The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-19
THE SOUTHERN CoNFEDERACY. &
INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT DAVIS.
MS TYdUG URdL~

America was one of the srandest pageants
ever Witnessed in the South. An i'm mcnse
crowd gathered on Capitol HILL including Ia
dies, citizens. mill ary, &c.
Mr.. Davis commenced his inaugural at pre-
"is"ly O'Clock. lie said :
Gentlemen of the Congress of the Confed-
Grated States OF America, Friends and Fellow
Citizens Called 10 the difficult and RESPONSE
Die station of Chief Executive of the provi-
-ional Government which you have insti
tut"d, ] approach the oiscnafgc IF the duties
assigned me with an humble diStrust of nv
abilities, but with a sustaining confidence in
tiiC wisdom OF those who are 10 guide and aid
me in the administration of public affairs,
md an abiding Faith III the virtue and patri-
ntiSm of the people Looking forward to the
speedy establishment of a permanent Gov
eminent to take the place OF this, which, by
is greater moral and physical power, will be
better able TO combat with the many difficult
ties which arise from the conflicting interests
Of separate nations. Ell ter upon the duties
Of the Office to which / have been chosen
with the hope that the beginning OF our
rcer rs Conietieracy may not be obstructed
by hostile opposition to our enjoyment OF the
separate existence and independence which we
have asserted, andi with The blessing of Provi-
deuce, intend To maintain.
Our present condition has been achieved in
Il manner unprecedented in Tie history of ma
tions. II illustrates the American idea that
Governments rest upon the consent of tie
governed ana that the people NAV alter and
abolish Governments whenever they become
destructive Of the ends for which they were
estabis he'd. The declared purpose OF the com
pact of Union, from which we have with
drawn waS to establish Justice, ensure domes-
tie tranquility, provide for the general defence,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty.to ourselves and our pos
terlty, aud when; in the judgments of the SOW
ereign states now composing the COnfederacy
il has been perverted from the purpose for
which il was ordained and ceased to answer
the ends for which it was esta blished, peace
tui appeal 10 the ballot box has declared that so
far as they We're concerned the Government
created by that compact should cease to exist
In this they merely asserted the right which
the Declaration of Independence Of 1919 de-
fined TO be inalienable. The time and ocea-
sion for its exercise, they, as SoTereigns, Were
final Judges, each for itself. This impartial
and enlightened verdict, maintained, Will vim
dicate the rcctitude 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 athers in its
spirit. This right, solernnly proclaimed at
the birth of the States, and which has been
affirmed and reatiirined in the bills OF rights of
States, and subseq uently admitted into the
Union, of 1859, undeniably recognizes in the
people the power TO resume the authority
delegated for purposes of Government
Thus the sovereign States here! represented
| proceeded from this COnfederacy and it is by
an abuse of language that their act has been
denominated revolution. They have formed
| Il new alliance, but within each State the
| right of government has remained. The
| rights of person and property have not been
| disturbed. The agent through whom they
| communicated with foreign nations is changed
| but this does not necessarily interrupt thell
| international relations. Sustained by the
consciousness that the transition from tho
| former Union TO the present Confederacy has
! not proceeded from disregard on our part o
| Just obligations. or any failure TO perform
| every constitutional duty, moved by no inter
| est or passion to invade the rights of others
| anxious to cultivate peace and commerce with
! all nations, if we may not hope to avoid war
nj lea : q
| quit US of having needlessly engaged III it.
| Doubly justified by the absence of wrong
| on our part and by Wanton aggression on thu
| part of others, there can be no cause 10 doubt
| that the courage and patriotism OF the peopl,
| of the Confederate States Will be found equa
| to any measure of defence which a sense 0
! security may require. An agricultural PEG
| ple, whose chief interest is export OF Il com
| modify required in every manufacturing
country, our true policy is peace and FREE
| trade which all our necessities will permit
| / is alike our interests, and that OF All thos
| to whom we would sell, and from whom w
| would buy, that there should be the teWee
| racticablc restrictions upon the interchanS
| Of commodities. There can be but little ii
| yalry between ours and any manufacturer
| or vigating community, such as the North
! eastern States OF the American Union. l
| must follow, therefore, that mutual interes
would invite good will and kind offices. II
however, passion or lust for dominion shout
cloud the Judgment or in1lane the ambition c
those States, we must prepare TO meet In
emergency, and maintain by the final arbitra
ment Of the sword the position we have as
sumei among the nations OF the earth.
| We have entered upon career of indepen
dence which must be infiexibly pursued
Through many years of controversy with on
late associates-the Northern States-W
have yainly endeavored to secure tranquil t
| ANA obtain respect for rights to which we WEI
entitled. As neeessity-not choice-we hay
| resorted TO the remedy of separation, an
| henceforth our inquiries must be directed
| n n a ms
| tuitv of the Confederacy which we hay
! formed. If Il just perception of mutual il
| terest shall permit us peaceably to pursue OF
| sapara te political career my most earnes de
sire will have been fulfilled but if this /
denied us, and the integrity OF our territory
| jurisdiction be assaiied, il VIII but remain fC
! us with firm resolve to appeal to arms and il
| woke the blessing of Providence IN jus
| cause.
As Il consequence of our new condition, an
| with q view TO meet anticipated wants, IL wi
! be necessary 10 provide a speedy ana edicleI
| organization OF branches OF the ExecuuN
| Department, having special charge OF foreg
| intercoursc finance, military affairs and pc
| tai service. For purposes OF defence, the Coz
| federate States may, nn1er ordinary circnn
. | stances RELY mainly on their militia but il
| deemed advisable. under the present conditiC
| of affairs, that there should be q we'll II
| structed and disciplined army more numeroi
than would be usually required i'll peace e
| adjustment. l also suggest, for the prote
| ton of our harbors and commerce OH the hiR
{ seas, n navy adapted TO that object will be r.
! q,,i ~ai.
With Constitut on differing only from TIL;
| of our fathers in SO II rs 1t Is explanatory
their well known intent freed from sections
conflicts which have interiered with the pu
/ | suit of the general welfare, il is not unre;
sonable to expect that the States from whic
| we have recently parted may seek TO uni
| their fortunes with ours, under the govern
- mpnt we have instituted For this Your Go,
stitutiou makes adequate provisions; bnt h
! yond this, il i mistake not, the Judgment an
will of the people is that union with til
| States from which we have separated Is no
: Their practicable nor desirable. To increa.
power, TO develop resources and proino
| The happness of our Confederacy IL
: | rpnuisite that there should be so mue
: : of homogenety that the welfare OF eyer
portion be the aim OF the whole. Whel
this does not exist, antagonisms are ell
| pendered, which must and should result
separation. Actuated solely by a desire
|, preserve our own rights and promote our oW
, welfare, the separation of the Confedera
States has been marked by no aggression upo
others and followed by no domestic conyu
| sion Our domestic pursuits have receive
| no check the cultivation of our fields la
| progressed as heretofore, and even should v
| be involved in war, there would be no consit
, | cradle dminution in the production OF II
, | staples which have constituted our expor
| and In which the commercial world has u
interest scarcely less than our own IN
| common interest OF produce ana consume
. | can only DC intercepted ny eAteiioi io.e'
. | which should obstruct its transmission To To-
|, eign markets. coarse OF conduct Whlc
would be as unjust towards us RS 1t would !
| detrimental TO manufacturing and comnereia
interests abroad.
, Should reason guide the action OF the TO,
eminent from which we have separated,
, policy so detrimental TO the civilized worlt
. the Northern States included, could not
, dictated by even the stronger desire to inflic
injury upon rs. But Ii otherwise, n terrib
responsibility will rest upon it, and the su