peaceably to pursue our separate po
litical career, my most earnest desire will have
been fulfilled. But if this be denied US, and the
integrity of our territory and jurisdiction be as
sailed, it will but remain for US, with firm re.
solve, to appeal to arms, and to invoke the bless
ing of Providence upon our just cause.
As consequence of our new condition, and
with view to meet anticipated wants, it will be
necessary to provide speedy and efficient organi
zation of branches of the Executive Department
having special charge Of foreign intercourse, Fl
nance, military affairs aud 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 condition Of affairs that there should be
a well-nstructed disciplined army, more numer
Gus than would usually be required in peace
establishment.
also suggest that for the protection of our
harbors and commerce on the high seas, a navy
adapted for those objects will be required. These
necessities have doubtless engaged the attention
OF congress-.
With Constitution differing only from that
Of our fathers, in so far as it is ex panntory Of
their well known intent, freed from sectional
conflicts which have interfered with the pursuit
of the general welfare, it is not unrea enable to
expect that the States from which we have re.
Gently parted may seek to unite their fortunes
with ours under the Government which we have
instituted. For this your Constitution makes
adequate provision, but beyond this, if l mis-
take not the judgment and will of the people, a
reunion with the States from which we have
separated is neither practicable nar desirable.
Tc increase the power, to develop the re-
sources and promote the happiness of a Conted
eracy, il is requisite that there should be so
much of homogeniety that the welfare of every
portion should be the aim of the whole. With
ont this autaPonisms are pnnendernd which