Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-05
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT DAVIS
LEGISLATURE OF MISSISSIPPI.

On the 26th day of December, President DAVIS de-
Yered an address before the Legislature Of Mississippi
sketch of which we find in the Jackson Aisssippian.
We select the most important portions:
After complimentary allusiOn to Mississippi and Der
soldiers the President spoke of his love fol- the old
Union He alluded to il, however, matter Of re-
rre that the best affections Of his heart should have
been bestowed upon. an object unworthy-that he
should have loved long government which was rot
ten to its very core ..,E
lie had predicted from the beginning fierce war |;
though it had assumed more gigantic proportions than
he had calculated upon. He had predicted war; not be-
cause our right to secede not undoubted one,
and clearly defined in the spirit of that declaration which
rests the right govern upon the consent OF the gov
erned but the Wickedness of the North would entail
upon the country. The present war waged against the
rrbts of free people was unjust and the frnt of the
evil passions of the North In the progress Of the
those evil passions have been and developed
and so far from re-untng with such people, people
whose ancestors Cromwell had gathered from the boys
and fens OF Ireland and Scotland people whose into
lerance produced dscord and trouble wherever they
went-who prosecuted Catholics, Episcopsians, and
every other sect that did subscribe to their bgoted
and contracted notions-who burnt witches, and did
Thousand other things calculated TO make them forever
Infamous The President emphatic in his declara-
ton that under no circumstances would he consent to
reunion. --
He drew glowing picture of the horrors of var, and
the rayages OF the enemy; and while tears flowed for
those who suffered yet sill these would be endured
cheerfuv before our manhood and liberties would
be surrendered. -...
TIE WAR UPON NORTHERN SOIL.
He alluded briefly to his desire to transfer the upon
Northern SOIL bo. the failure to do this proceeded not
from a want of inclination but of power. We were not
an old established natioa with armies and nayies
command These had to be improvised from the scany
materials to be found within the limits of own Con-
federacy We were blockaded aud cut off from other
nations and everybody knows that we had been az
rcutural people, and that facilities for mauufactu-
ring materials Of war extremely limited. Notwth-
standing this fact patent the casual observer,
we had no an army larger than before-our arms
and munitions Of war increased in number and i'm
proved in quality and in q better condition to-
day than we were twelve months ago.
The Consumption and Exemption laws were then
touched upon aud the necessity Of the and the in
tenton 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 tbs military.
ISDIGEST YAHILIEs-REsERvED CORPS.
The President expressed his qualification at the
sage of Governor Pettus and cordially endorsed his
views in reference making provision for INDECENT am
lies and the enrolment of eremps, who could be ready
upon an emergency 90 forth aud occupy the trenches
while the disciplined and active sodery could take the
field The calls for such service could b. for thirty sixty
or ninety days, and when the emergency had passed.
they could to their pursuits Raw soldiers, the
President commended could do efficient service in the
trenches, and the adoption Of such policy would
strengthen our means CT defense quite materially
In his alusOn to the vast numbers of the North the
President said that upon any fair field willing
to fight them two to we have often whipped them
three to one at Antietam Gen. Lee whipped them four
10 one But this might not be the case always As the
enemy progressed in discipline they approached
TO our own troops in efficiency. Hence the neessiy of
providing something like corresponding - that
which the enemy are bringing against u.s.
srAGGpERs.
The President denounced in terms Of scathng but
dignfed rebuke the habit Of struggling from the army
He invoked public opinion TO frown il down. aud called
upon the women to drive the straggers back to duty
,-s. FILL Up THE RANKS
He urged the necessity of filling up the hinned ranks
Of regiments Those veterans who had gone through
many hard fought battles looked for their kindred
home supply the places which had been made vacant
by the death of their comrades. brigade which mus
tered only twelve hundred men, would have TO bleed
much as if il had its full quota of 1000. Their ranks
must be filed humanity demands IT, IL was time for
patriots throw of the shackes of private interest,"
TO the rescue of those heroes whom the ravageS Of
had yet spared and cOnsecrate themselves TO the most
sacred cause on earth. r.
THE REAL DANGER.
The President remarked that when he arrived here he
thought the enemy were pressing down upon US from
the Northern borders OF State but when he to
Grenada he there learned that nothing could be of
them but their backs. They we're going back perhaps
with the intention of reinforcing the heavy column
that was being thrown down the Mississippi river.
The real points Of attack at Vicksburg and Port
Hudson; aud TO all who desired to lend helping hand
to the country in her present eEgency he would eco
to Port Hudson and Vcksburg without delay!
He smoke of the sautary effects of harmonious action
between the several States and the goVernnent Rich
mUnu and urged upon legislators, both State and Con-
federSte the necessity Of establishing permanent mill
tary systeu for after the present ended
we might expect trouble from our enemies unless our
military establishment OF such character 10 give
them wholesome fear Of precipitatng war upon us
The true theory was TO adopt military system which
would be permanent and operative in times of peace.
.ssr- THE QUESTION AT ISSUE.
The issue involved in this war no ordinary one. The
question is will YOU be free, will you be the slaves Of
the most depraved and intoercnt and tyranncal and
hated people upon earth? This the real question 10
be decided. Every thing else dust in the ball
ance people who had demonstrated their utter inca
pacity for selfgovenment who have destroyed their
own liberties in the vain effort to deprive Of ours
seek TO be masters and intct upon Us such Calling
chains as have parallel in the annals Of tyranny.
Mississippi Is the object of their peculiar hatred; upon
her is 70 be visited their refined vengeance But our
cause Is JUS; and vengeance belongs to the Lord! We
viii resist the power Of the enemy. Discard ell
other considerations but ths public defense, and victory
will again be ours.
AsPERsioEs or THE ADMINISTRATIONS. 81 7
The President alluded very brieAyto the alsehoods
which had been circulated relative to the Administrator,
which he could not dsprove because such disproval
would give the enemy knowledge of things which the
good OF the required to be concealed from him.
That he mad committed errors be did no doubt,
though they never the result of improper motives
Por yindcaol of himself fronthe aspersons of some
of his fellow citizens he confidently awaited the time
when the cause would suffer from such Tindcaton.
he, however; explained the great necessity of public
confidence in the officers of the government and point
ed to that great and good man, Gen. Albert Sydney
johnson, IS shining example Of the i'll Saects Of with