Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-09-30
speech of President Davis in Macon.


l Ladies and gentlemen, friends and fsllO'o-eiti-
sens IT would have gladdened my heart to have
met you in prosperity instead Of adversely. But
trends aretdrawu together IN adversely. The son
of q Georgian, who fought through the first Revo-
flution, would be untrue to myself if should Tor
tget the State in her day of peril.
What, though misfortune has befallen our arms
from Decatur to JoResboro, our cause is not lost.
Sherman cannot keep up his long line Of commnnl.
cation, and retreat sooner later he must And
when that day comes, the fate that belc the army
of the French Empire in its retreat from Moscow
will be rt-enacted Oar cavalry and our people will
harrsss and destroy his army as did the Cossacks
; that of Napoleon and the Yankee General like him,
will escape with only body guard.
How can this be the most speedily effected! BY
the absentees of Hoods army returning to their
posts And will they not Can they see the ban
ished exiles, can they hear the wall OF their suffer
ing country women and children, and not come!
By what influence they made to stay away at this
hour, it is unnecessary to speak II there IS one
who will stay away at this hour, be is unworthy OF
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 years. She wrote me that she
wanted me to reserve place for him in the ranks.
The venerable Gen. Polk, to whom | read the let
ter, knew that women we'll, and said that 1t was
characteristic of her. But will not weary you by
turning aside to relate the various incidents OF CIV
ing up the last son to the cause of our country,
known to me- Wherever we 60 we find the heart
and bands of our noble women enlisted. They are
wherever the eye may fall, or the step turn
They have one duty to perform-to buoy up the
hearts of the people.
know the deep disgrace felt by Georgia at our
army falling back from Dalton to the interior Of the
State; was not of those who considered Atlanta
lost when our army crossed the Chattahoochee. l
resolved that it should not, and then put q man
in command who knew would strike an honest
and manly blow for the city, and many Yankees
blood made to nourish the soil before the prize
was won.
1t does not become to revert TO disaster. 80 Let
the dead bury the dead" Let US with one arm and
one effort endeavor to crush Sherman. ain going
to the army To oOnler with our Generals. The end
must Lc the defeat Of our enemy. 1t has been said
that had abandoned Georgia. Shame upon such
q falsehood Where could the author have been
when Walker, when Polk, and Gen. Stephen d. Lee
was sent to her assistance. Miserable man. The
man who uttered this a scoundrel. lie was
not man to save our country.
IL knew = General did not posses the right quail
itieS TO command would not have been wrong If he
vas not removeiH Why when our army was falling
back from Northern Georgia, | even neard that
had senrBragg with pontOonS to cross 10 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 establish our
independence who will be our Aristocracy! Ihope
the limpinG soldier. To the young ladies | would
say when choosing between an empty sleeve and the
mar who had remained at home and grown rich,
always take the empty sleeve. Let the old men re-
main at h6ine and make bread. But if they know
Of any young men keeping away from service who
cannot be made to 60 any other way let them writN
to the Executive | read all letters sent me from
the people, bat have not time to reply to them.
You have not many men between Is and 40 left
The boys-God bless the boys-are as rapidly as
they became old enough going to the field. The
city Of Macon is filled with stores sick and wound
| ed 1t must not be abandoned when threatened,
but when the enemy comes, instead OF calling upon
| Hoods army for defence, the old men must fight,
and when the enemy is driven beyond Chattanooga,
| they too can join in the general rejoicing.
Your prisoners are kept sort Of Yankee capital
have heard that one of their Generals said that
their exchange would defeat Sherman. l have tried
every MEANS conceded everything to effect, an ex-
change to no purpose. Butler the Beast with whom
no Commissioner OF Exchange would hold inter-
course, had published in the newspapers that if we
would consent to the exchange of negroes, all diff.
cuties might be removed.
This is reported effort Of his to get himself
whitewashed by holding intercourse with gentlemen.
If an exchange could be effected don't know but
that might be induced to recognize Butler. But
in the future every effort will be given far pus
sibe to effect the end. We want our soldiers in
the field, and we want the sick and wounded to re-
turn home.
1t Is not for me to speak of the number of men in
the field. But this will say, that two thirds Of
our men arc absent-some sick some wounded but
mos: of them absent without leave. The man who
repents and goes to his commander voluntarily, at
once appeals strongly to executive clemency. Bat
suppose be stays away until the war is over and
his comrades return home, when every mans hsto.
~ will be told, where will he shield himself 1t is
upon these reflections that rely to make men re-
frrn Itttyy htif
Generals at headquarters, if there be any other
edy it shall be applied
love my friends and forgive my enemies. |
have been asked to send reinfoIrements from Virgin
ia to Georgia. In Virginia the disparity in numbers
is just as great as it is in Georgia Then | have
| been asked why the army sent to the Shenandoah
| Valley was not sent here7 1t was because army
Of the enemy had penetrated that Valley to the very
gates ofLynchburg and Gen. Esrly WAS sent to drive
| them back.
This ne not only successfully did, but crossing
the Potomac, came well nigh capturing Washington
! ITSELF and forced Grant 10 send two corps of his
army to protect it This the enemy denominated
| q raid. Er so Shermans march into Georgia is a
| raid What should prevent them now, if Early was
| withdrawn penetrating down the Valley and put
| ting 4 complete Gordon of men around Richmond ?
compelled with that great and grave soldier, Gen.
| eral Lee, upon all these points. My mind roamed
| over the whole field
With this we can succeed. IF one half the men
new absent without leave will return to duty, we
can defeat the enemy. With that hope am going
to the front I may not realize this hope, but
know there are men there who have looked death
IN the face too often to despond now. Let no one
distrust and remember that if genius is the beau
ideal, hope is the reality.
The President then alluded to the objects for
! which the meeting had assembled, and expressed
the hope that the refugees and exiles would DO well
provided for. His remarks were often interrupted
by applause
! NEw BooK-Frank. /. Wilson, E>q., will pub
rsh in B SeS days, small volume containing
graphic accoun, Of the Battle of Great Bethel. Mr.
Z.