Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-01-16
THE sERENADE re PREsHDRNT I
DAVIS
mond Enqulrer. JanuarF II

On Monday last the President was serenaded at Lis
residence, by Captain J. Smiths slverband the affair
having been gotten up compliment 10 the President
the occasion Of bis return from the West In
quence of public announcement Of the fact havin
been made, The attendance not large it would
otherwise have been; neverthless, respectable audi
assembled TO listen to the music, and the speech
/ Il was expected TO call forth.
After the band had performe some beautiful ainL
commencing with the Mocking Bird" the President,
accompanied by Major Wood, cut the porticc.
After the applause that greeted the President subsdeo
Major Wood introduced him 10 the audience, saying
Fellow citizens let introduce you the Presi
dent United Staes-the Confederate States-I ask
Pres den Davis said Friends and fellow citizen: OF
/ the title, corrected, am proud-the other would
seora to hold. [Applause.l
am happy to be welcomed on my return 70 the capi
tai Of Confede raey-the last hope, as believe, for
the perpetuson Of that system of government whict
our forafaihers Ounded-the asylum of the O. pressed
and the home of representative liberty.
Here in the ancient Commonwealth Of Virginia the
great principles OF human oYsrnment were proclaimed
by your hsrs great battles for freedom have
been fought the grand system they founded was at
tempted be overturned by those who got possession
Of government which they could comprehend, and
which in six months they see themselves wholly una
/ bic administer
Antcipatng the overthrow Of that government which
you had inherited, yoE assumed 10 yourselves the rght
As your fathers had done before you to declare your
selves ldepndsnt aud nobly have you advocated the
assertion which have made Here, upon your soil
some Of the hereest bat les Of the revolution
fought and upon your soil it closed by the surrender Of
Cornwalls. Here sgain are men Of every Sta ei here
they have con gregated linked in the defense Of
sacred cause They have battied, they nave bed upon
your soil, and II is now consecra'ed by 0l0odwhich orss
for veueesuce against the insensate foe Of egon
well Of humanity of the altar well as Of the hearth
stone.
You have shown yourselves In no respects to be the
denegats sons Of your fathers You have fought mighty
battles your deeds Of val3r viii live among the richest
spos Of times ample page. It is true you have
which binds VOC together firmly than your fathers
were They fought be free from the usurpatoDs Of
the British crown but they fought against manly foe
You fight against the ofseourings Of the earth zap
plsuse
their fshers and themselves had entered into 10 secure
to YOU The rights and principles not guaranteed by
the Declaration Of Independence bat rights which Vir
snia wisely and plainly reserved in her recognition Of
the government in which she took part TO
ven with their hands stepped in blood, robbing Tbs
widow DESTROYING houses eizing the geyhaired father
and inoareersng him in PRISON because he viii not be
the principles Of bis fathers and the Land that
gave him birth
SUNSHINE TO fa upon it, well in the West as in the
East Ger glorious Lee the valued son, emnlatng the
virtues Of the heroic LighthoTse Harry his father has
achieved victory at Fredericksburg, and driven the
ereny back from his lat and greatest effort get ION
everv battlefield 10 fulfill the pledge they made that
they would to Richnond-but they win come as
| eaptives, not ss coaqusrors lApplanssj
II the West too, Murfreesbore' you have gained
victory over hosts vastly superior to in num-
ber You have achieved result there as important as
brilliant as that which occurred the soil Of Virginia
and cotemporane ousY at Vcksburg, where they were
streliu 10 get possession Of the great artery the
: he Norfbvest Tn every combat there they have been
beaten and trust they VIII be beaten IN future. Out
Of this victory that dissatisfaction in the
Northwest which will rive the power Of that section;
and thus we see in the future the dawnrst separation
Of the Northwest from the Eastern States the discord
among them which VIII Paralyze the power Of both
| then for us future peace and prosperity.
Every crime which could characterize the conduct Of
| demons has marked the course Of the invader The
Northern portion of Virginia has been Tuthessy desc
lated-the people not only deprived Of the means OF
sbsence but their household property destroy ed and
which the imagination OF
less oo could snggest inflicted In like manner their
step has been marked In every portion OF tae Conted
eracv they have invaded They hsve mardered pris-
oness Of war they have destroyed the means Of sub
siEtenee of fanl they have pundered the defense
less and exerted their most malignant ingenuity TO
bring to the deepest destuton those whose only ohsnse
i hat their husban s and fighting for their
bsrtieE In one instance in the Northwestern part Of
Mississippi, have heard ot them punoeIlng the nome
of poor widow, taking her only cow ano then Offering
her the oath Of allegiance the terms upon which they
would furnish her ralons. worthy 10 oe marion OF
the Southern CoHfederecy she refused it, aud when
/ last heard Of her which was before the enemy WIS
driven from her hOne she wss living upon parehed corn
Wev God bless her She is worthy be of the
Southern Confedersey. LAPplauseJ Every crime con-
cs;vahe from The burning OF defenseless towns the
stealing Of silver forks and spoons marks their career In
New Orleans Butler has exerted himself to earn the
exeeraons Of the civilized world and row returns with
his dhonor thick upon him to receive the plaudts Of
the only people earth who do lot blush TO think he
wears the human form he has stolen millions Of dol
lars in New Orleans from private citizens although the
ussges of war exempt private property from taxation by
ne enev tits in keeping, however with the charscte er
people tnAt SEEKS uOHlilcu ofeH yvui " Do
yeur masters, To try TO reduce you 70 nDecuohglfe
nj TO brutal soldiery your towns to sack, your homes
70 plage and nce servile insurreetion But IN the lat
point they have feiled save IN ths ina! they nave
heaped if possible deeper d grace upon themselves
They have disturb your social organizations On
The plea that it IS military Necessity toI WnAt are
1 thew vagins war7 They say TO preserve the Union
Can they preserve the Union by destroying the socia
sxisenee of portion Of the Southf Do they hope 80
reconstruct the Union by striking at everything which is
dear to mani By showing themselves 20 utterly dis
rcad fls IL the question was proposed to you whether
] xusth Hvan or !
every Virgfnsn would say, give me the hyena Criei
: of Good good !" and applause
Nv frendR constant labor in the duties Of Office borne
5oyya by care and with anxiety which has left me
sesscev moment fer repose, have hsd bat little Op
portunty for social intercourse among you @ tnanh
you for this greeting and hope the time may come soor
when you and alike relieved OF the anHieties OF the
hour may have of social intercourse than as here
toiofc existed, and net may come 20 paIuelpaIe q
s an enoynasnts that one cannot xpere nee wher
his mind is e6sztsnty dwelling upon the struggles o.
his country Whilst mans sympathy Is attracted by
he susss of his fellow Creatures whilst every pu s'
Of his heart beats in response TO the trials and every
Thought Il directed TO the dangers of his country, there
Is little time FOR the cultivation Of the social enloymen
that pertain to time Of peace. can Only give TINS s
my excuse for my seldom appearance among YOU
can ssF with entire sincerity, that have nothing
to regret coupled with s the sacrifices which this strg
gle for the Independence Of Uopderacy has brough
70 me- have borne any fah share In the sacrifices o
the people Of whom am pa't but now feel If thei
had been greater they would have served only to rende
] me more devoted TO you Applause.
e war is in every form in which 1t can be pre-
q sente6 but has its palsting circumstances. This
new eovernmen formed Of independent States, esel
Jealous of its own sovereignty. tits necessary that
sbouId be tired in the erueibls in which
sr tarted in order TO cement together. The enjoy
onf and comforts we have been compelled TO TenOuDc'
b eng mon tbs Of deep anxiety each has felt, the
eessing sbors that have tested our united energies tn
a ssa we have been subj ected to IN common and th
: - srcsrcles our brow has made band
TotBers and trust, we viii be united forever "a
plauss.l -, - ,. e.oto t.o-, sfs5-
f vour soiI has gone home the nained soldiers az
e odisr disabled by disease, and to every State Of 4
osfederacy has besn borne thesiory OF tne nosP s
= - y-Si,f ans. how che kind have nursed
Stsstes - form and bsthed his fevered bFew. When