, 1862-02-28
INAUGURAL ADDRESS 0F JEFF. DAVIS.
Delivered Mt Rtchmond,V Va, Febru1Fy
224, 1868.

uted for the provisions Of the constitutional
ouPact, threatened to- destroy the sovereign
lights Of the States, six Of those States, with
[fawirg from the Union. confederated- to-
!uty Of institrting 4 Government which
Sould better secure the liberties for the pres
.rvation Of which the Union was established.
Whatever Of hope some may have enter
aimed that returning sense OF justice would
:cmoye the danger with which onr rights were
threatened, and render it possible to preserve
The Union Of the Constitution, must have
been dispel1ed by the malignity and barbarity |
Of the Northern States in the prosecution Of
The existing. war.
Us must have been destroyed by the disregard |
they hare recently exhibited for all the time |
llonored bulwarks Of civil and religious Gber-
t.. Bastiles filed with prisoners, arrested |
without civil process or indictment dnly !!
found; the writ Of habeas corpus suspended |
controlled by the imprisonment of members
whose ayowcd principles suggested to the
Fcdcral Executive that there might be another
added to the list Of seeded States; elections
held under threats Of q military power; civil
officers, peaceful citizens and gentle women
incarcerated for opinions sake, proclaimed the
incapacity Of our late associates to administer
government as free, liberal and humane as
that established for our common use.
The experiment instituted By our Revolu-
t1onary fathers, Of voluntary union Of sove-
re- ign States TOT purposes specified IN solemn
feeling power and forgetting right, were de-
termined to respect no law but their own will.
The Government had ceased to answer the
ends for which it was ordained and established.
To saye ourselves from revolution which, i'll
its silent but rapid progress, was about to
place Us under the despotism Of numbers, and
to preserve in spirit, rs well as in form, q sys-
tenn Of government believed to be peculiarly
fitted to our condition, and full Of promise for
mankind, We determined to make new asso-
cia1ioD, composed Of States Homogeneous in
interest, in policy and in feeling.
True to our traditions Of peace and our love
Of justice, We sent commissioners to the Uni
ted States to propose fair and amicable set
tlement Of all questions Of public debt or prop
eIty which might be in dispute. But the
Government ut Washington, denying our right
to selfgovernment, refused even to listen to
any proposals for peaceful separation Moth
ing Wss then left to us but to prepare for war.
The first year Of our history has been the
! most eventful in the annals of this continent.
A new government has been established, and
its machinery put in operation over an area
exceeding EeVen hundred Thousand square
miles. The great principles upon which we
have been willing to hazard every thing that is
dear to men have made conqucsts for US which
could never have been achieved by the sword.
| Our confcderacy has grown from six to thir-
leeH Gt1tee, d7td iad5IkA7t0s aAFeHd4 1tteteU "
| us kg Aadozecd memories and material inter
ests, ariH, I hc'iere, ae1es able to speak with
unst;atd aoice coanect Ae,. destiny .cih the South.
| Our people have rallied with unexampled
uuapimity to the support Of the great princi-
I pies Of constitutional government, with firm
resolve to perpetuate by arms the rights
| which they could not peacefully secure. A
| million of mcn, tits estimated, are now stand
ing in hostile array, and waging war along q
frontier of thousands Of miles. Battles have
been fought, siegcs have been conducted, and
although The contest; is not ended, and the tide ol
the moment is against as, the final result in 0ui
.fideor is not doubtful
The period is near at hand aohen our .|oc
mast sink sncr TIC immense load Of debt sahie1
tAty haze ia,catfxed, a debt which in their ctfor
to subjugatc US has already attained such fear
{ul dimensions, as will subject the.n to buz
I thenE which must Continue to olprc6s thetl
i for generations to come
We too, have had our trials and difficulties
That We arc to escape them in future is not II
lie hoped. It was to be expected when NC Gu
! tered upon tLi5 war that it would expose ou
people to sacrifice and cost them much. bot
Of money and blood But we know the vain
Of the object for which we struggled, and uu
dc1stood the nature Of the war in which u
were engaged. Nothing could be so bad {
.tailure, and any sacrifice would be cheap as th
; price Of success in such 8 contest.
But the picture has its lights as well as Il
shadows. This great strife has awakened
. thc people the highest emotions aud qualitie
Of the human soul It is culiiyating feeling
Of patriotism, virtue and courage. lnatanc!
of seE-saeritice and Of general devotion to Il
arc contendipg arc rife throughout the Ian
/ Never has people cyinccd more determine
! | spirit than that now animating men, womt
: and children III every part OF our countr
: Upon tic first call men fly to arms; and wiv
: aud mothers send their husbands and sons
c battle without a murmur of regret
: It was, perhaps, III the ordination Of Prov
t dcnee that We were to be taught the value
3 our liberties By the price which We pay +
It them.
= The rccollcctions of this great contest, nj
r all its common traditions Of glory, Of sacriti
n and blood, will be the bond Of harmony a
il enduring affection amongst the people, prod
n cling unity in policy, fraternity in sentimc
t, and joint effort in war.
.e Nor have the material sacrifices Of the ps
l. year been madc without some correspondi
IL benefits If the acquiescnce Of foreign I
tons iu a pretended blockade has deprived
Of our commerce with them, it is fast maxi
1t US EeIf-supporting and an independe
ID people. The blockade, If effectual and peru
" ncnt, could only serve to divert our indus'
), from the production Of articles for expo
$ and employ it in supplying commodities
le domestic use.
in It is satisfaction that We have maintain
-. the var BY our unaided excrtions We h;
y neither asked nor received assistance from 8
he quarter. Yct tho interest involved is
1g wholly our OWL The world at large Is G.
crrncdin opening our markets to its CONNER
When the independence of the Confedcr
ia States is recognized by the nations ofthe car
~, ard we are free to follow our interests and
W c'irations by cultivating foreign trade,
nj Southern states will offer to manuflctur
Of nations the most favorable markets which c
nd invited their commerce. Cotton, suGar, ri
II. tobacco, provisions and naval stores will fl
1y ish attractive exchanges. Nor would the c
stsncy Of these supplies be likely to be
turbcd By war Our confederate strength
OF be too great to tempt aggression aud nc
cl- was there people whose Interests and prn
,rc pies committed them so fully to apesc'
"e policy IS those of the Confederate States.
By the character Of their productions
are toe deeply interested in forcign&commt
at wantonly 10 disturb it. War Of conquest
cannot wage, because the Constitution Of t.
ConfedcraCy admits Of no coerced associat
,u- Civil war there cannot be between States
IT, together by their vo1ition only. This rul
nut voluntary association, which cannot fail Il
en- conservative, By securing just and impal
np- government at home, does not dimintsh
bic security Of the obligations by which the
ent fede1ate States may be bound to foreign
:, is tf0na. In proof Of this, it ID to be fememb
ing | that at the first moment Of asserting
nd, right Of secession, these States proposed a
tlcmcnt on The basis Of common liabilit,,
Tic | L1c 0uuEaLlous 0l LAC 0tHcIsA ouftIuLuEA
Inns Fellow citizens, alter the struggles OF
[cte las consecrated tho right Of the English
lag, to constitutional representative goyernu
0 in our colonial ancestors were forced to ri
cato that birthright by an appeal to a
een Success crowned their efforts, and they p
ecu | dcd for their posterity q peaceful rcI
ont against future aggression.
this The tyranny Of an unbridled ma jofity,
b is most odious and least responsible form OF
lrcc t potisr1, has denied us both the right anG
Dur- rmcd5. Therefore we arc in arms to +,
b In such sacrifices as our fathers made TO the
ows cnuse of constitutional liberty. At the
1cnt | est hour Of our struggle the provisional
end, place to the permanent government. Al
The eer5ts Of Successes and rtcfoTies, so|scA cT1
roof ossr arns with glory, ,ce Adpe recently MT te
1akc resolved to be free these disasters tend b
ir5t. stimulate to Increased resistance
c go To show ourselves worthy Of the il
tance bcqueathed to US by the patriots 9
Imac | Revolution, we must emulate that hcroi
unk, yotion which made reverse to them bt
her c1ucible in which their patriotism was Te
te ia With confidence in the wisdom and ,
Min Of those who will share with me the resi-
cross bility and aid me in the conduct Of T
ark. affairs; securely relying On the patriotism
mark courage Of the people, of Which the pz
ablo. war has furnished 60 many examples,
ma feel the weight Of the responsibilities
r tic with unaffected diffdence, am about
f she srme; and, fully realizing the inadequ::
Dads, human power to guide and to susta1
ltioS- hope Is reyercDt1y fixed on Him whose
With humble gratitude aud adoratio
$50. knovledgiug tho Providence which has
tn the IDLY projected The Confedetacy during it
4 .olu / hnt f.ynntf,,1 CAREER tn Thec Oh God