Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-10-26
JEFF. Davis Georgia speech.

The following speech, made by jeff
erson Davis at Macon, Georgis, Septem-
her %. 1864. is extracted from the col
ums of the Daily Macon Telegraph and
Confederate of September "a;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FRIENDS AND
FELLOW CITIZENS: II would have glad
dened my heart to have met you in pros
perity instead of adversely. But friends
are drawn together no sdversity. The
son of Georgian, who fought through
the Revolution, l would be untrue to
myself if l should forget the State in
her day of peril. What though misfor-
tune has befallen our arms from Decatur
to Jonesboro, our cause is not lost.
/ Sherman can not keep up his long line
| of communication, and must retreat.
Sooner or later he must, and when that
| day comes the fate that befell the army
of the French Empire in its retreat from
Moscow will be re-enacted. Our cavalry
and our people will harrass and destroy
| his army as did the Cossaks that of
Napoleon; and escape with only body
guard How can this be the most speed
| lily effected? By the absentees of Hoods
army returning to their posts; and will
they not: Can they see the banished ex-
lies; Can they hear the wall of their
suffering country women and children,
and not come? By what influences they
are made to stay away, it is not necessary
to speak. If there Is one who will stay
away at this hour, he Sunworthy the name
of Georgian. To the women no appeal is
necessary. They are like the Spartan
mothers of old. ] know of one who has
lost all of her sons, except one of eigh-
teen years. She wrote she wanted me to
reserve place for him in the ranks
The venerable General Polk, to whom /
Tread the letter, knew that woman well
and said it was characteristic of her; but
will not weary you by turning aside to
| relate the various Incidents of giving up
| the last son to the cause OF our country,
known to me. Wherever we 60 We find
the hearts and hands Of our noble women
enlisted. They are seen wherever the
eye may fall, or the step turn. They
have but one duty to perform; to buoy
up the hearts of our people. l know the
deep disgrace felt by Georgia at our army
falling back from Dalton 10 the interior
of the State But vas not Of those who
considered Atlanta lost when our army
crossed the Chsttahooohie. resolved
/ that it should not, and then-put man
in command, whom knew would str ike
a manly blow for the city, and many q
Yankees blood was made 10 nourish the
L soil before the prize was won. 1t does
not become US to revert to disaster
Let the dead bury the dead. Let us
with one arm and one effort endsayor to
crush Sherman. am going to the army to
confer with our Generals. The end must
be the defeat of our enemy. 1t has been
said that | abandoned Georgia to her
fate. Shame upon such falshood. Where
could theauthor have been when Walker,
when Polk, when Stephen D. Lee was
sent 10 her assistance? Miserable man.
The mSn who uttered that was q scoun-
drel. He was not man to save our
country. If knew that General did
not poses the right qualities to COM
mand, would not be wrong, if he were
not removed? Why, when our army was
falling back from Northern 9eorgia I
even heard that had sent Bragg, with
pontoons to cross in to Cuba. But we
must be charitable, The man who can
speculate ought TO be made to take up
his musket. When the war is over and
our independence won,-and we will es-
tablish our independence-who- will be
our aristocracyl hope the limping SOL
dier. To the young ladies l would say
that when choosing between an empty
sleeve and the man who had remained at
homo and grown rich always take the EN-.
PITY sleeve. Let the old men remain at
nome and make bread. But should they
know of any young man keeping away
| from the service, who can not be. made
to go any other way, let him write to the
! Executive l read all letters sent me,
from the people, but have not many
mensbetween eighteen and forty five left.
| The boys, God bless the boys, are, as
rapidly as they become old enough, going
4 into the field. The city of Macon is fll-
ed with stores, sick and wounded. II
must not be abandoned when threatened;
| but when the enemy come, instead oi
calling upon Hoods army for defense
! the old men must fight. and when the
enemy 10 driven beyond Chattanooga,
they, too, can join in the general re
fioiceing. Your prisoners are kept as q
sort of Yankee capital. I have heard
that one of their Generals said that
their exchange would defeat Sherman
! have tried every means, conceded every
/ thing, to effect an exchange, but to no
purpose. Butler, the best, with whom
no Commissioner of a change would
hold intercourse, had published in the
newspapers that if We would consent Il
the exchange of negroes, all difficulties
might be removed. This is reported as
an effort of his TO get himself white
washed by holding intercourse with
gentlemen. IF an exchange could be
Il effected. | don't know but that might
pe induced to recognize Butler. But ir
tho future, every effort viii be given,
as far as possible, TO effect that end
We want our soldiers in the field, and
I'VE want the sick and wounded 10 re
turn home. 1t is not proper for me tC
speak of the number OF men in the field
but this | viii say, that two thirds oi
our men are absent, some sick, some
wounded, but most of them arr
absent without leave The man who re
pents and goes back to his Commando
voluntarily, appeals strongly Executive
cleIneDcy. Bat suppose he stays awaJ
funtil the war is over, and his comrade
return home, aud when every mans histo
) ry will be told, where will ne shield him
self? Ii is upon these reflections that
reIv to make men return TO their duty
but after conferring with our General
at headquarters. if there be any othei
: remedy it shall be applied. love m!
friends and forgive my enemies. hav
been asked tosend reenforcements from
Virginia to Georgia. IN Virginia tn
: disparity in numbers is just as great a
it is in Georgia. Then have beel
asked Why the army sent TO tn
Shenandoah Valley was not sent here
1 = or Tho
had penetrated that Valley to the yer.
gates Of Lynchburg and Genera
Early was sent to drive them back
This he not only successfully did
but, crossing the Potomac came vel
nigh capturing Washington itself, ar
forced Grant to send two corps
his srmy TO protect. This tn
enemy denomiuaied raid. If q
! Ehermsn's march into Georgia
: a raid. What would prevent them now
a 4 L.