Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-10-28
Movements of President Davis.

Movements Of President Davis.
SELMA, Oct lS.--President Davis arrived here
and was most enthusiastically welcomed by the citi
zens en- nsosse. He addressed an immense crowd in
front OF the hotel He congratulated the people on
meeting under such favorable circumstances, and
spoke in glowing terms Of the gallantry of Alaba-
mlans on every battle field. He said that if the
non conscrpts of Alabama will gather their guns &C.,
and 90 into service by guarding Courtand and 9TH
er points, threby relieving regular soldiers from the
necessity of doing this sort of duty such blows may
be dealt the enemy that he vii find it difficult to
recover from them In this way most effective aid
can be given to others who are carrying out the
plans Of the noble Longstreet under the supervision
of the heroic Bragg. In this way the President is
confident Rosecrans may be crushed to dust, and
it is only by the force of arms that the Yankees can
be brought to reason and their plans for our subju
CATION defeated. Selfreliance and energy is now
our duty We should not look to Europe for aid,
for such is not TO be expected
Now our only alternative is to sustain ourselves
with renewed energy and determination, and little
more sacrifices on the part of the people, and the Pres
ldent firmly believed by nextSprng that invaders
will be driven from our borders. Then the farmers
who are now refugees return to their families and
pursue their business unmolested as heretofore.-
ln fact ne believes the defeat Of Rosecrans will pract
cally end the war.
The above is the substance of speech recently
delivered by President Davis at Selma, Alabama
The President tells the country that 1--WE should
not look to Europe for aid for such is not to be
pected" The President knows. If we cannot
drive the Northern troops from our SOIL break tho
blockade, and compel the federal government by
force of arms to recognize our independence, then
We must expect to be subdued, or if not to continue
the war indefinitely. We have taken this view Of
our condition for months past; and hence we have
urged the most rapid and desperate fighting, and at
the same time, efforts on the part of our government
to open negotiations so to secure if possible the
independence of the Confederate States proper leav
ing West Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, and Mis-
souri,, the public lands and the public property gen.
orally within their limits with the United States
Girs the Confederate States proper their indepsn-
dence, and we shall be satisfied. We would be
glad to have more than this, but we are not willing
to peril all for advantages that may possibly be OBJ
tained. Is not this the voice of reason?
The people were told in 1860 that secession would
be peaceable-that If the Yankees should presume
to fight US, one Southern man could whip five of
themthat our great staple, cotton, would so inter-
them to interfere in our BEHALF even at the risk Of
war with the United States. The prophets have
prophesied falsely. Secession was not peaceabe.-
One Southern man has not whipped five Yankees,
but on the contrary, many Of those who promised to
do so have not thus far even attempted it, but are
avoiding service by every scheme and arti6ce in
their power; and England and France have not iu-
huto fhoo hova <Ioc ckok
Of President Davis, who is thoroughly informed on
the subject that aid from them "is not to be erpect-
| ed" We have been fighting two years and halt,
and we are apparently no nearer our indedendence
then we were at the beginning. The States whose
people foresaw that secession would not be peacea-
BILE have borne, and are destined to bear in yet full
Ter measure the brun Of the war; and surely under
such circumstances they are entitled to potent and
controlling voice in the contest But this voice is
denied them and will be, unless the people demand
at the polls that be heard and respected Let the
false prophets retire, and if they will not let the
people vote them out of power.
| President Davis, IN speech delivered in Raleigh
some eight months since, predicted that this would
be the last year of the war. Now he says "by next
Spring our invaders will be driven from our bor-
ders." He was mistaken when he said secession
! would be peaceablc, and he was mistaken when he
said this would be the last year of the war but we
hope his last prediction will oe ifed fit should
not be, and if our enemies should continue to en-
croach upon u.s. our condition "by next Spring
| will indeed be uncomfortable. We would use a
stronger word than uncomfortable, if it we're pru-
dent to do so. But our opponents are entitled to a
monopoly Of the gift of prophcsy, whether it be true
or false; and they can say what they please, and
do as they please, without subjectng themselves to
the charge Of "gving aid and comfort to the enemy"
By the way, we learn that Col. McRae; one of the
candidates for Congress in the Sd District has been
announcing it to tie people as his confident belief
that the Emperor of the French would intervene al
an early day, and thus pave the way to dur indie
pendence. But President Davis says Col. McRae is
mistaken No aid, he says, is to be expected from
Europe. The President knows.
Third Congressional District.