Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-01
gbe Ohio 5tatesnran
The inaugural Address of Jefferson
Davis ne President OF the Rebel
COnfederacY. sHf
from tho Richmond Examiner uxlr. v.b %

~NSANSAAs VI bhO AAGOGl
lFrom tne Richmond Examiner Extra, Feb. 22.I
FELLOW CITIZENS: On this the birthday of the
man most identified With the establishments OF
AmeTlcan Independence, and beneath the mon
ument erected to commemorate his heroic yir
cues and those OF his compatriote, we have as
eemoled 10 usher Into existence the permanent
Government of the Confederate States. -
through t6is fundamentally, under the favor
OF Divine Providence, we hope TO perpetuute
the principles of our Revolutionary falhers
Inc DAY, the memory and thepurpose seem fty
l. Is with mingled feelings Of humility and
pride that appear to take, In the presence Of
the people and before high Heaven, the oath
prescribed as qualification for the exalted STA.
tlon to which the unanimous voice Of the people
has called me. Deeply sensible of all that ia
implied by this manifestation of the peoples
confidence, am yet more profoundly impr tssed
oy the vaes responsibility of the 6ffice, ard
humbly feel my own unwortbiness.
Ia return for their kindness can only offer
assurances OF the gratitude with which IL Is re-
ceived, and can bus pledge jealous devotion
OF every faculty to the service OF those who
have chosen me as their Chief Magistrate.
Wnen long course of class legislation, di.
rec'ed not 70 the general welfare, but to aegran
usement OF the northern section of the Union,
illuminated In warfare on the domestic ipsti.
iuhoDs of the Southern 5Gates-When the dog.
mas OF sectional party, substituted for the
provisions OF the constitutional compact threat.
ened TO destroy the sovereign rights Of the
bta'ee, six OF those States, Withdrawing from
the union, confederated together to exercise
Lne right and perform the duty Of insti ,uting o
Government which would better secure the lib.
ertles for tho preservation of which that Union
was established.
Whatever OF hope some may have entertain
ed that q returning sense of justice would re,
move tho danger with which our rights were
threatened, and render IL possible to preserve
the Uoion Of the Constitution, must have been
dispelled BY the maligEity and barbarity of the
Northern States In the prosecution Of the ex.
ls,tng war. The confidence of the most hope
| iui amoog Us must have been DESTROYED bv the
disregard they have recently exhibited for ali
the tme-bonored bulWaTks OF civil and religious
liberty. Bastiles filled with prisoners, arrested
without civil process, or indictment duly found;
the Writ OF habeas corpus suspended BY Exeou.
tive mandate; q State Legislature controlled
by the imprisonment of members whose avoWed
principles suggested to the Federal Executive
that there might be another added TO the list Of
seeded statesI elections held under threats OF
military powerj civil officers, peaceful cti.
Eens and gentle women inoarcerated for opin.
IONS SAKE proclaimed the incspaoity Of our
late associates TO administer q Government a.
free, liberal and hupane as that established for
our common use. :
For proof Of the sincerity of our purpose 70
maintsin our ancient institutions, we may point
to the Constitution of the Confederacy, and the
laws enacted under it, as well az 20 the fact
that through all the necessities OF an UNEQUAL
struggle, there has been no act on our part Il
impir personal liberty or the freedom OF speech
OF thought, or OF the press. The courts have
been open, the judicial functions fully executed
and every right of the peaceful citizen main,
tanned as securely as IL q war of invasion haC
not disturbed the land,
The people Of the States now confederatet
became convinced that the Government of tn,
United States had fallen into the hands of |
sectional majority, who would pervert that mos
sacred OF all trusts 10 the destruction OF th,
rights Whichit was pledged TO project The,
believed that to remain longer Ia the Unior
would subject them 90 continuance of q dis
paragiDg discrimination, submission to which
would be inconsistent with their welfare, and
intolerable TO proud people. They therefore
determined to sever its bonds and establish Q
new oonfederacy for themselves.
The experiment instituted BY our Revolution.
arY fathers OF voluntary union OF sovereign
States for purposes specified In solemn com
pact, bad been perverted by those who, feeling
power, and forgetting right were determined to
respect no law but their own will. The Gov.
ernment bad ceased to answer the ends ioI
which Il was ordained and established. TC
save ourselves from revolution which, In it,
silent but rapid progrese, was about to place vi
under the despotsm Of numbers, and to pre-
serVe In epirits "a, well 40 in form, q system o
government we believed 10 be peculiarly fitted
70 our condition, and full of promise for man.
kind, We determined tomake new association
composed OF States bomogeneousi In interest; in
policy and in feeling. sia ID =,
True TO our traditions OF peace and our love
OF Justice, We sent Commissioners to the Uni.
ted States to propose 0 fair and aniicable settle,
ment OF all questions of public debt or proper.
ty which might be In dispute. But the Govern
ment At Washington, denying our right to self.
government, refused even to listen to any pro-
posale for q peaceful separation. Nothing war
then left to US but to prepare for war.
The drst year In our history has been the
most eventtul 10 tho annals Of this continent -
new Government has been established, and
S6n oeCOinery nag put IN operation over an area oi
ooooy s9uals mics Inc great principles
.pon muicn we lave oeen wiiiing 70 hazard ev'
M rysas WAS - Isats W man nave made con-
SoSI. SoS,.s IVs ~ rnlca Co1,a never nave -oeen
asuN aSs.ve ~ tne swyru. var UonIeueraey nas
s'oSn !om sA 20 thirteen Ssa'e,i ana Mary
s;." auS, atSay In,sea " us ~ naiiowea memo
~. .su 'n1sIesss, wl'I lpeueVe, Wnen
~, ~ spsah xl'S uns"nsS voice. connect her