Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-11-29
PRESIDENT DAVIS NESS AGE,


before the secession of Virginia, his ma
tive State, returned in good faith to
Washington to settle his accounts and
fulfil all the obligations into which he had
entered, he was perfdiously 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 fulfil his trust
TO them was used to his injury.
In conducting this war we have sought
no aid and proposed no alliances offensive
and defensive abroad. We have asked
for recognized place in the great fami-
ly Of nations. but in doing so we have
demanded nothing for which we did not
offer fair equivalent. The advantages
Of intercourse are mutual amongst ma
tons, and in seeking to establish diplo-
matte relations we were only endeavoring
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 eff
fectual," SO solemnly announced by the
great powers of Europe OF Paris, is to be
generally enforced, or applied only to
particular parties.
Whom the Confederate States, at your
last session, became party to the de-
claration reafirming this principle of in.
ternatoual law, which has been recog-
nized SO long by publicists aud govern
ments, we certainly supposed that it was
to be universally enforced. The custo-
mary laws Of nations are made Up of their
practice rather than their declarations -;
and if such declarations are only to be
enforced in particular instances, at the
pleasure of those who make them, then
the commerce of the world, so far from
being placed under the regulation of a
general law, will become subject to the
caprice of those who execute or suspend
it at will. If 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 caused the evidence to be collected
which proves completely the utter inef-
fciency of the 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 are not de-
pendent on that enforcement for the sue
cessful prosecution of the war. AS long
as hostilites continue the Confederate
States will exhibit steadily increasing
capacity to furnish their troops with food,
clothing aud arms.
If they should be forced to forego ma
ny of the Injuries and some of the COM
forts of life, they will at least have the
consolation of knowing that they are thus
daily becoming more and moro indepen-
dent of the rest of the world IT, in this
process, labor in the Confederate States
should be gradually diverted from those
great southern staples which have given
life to so much Of the commerce of man.
kind into other channels SO as to make
them rival producers instead of profitable
customers, they will not be the only or
even the CHEF losers by this change in
the direction of their industry.
Although it is true that the cotton sup.
ply from the southern States could only
be totally cut off by the subversion of our
social system, yet ii is plain that long
continuance Of this blockade might. by a
diversion of labor and Investment Of
capital in other employments, so diminish
the supply as to bring ruiu upon all those
interests Of foreign countries which are
dependent on that staple. For every Ia
borer who is diverted from the culture of
cotton in the South, perhaps four times
as many elsewhere, who have found sub
sistencc in the various empioyments
growing out of its use. will be forced al
so to change their occupation.
While the war which is waged TO take
from us the right of self-government can
never attain that end, it remains to be
seen how far it may work revolution in
tho industrial system of the world, which
may carry suffering to other lands as
well as to our own. In the meantime,
we shall continue this struggle in humble
dependence upon Providence, from whose
searching scrutiny we cannot conceal the
secrets of our hearts, and to whose rule
we confidently submit our destinies. For
the rest we shall depend upon ourselves
liberty is always won where there exists
the unconquerablo viii 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.
A LIAR. Among the many anecdotes
OF Buena Vista one beats all others. An
Arkansas soldier being wounded, asked
an Irishman to take him off the field
The latter did so by assisting him to
mount and strapping him on his horse,
the freshman riding before During the
ride the wounded Arkansian had his head
cut of by cannon ball, unknown to his
companion. Arriving at the surgeons
quarters, the Irishman was asked what
he wanted.
II brought this man to have his lee
S.a.sal ~ eo,l d.