Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-15
SPEECH OF PREsIDENT DAVIS,
TO THE
LEGIsLATITRE OF MIssIssIPE


On the 26th day of December, President Davis de-
sketch Of which We find in the Jackson Missssppian.
We select the most important portions:
After complime ntary ausion Mississippi and
her soldiers the President spoke of his love for the old
Union He alluded to it, however, matter of re-
gret that the best affections OF his heart should have
been bestowed upon object so unwortby-that be
should have loved long government which rot
ten to its very
He had predicted from the beginniBg fierce war
though it had assumed gigantic proportions than
he had calculated upon. He mad predicted War, not
because right to secede not undoubted one
and cesrly defined in the spirit OF that declaration
which e right to govern upon the consent of the
governed but the ckt dDess of the North would entail
upon the country. he present war waged against
the rights of free people was unjust aud the fruit OF
the evil passions of the orth In the progress OF the
thos evil passions have been brought and de-
veloped and far from re-unitng with such people
"a people whose ancestors Cromwell had gathered
from the bogs and ens of Ireland and Scotanda peo-
pie whose intolerance produced discord and trouble
wherever they went-who persecu utef Catholics Epls-
copaans, and every other sect that did not subscribe
their bigoed and contracted notions-who burnt
witches, and did thousand other things calculated TO
make them forever infa ANGUS. The President en-
pharic in bis declaration that under crcumstan ces
would he consent to reunion
He drew glowing picture of the horrors of war, end
the ravages of the enemy; and while tears howed !of
those who suffered, yet all these would be endured,
cheerfuy, before our manhood and our liberties would
be surrendered.
WAR UPON NORTHERN SOIL.
He alluded briefly to his desire to transfer the
upon Northern so but the failure to do this proceed
ed not from want of inclination Of power. We were
not old established nation with armies and navies
at our command These had to be improvised from
the scanty materials to be found within the limits of
our own Confederacy We were blockaded and cut off
from other nations and everybody knows that had
been agricultural people, and that facilities for
materials Of extre mely limi
ted. Notwithstanding this fact, patent to the most
sual observer, we had now an army larger than ever
before-our arms and munitions OF war were increased
in number and improved in quality, and we are In
better condition to-day than twelve months
ago.
The Conscripton and Exemption laws were then
touched upon and the ssty of the and the in
tenon of the other explained He thought there might
properly be revision of the latter and trusted there
would be no conflict between Confederate and State
laws on the subject of the military.
INDECENT FAM1L1Es-REsERvED CORPS
The President expressed his qualification at the
sage OF Governor Pettus, and cordially endorsed his
views in reference to making provision for INDECENT
families, and the enrolment of exempts who could be
ready upon emergency to 60 forth and occupy the
trenches while the disciplined and active soldier could
take the fields The calls for such service could be for
thirty, sixty ninety days, and when the emergency
had passed. they could return to their pursuits. Raw
soldiers the President contended, could do efficient
vice in the trenches, and the adoption of such policy
would strengthen cur mea s OF defence quite mate
rally.
In his auson to the vast number of the Nor1h, the
President said that upon any fair field we were willing
to fight them two to have often whipped them
three to at Antietam Gen. Lee whipped them four
to one. But this might not be the always AS the
enemy progressed in discipline, they approached nearer
to own troops in Efficiency Hence the necessity of
providing something like corresponding force to that
which the enemy are bringing against u.s..
sTRAGGLERs
The President denounced in terms of scathing but
dgnifed rebuke the habit of struggling from the army
He invoked public opinion to trown it down. and
called upon the women to drive the sragglers back
t6 duty.
TIE RANKS.
He urged the necessity OF filling up the the thnned
ranks OF regiments. Those veterans who had gone
through many hard fought battles looked for their kin
dred at home to supply the places which had been made
va cant by the Death of their comrades. A brigade
which mustered only twelve hundred men, would. have
to bleed as much if it had its full quota of 4O00-
Their ks must be filled humanity demands it. 1t
time for patriots to throw off the shackles of pri
interest fly to the OF those heroes whom the
ravages of had yet spared and consecrate them
selves to the M st sacred cause on earth.
THE REAL DANGER.
be thought the enemy pressing down upon from
the Northern borders of our State but when he went
Grenada be there learned that nothing could be
of them but their backs. They were going back per-
haps with the intention of reinforcing the heavy column
that was now being thrown down the Mississippi river.
The real points of attack at Vieksburg and Port
II udson and to all who desired to lend helping
hand to the country in her presest exgency be would
say, " Go to Port Hudson and Vcksburg without de-
lay -
Of n n
He spoke of the salutary effects of harmonious action
between the several States and the government at Rich
mond, and urged upon legislators, both State and Con-
federae the necessity of establishing permanent mill
tary system for after the present war was ended
we might expect trouble from enemies Unless
military establishment of such character as 20 give
them wholesome fear of precipitating war upon
Us. The true theory vas TO adopt military system
which would be permanent and operative in timts OF
peace
QUESTION AT ISSUE.
The issue involved in this war was no ordinary one
The question is will you be free, will you be the
slaves of the most depraved and ntoeran and yrann
cal and hated people upon earth This was the real
question be decided Every thing else as dust
the balance. people who had demonstrated their
utter ncapacity for sefgovernment who have destroy
ed their liberties in the vain effort to deprive US
ours seek to be masters, and inict upon such
CALLING chains have parallel in the annals of tyran-
n.y. Mississippi is the object of their peculiar hatred
upon her is to be visited their refined vengeance. But
isast and vengeance belongs to the Lord -!
We will resist the power of the enemy. Discard all
other considerations but the public defense and victory
will again be ours
AsPERsIoNs OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
The President alluded very briefly to the falsehoods
which had been circulated relative to the Administers
ton which he could not dsproye, because such dsprov
would give the enemy knowledge of things which the
good OF the required to be concealed from him.