The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-26
jeff Davis Iuaugural.

New YORK Feb. %. The Richmond Exam
'ner of the 22l has JEFF Davis INAUGURAL in
which chat traitor Gays g Whatever of hope
some may have entertained that IL returning
sense of justice would remove tho danger by
which our tights were threatened and render 1t
possible to preserve the Union of the Constitu-
ton, must have been dispelled by the malignity
and barbarity Of the Northrrn States in the
prosecution Of the existing war
The confidence Of the most hopeful among us
must have been destroyed by the disregard they
have recently exhibited for all the tine honored
bulwarks OF civil and religious liberty. l}as-
tiles filled with prisoners arrested without civil
process or Indictment duly found; the writ Of
ho beas corpus suspended by the Executive man
date; u stato Legislature controlled by the i'm.
prisonment Of members whose avowed pr;nci-
pies suggested to the Federal Executive that
there might be another added to the seeded
States e!cctiono hciu under threats Of militia
ry power civil officers, peaceful citizens, and
gcntle woman lncarcerated ior opinions sake,
proclaimed the capacity OF our late associates
to administer government as free, liberal and
humane as that established for our common
use.''
He then points to their Constitution 10 show
thai there has been no act on their part to I'M
pcir personal libtrly, freedom Of speech Or OF
the press. lie says
The first year OF our history has been the most
eyentful in the annals of this continent. A new
government has been established and its ma
chinery put in operation over an area exceeding
700, 900 square miles. The great principles up
on which we have been willing to hazard every
thing that is dear to man have made conquests
Tor US which could never have been achieved by
| l. n,,. c,Io IN,
tx to thirteen States, and Maryland, already
united TO US by hallowed memories and material
interests, will, | believe, when able to speak
with unstined voice, cement her destiny with
the South.
Our people have rallied with unexampled
unanimity TO the support of the great prnci
plies OF Constitutional Government, with the
firm resolve to perpetuate by arms the rights
which they could no, peaceably secure. Anil
lion of men, it is estimated, are now standing
in hostile array. and wagng war along from
| tier of thousands OF miles. Battles have been
fought, seges have been conducted, and al
though 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. We, too, have had our
trials and difficulties; that we are to escape
them III future is not to be hoped; it was to DC
expected when We entered upon this war that
it would expose our people to sacrifices, and
cost them much both Of money and blood, but
we know the value of the object Tor which we
struggled, and understood tie nature of the war
in which we are engaged. Nothing could be
50 bad AS failure and any sacrifice would be
cheap as the price of success i'll such IL contest.
Nor have the material sacrifices of the past
year been made without some correspon .lng
benefits. While the acquescence Of foreign ma
tions IN pretended blockade has deprived us of
our commerce with them, it is fast making US II
self supporting and independent people.
| The blockade, if etfectual and permanent,
will only serve to divert our Industry from tho
production of articles for export and employ it
Tor supplying articles of domestic use.
| 1t is satisfaction chat we have maintained
the war by our unaided exertons. We have
neither asked nor received assistance from any
quarter; ye: the interest involved is not wholly
our own. The world at targets concerned in
opening our markets to its commerce.
When the Independence of the Confederate
States is recognized by the nations of the earth,
and we are FREQ to follow our interests and in
clinations by cultivating foreign trade the
|
tions the most favorable markets which ever in i.
vitcd their commerce. Cotton, sugar, rice, to-
bacco, provisions, timber and naval stores will
| furnish attractive exchanges
Nor would the cons'ancy OF those supplies be
likely to be disturbed by war. Our confederate
strength will be too great to tempt aggression,
and never was there people whose interests
ADD principles committed them so fully to a
peaceful policy as those Of Confederate States
War of conquests they cannot wage, because
tho Constitution OF their confederacy admits of
no coercive association. Civil war there cannot
be between States held together by their volt
tion oniy.
This rule of voluntary association, which can
not fail TO re conservative, ~ securing just and
impartial government al home, does not dimin-
lsh the security of The obligations by which the
Confederate States may he bound to foreign ma
lions. Ia proof Of this, it is to be remembered
that at the first moment of asserting their rights
OF secession, these States proposed settlement
on the basis of common liability for the obi
uatnns of tho Vaneral uoverument