The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-04
Jefr. pavIs, rnamguraI Aadress.


gural Address, delivered before the Gonfed-
crate Congress on Saturday last by his "Ex-
celIency," Jefferson Davis. 1t is said but |
little enthusiasm was manifested by those
present on the OCCASION r.
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
FELLOW Crz1zENs On this, the birthday
of the man most identified with the estab
lishment of American Independence, and
beneath the monument erected to commem-
crate mis- heroic virtues and those of his
compatriots, we have assembled to usher
into existence the permanent Government of
| the Confederate States. Through the in
strumentality, under the favor of Divine
Providence, we hope TO perpetuate the prin-
ciples of cur Revolutionary Fathers. The
day, the memory, and the purpose seem
fifty associated.
1t is with mingled feelings of humility
and pride that | appear to take, in the pres
ence of the people and before high Heaven,
the oath prescribed as a qualification for
the exalted station to which the unanimous
voice Of the people has called me. Deeply
sensible Of all that is implied by this mani
festation of the peoples confidence, / am yet
more profoundly impressed by the vast re-
{ sponsibility of the Office, and humbly feel
my own unworthinese.
When long course of class legislation,
! directed, not to the general warfare but to
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the Northern section
{ of the Union, eliminated in a welfare on
the domestic institutions of the Southern
{ States when the dOgmas of sectional
/ party, substituted for the provisions of the
/ constitutional campact, threatened to de-
stroy the sovereign rights of the States, six
t Of those States, Withdrawing from the I'M
t ion, confederated together to exercise the
right and perform the duty of instituting a
l government which would better secure the
e liberties for the preservation Of which that
e Union was established.
) The people of the States now confed-
s Grated became convinced that the Gov
It eminent of the United States had fallen
Il into the hands of sectional majority, who
a would pervert that most sacred of all trusts
n to the destruction of the rights which it
e was pledged to protect. They believed that
to remain longer in the Union would sub
r iect them to a continuance of disparaging
e discrimination, submission to which would
De be inconsistent with their welfare, and in
a tolerable to a proud people They there
,e fore determined to sever its bonds and es-
d tabiish "a new confederacy for themselves.
n The experiment Instituted by our revolu-
le tionary fathers, of voluntary union OF
st sovereign States, for purposes specified in q
n those who, feeling power and forgetting
4 right, were determined to respect no law
III but their own will. The Government had
lie ceased to answer the ends for which it wa:
ee ordained and established. To save ourselve:
o. from a revolution which, in its silent bu
rs rapid progress, was about to place US undel
We the despotism of numbers, and to preserv'
in spirit, as well as in form, system o
to government we believed to be peculiarly
DIS fitted to our condition, and full of promis
% for mankind, we determined to make a new
lis association, composed of States homogene
~ Gus in interest in policy, and in feeling
True to our traditions of peace and low
of justice, we sent Commissioners to tn
Nv United States to propose fair and AMIGA
a. BILE settlement of all questions of publ
- debt or property which might be in dispute
N But the Government at Washington, deny
a ing our right to self-government refuse
At even e l lsts tp no orr bSstoTy has noa a.
most eventful in the annals of this conf
nent A new government has been estah
'el llshedi and lis machinery put in operatior
20 over an area exceeding seven hundred
~ thousand square miles. The great princi
pies upon which we have been willing te
e- hazard everything that is dear 10 man. have
of made conquests for us which could neve,
to have been achieved by the sword. Our Con.
10 iederacy has grown from six TO thirteen
= states, and Maryland, already united 10 &.
20 6y hdttoaDed memories and material ;ntereete
B. aetts 4 6esssVei achefa able 10 speak sDith IN
suited Voice, connect her destinv Win M
rs Soeth Our people have rallied with may
r. amphd unanimity to the support of the
great principles of constitutional povern-
menti with hrm resolve to perpetuate bv
50 arms the rights which they could not peaee-
It fully secure. a million Of men, il i esti-
mated, are now standing in hostile array
and wsging war elong frontier of thotls.
:; ands OF miles. Battles have been fought
sIeges have baen conducted, and. altho1ob
> the contest is not ended, and the tide for
!, the moment is against us, the final result in
4 our favor is not doubtful. = :
!. The period is near at hand zrhe1 ar, fos
must sink a0adSr the immense load Of ie6t
9 acAseh they 1loce incurred debt which in
thelr e1lort to sublugate us has already At
, tanned such fearful dimensions as will subject
: them to oarthens which must continue ia
? Cypress them for generations to come
We, too have had our trials and diilieul-
ties. That we are to escape them in future
IS not to be hoped. Il was to BE expected
3 when we entered upon this war that L
would expose our people to sacrifices. and
cast theia much, both OF money and blood.
But we knew the value of the ol,;eet co.
which we struggled, aud understood Che
nature OF TIE var in ~ hiell we were an
gagged. Nothing could be SO bad as faifnra
and any sacrifice would be cheaD II tba
price OF Success sinssaeh a-coatest.
Nor have the material sacrifices 81. fhe
r. r. s.-%s s1IE7rnss = II the aequiesceuee of
Iofelgn nations In a pretended blockade hos
| deprived US ofsour commerce with them Il |
Is iast making us selfsupported and indie /
l 'sa Ns people. The blockade, if effectual
ana permanent, could only serve 10 s7i.a-t
pur industry from the production of a ns1lt
OF export and employ it in suppl linz, ,
modisies for domestic nse. ' ssAls soip-
IL IS satisfaction that we have mainta;naa
lhe war by our -nnaided exertions NJ
nave neither asked for nor received a.s;s
| lance from any quarter. Yet the inte Ssas+
involved IS not wholly our own sr ~