The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-07
STRAITS OF THE REBELS.
DESPERATE SPEECH BY JEFF.
DAVIS AT MACON.
Two Thirds Of the Rebel Army Absent
Without Leave.
HE SAYS SHERMAN MUST
BE CRUSHED.
CALL FOR REINFoRCBMENPs.
Lee Tco Weak to Hold His Lines,

Lee Too Weak to Hold His Lines,
---~--lsl.S-s--,-,-->---------
WASHINGTON, October c. The following
speech, made by jefferson Davis at Macon, Ca,
September %, 1864 is extracted from the columns
OF the Daily Macon Telegraph and Confederate of
September q -
LADIES AND GENrLENtEN, FRIENDS AND FEL-
low CITIZENS 1t would have gladdened my
heart to have met you in prosperity, instead OF
adversely. But friends are drawn together in
adversity. The son Of Georgian, who fought
through the first Revolution, would be untrue
to my self If l should forget the State in her day
of peril.
What though misfortune has befallcn our arms
from Decatur to Jonesboro, our cause is not lost.
Sherman cannot keep up his long line OF COM
munication and retreat. Sooner or later he
must; and when that day comes the fate that
Oefell the army Of the French empirein its retreat
from Moscow will he reacted. Our cavalry ard
our people will harass and destroy his army
did the Cossacks that of Napoleon; and the
Yankee General like him, will escape with only
a body guard.
How can this be the most speedily effected
By the absentcos OF Hoods army returning To
their posts; and will they not ? Can they see the
banished eXiies; can they hear the call of their
suffering country women and children and not
cone by what Influences they are made to stay
away II is not necessary to speak. II there Is one
who will stny away &C this hour he is unworthy
of the name of Georgian. To the women no
appeal is necessary. They are like the Spartan
nOlh,rs Of Old. ! know OF one who has lost all
her sons, except one Of eight years. She wrote
that she wanted me TO reserve Il place for him IN
the ranks.
The venerable General Polk, to whom l read
the letter, knew that woman well, and said twas
l D.
| turn aside to relate the various incidents OF
giving up the last son % the cause of our country
known TO me. Wherever We g we find the hearts
and hands Of our noble women enlisted, lacy
| are seen wherever the eye may fall or the step
urn. They have one duty to perform; TO buoy
up the hearts of our people. l know the deep
disgrace iclt by ceorgia az our army fallng Oack
| ON Patton to the interior Of the State.
| But / was not of those who considered Atlanta
| lost when our army crossed the ChattlhoOchee.
| | resolved that it should not, and l then put
| man in command who / knew would strike a
| manly blow for the city, and many Yankees
| blood was made to noursh the soil before tue
| prize was won. Ii does not become us TO revert
| 10 disaster. Let the dead bury the dead. Let us,
| with ono arm and one effort, endcayor to crush
Sherman. ] am going to the army to confer
| with our Generals. Ihe emu must DC the uetclt
II has been said that abandoned Georgia to
| her fate Shame upon such ialschood! Where
| could the author have been when walker, when
| 70 her assistance Miserable man The man
| who uttered this was a scOundrel. He was not
| man 20 save our country. II knew thAt
General did not possess the right qualities to COM
mand, would / not be wrong If he was not
removed. Why, when our army was falhug
back from Northern Georgia, even heard that l
had sent Bragg with pOutOOns 10 cross II TO Cuba.
| But we must be charitable. The man who can
speculate ought to bo made TO take up his musket.
| When the war Is over aud our independence
won-and we will establish our Independence
who will he our aristocracy hope the limpinS
soldier. TO the young ladies' woald say Int
when choosing between an empty sleeve and the
man who had remained at home and grown rich,
! always take the empty sleeve.
Let the old men remain at home and make
bread. But should they know of any young
man keeping away from the service, who cannot
he made TO 20 any other way, let them write to
the Executive. read all letters sent me from the
people; but have not the Time to reply to them.
You have not many men between elghtcch anu
forty. five left The boys, God bless the boys,
, are as RAPIDLY as they become old enough going
TO the field. The city Of Macon is filled with
stores, sick and wounded. 10 must not DC aDaI-
doned when threatened; but when me enemy
come instead OF calling upon Hoods army for
defense, the old men must nights ana Whcn the
. enemy Is driven beyond Chattanooga, they too
| can iOin In the general rejoicing.
| Your prisoners are kept rs sort OF Yankee
copital, / have heard that one of their Generals
| 5 !, that their exchange would defeat Sherman
! / ave tried every means, conceded everything
10 effect an exchange, but 10 no purpose. butler
| The beaet, with whom the Commissioners OF EN'
!. | chance would hold intercourse, had published
in the newspapers that If we would consent
10 the exchange OF negroes, all dllhcuItle'
s might be removed. This he reported as al
effort of his TO get himself whiteWashel
Inv holding Intercourse with gentlemen.
- Ifan exchange could be effected, don't know
h but that might be induced q recognise butler
But IN the future every cllort Will be gwen as td
- as posslble TO effect the end. We want our sol
d | diers in tic field, aud we want the sick ant
D wounded 10 return home. II is not proper TO
., me to speak Of the number OF men IN the held
- but this l will say, that tWo-thTds OF our mel
are absent some sick, some wounded, Dut mos
10 of them absent without leave. The man VIII
repents and goes back 20 his commander yolun
r tarily appeals strongly 10 executive cemency.
# But SUPPOSE he stays away until the war i
over, and his comrades return home, ana Whel
every mans history will be told, where will IA
IN shield himselfi Il Is upon these reflections thl
no. we RELY 10 make men return 20 their duty but aite
. comforting with our Gene55 a. ne higIImuquIIti,er m
Dt Il there be any other remedy II shall DC applied
love my friends, ana | forgive my enemies
have been asked 70 send reintUrcements fror
Is Virginia 20 Georgia. In Virginia the dlspart
> Then l have been asked why the army sent I
the Shenandoah Valley was not sent mere ltwa
IN because an army Of the enemy had penetrate
Ia that valley 10 the very gates OF LShcnDutB an
General Early was sent 60 drive them Daek.
ef This he not ouly successfully did, but, crossn
Il. tbe Potomac. came well nigh capturing Washing
. Ton Itself, and forced Grant to send two corps
his army TO protect it. This the enemy demon
r mated q raid III so, Shermans march int
IN Georsia is raid. What would prevent the
:" now Il Early was withdrawn from taking Lyncl
y burg aud putting a complete Gordon Of me
le around Richmond l counsellcd with that gre
n. and brave soldier, General Lee, upon all the
points My mind roamed over the Whole hel
he With this we can succeed.
h IL one half the men now absent without lea
: viii return to duty, we can defeat the enem
s- With that hope am going 70 the iront. mi
nd not realize this hope but know there are m
there who have looked death In the face too Oft
10 despond now. Let no one despond. Let
r. one distrust, aud remember that If genius Is t
on beau Ideal, hope is the reality