Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-03-11
inaugural Address orJegpay,,
Richmond. Feb. % 1850

rae bis heroic virtues and those Of his
copatriots, we have assembled 90 usher in to
existence the rermanent Government Of the
Confederate States. Through this instru-
mentality, under the favor Of Divine
Providence. we hope t. perpetuate the
principles of our Revolutionary fathers.
The day, the memory, and the purpose
seem fily associated
1t Is with mingled feelings of humility
and pride that appear 10 take, in the
presence of the people and before high
Heaven, the oath prescribed ns a aualiflca-
ton for the exalted station to which the
unanimous voice of the peoJ 10 has called
me. Deeply sensible of all that Is i'm
piled by this manifestation of the peoples
canfidencesi am yet more prpfoundly i'm
pressed oy theyast responsi,iIi.y Of the
Office, and humbly feel my own unworthi-
ness
10 return for their kindness | can only
offer assurances Of the gratitude with
which it is received. and can but Hedge
jealous devotion Of every faculty TO the
service Of those who have chosen me as
their Chief Magistrate.
Wien long course Of class legislation.
directed not to the general welfare bot 70
the aggrandlZemeut Of She Northern sec
ton Of the Union, eliminated in a warfare
on the domestic institutions of the Southern
States-whon the angmas Of a sectional
party, substituted fo.' the provisions Of the
constitutional compact, threatened to des
troy the sovereign rights of the States. six
of those States, Withdrawing from the In
ion, cOnfederateG together to exercise the
right and perform the deity Of instituiing q
Government which would better secure Ill.
liberties for the preservation Of which that
Union was established.
Whatever 0! hope some may have enter
aimed that returning sense of justice
would remove the danger with which cur
rights were threatened. and render it pos
sible to preserve the Union Of the Consiitu
tion. must have been di>qel d ty tue NAL
isnity add barbarty Of the Northern States
Us the prosecution If the existing war.
The confidence OF the most hopeful among
US must have been destroyed by the dI.re
gard they have recently exhibited for all
the time-honored bulwarks os civil and re
ligious liberty. Bastiles filed with pris-
oners, arrested without civil process or in
dictmeat duly found; the writ Of habeas
CORPUS suspended by Executive mandate; a
State Legislature controlled by Che impris
pies suggested to the Federal Executive
that there might be another added to the
list Of Seeded States elections held IN.
der threats of military power; civil ofi-
cers, peaceful citizens, and gentle women
incarcerated for opinions sake, proclaimed
the incapacity Vf cur late associates to ad
minister Government as free, liberal, and
humane as that established for cur COM
mon use.
For proof Of the sincerity ofcur purpose
TO maiRtain our ancieut institutions we
may point to the Constitution Of tbs Con
federacy and the laws enacted under it. as
%tll as to the fact that through ali the lie,
cessities Of an unequal struggle there has
been no act on our part to impair personal
liberty, or the freedom Of speech. Of
thookht, or fthe press DE csarfs rave
been open, the Judicial functions fully exc.
cuted, and every right OF the peaceful citi-
zen maintained as securely as If a war Of
invasion had not disturbed the land.
The people OF the States now confedera-
ted became convinced that the Government
of the United States had fallen into the
hands Of a sectional majority, who would
perveTt that most sacred of all trusts TO
the destruction of tie rights which it
was pledged to protect. They believed
that to remain longer iU the Union would
subject them to continuance of disparag-
ing discrimination, submIssi, n t. which
would be ire nsistent with their welfare.
and iutvierabe to proud people. They
therefore determined TO sever its bonds aud
establish new Coniederacy for them
selves.
The experiment Instituted by our Revo.
l,.Fi fa+ { 4
sovereign States for purposes speci ged In
a solemn compact, had been perverted w
those who. feeling power and forgetting
right, were determined to respect no law
but their own will. The Government had
ceased 10 answer the ends for which it was
ordained and established. To save our
selves from q revolution which, in its 81
lent and rapid progress, was about to lace
US under the despotsn Of nun beers, and to
preserve in spirit, as well rs IN form, a
system Of government we believed to be
peculiarly fitted TO cur condition, and full
of promise to mankind, we determined to
make new association. composed Of States
homogeneous il interest in policy, and in
feeling.
True to our traditions Of peace and our
love Of justice. we sent C.mmissilrers 70
the United States to prop s. fair and am
icable settlement Of al! questions If public
debt or property which might be in dis-
pute. But the Government at Washington
denying cur rights to self government, re-
fused even to listen 20 any proposals for a
peaceful separation. Nothing was then
left to us but to prepare for war.
The first year in our history has been
the most eventual in the aErals of this con
A 4 1
tablished, aud it's machinery put in opera
tion over an area exceeding seven hundred
thousand square miles. The great priaci-
piles. upon which We have been willing to
hazard every thing that is dear TO maa,
have made cpnquests for US which could
never have been achieved by the sword
Our contederacy has grown from SIX to
thirteen States, and MARYLAND, already
united to Us by hallOwed memories and
material interests, will, | believe, when
able to speak With justified voice, Connect
her destiny with the South. Our people
have rallied with unexampled unanimity
to the support Of the great principles OF
constitutional government with firm re-
solve to perpetuate by arms tue rights
which they c.uid rot peacefully secure.
A million of men, it is estimated. are now
7tauN'HS ~ ISt'iS diId( anu NaSihS war
along frontier of thousands Il miles.
Battles haze been fought, sieges have been
conducted. az! although the contest is not
ended, and the tide for the moment is
against Us, the final result in our favor is
not doubtful.
The period is near at hand when our
foes must sink under the immense load Of
debt which they have incurred-a debt
which in their effort to suhjugate Us has
already attained such fearful dimensions
as will subject them to burdens which
must continue to Cypress them for genera
tons 10 come.
We. too, have had our trials and difficult
ties. That we are to escape them in future
is not to be hoped. 1t wa- to be expected
when we entered upon this war that it
would expose our people to sacrifices aud
cost them much, both Of money and blood
D,,k fha voIuo sc ta r..