, 1865-02-15
THE WAR MEETING lin
RICHMOND.

Our dispatches haye already mentioned the
Ber meeting held at the African Church in
Richmond, On theeyening Of the 9Th instant,
at which JEFF. Davis made fierce speech'
and 4 series of resolutions we're adopted
sayfngamong other things, that "We ciu
zcue here assembled do spufn with the tndls-
nation due 60 gross an insult, the terms on
which the Prcsldent OF the United States has
psoGered peace to the people Of the Confeder-
ate Etates.'
The following is the fullest report which We
have seen Of
JEFF. DAVIS SPEECH.
President Davis appeared on the spcakcr's
an hour, He said he would have been pleased
if tho meeting had been called to co1nmemo-
| rate victory. But 1t was not only pleasant;
he felt proud and ecstatic joI to see his
couDtrJmen looking whatever disasters there
had been in the face, md plucking from 3D.
yersity new courage and resolution; md 1t
| WAS at this spectacle that bis heart beat high
| with hope It was well that there should
| commence here in Virginia that reactionary
| movement Of The people in preparation 70: q
| new proclamation to meet the demands OF the
hour. All must now be laid on the altar Of
country. II such feeling should now take
possession Of the hearts Of the people, If they
| should give hearty aud unanimous ansWor
| 10 The demands Of the present cx}gency upon
| them. then he could e8y DOW We stood upon
/ the verge Of SUCCESSES which would teach the
ineolent enemy, who had treated our proposi-
tious with contumely, that in that conference
in which he 80 plnmed himself Witharro-
gance, be vas, in fact, talking with his mas
fers. Tremendous checrs.1
He said he had never hoped anything from
propositions Of peace made to the enemy un-
less nccompanI.d d with victories Of our arms !;
that the true hope of the Confedesacy was
brave soldiers in sufficient number to contest
her claims in the military field but be would
have been more or less than man not 10 have
Welded to natural desire to testify, on every
occasion, his anxiety, his yeaEning. anxiety
for peace, He had received notice from
Mr, Lincoln opening the way to an unofficial
conference on the subject. He dtd rot tesl
at liberty to decline the invitation which 1t
Nj. Lincoln and himself in tile matter, there
was one marked difference. He tPres1dent
Uayisl spoke always Of two countries: Mr.
Lincoln spoke of q common country, Ae
could have no common country "1to tne
Yankees. His life Was bound up with tue
Confederacy, and II any man supR9seqq p q, tna' a.'
! under any circumstances he could oc 4n
agent of the reconstruction OF the Union ne
mistook every element Of his nature. WIN
, the Confederacy he would live or die
, Thank God he represented people
too proud to eat The leek, Or bow the neck to
i 4AOI404 AAaAs lEFEAL GlAGEIluE-I 34AeAVI{5AA ~
anticipated that nothing In tho way Of peace
could come out Of recent conferences with The
, enemy. Jet he vas not prepared for such ex
trafagauee Of 1nsolence as they had shown
They had not 80 much a. proposed that thest
! States might come back even on those coudf
8 tfous which we're the first occasion Of thei1
, sepq1at1on from the Union but they we're Il
l come back as q conquered people, submitting
= to all the recent legislation of the Washing
e ton. Government, including the abolition
eiause In the Constitution recently enacted Ii
a Cone1ess. and pushed with the greatest hast.
fbro1ch that body before they con1d arrive a
. Fortress Monroe. And but q few days betor,
> This. one Of Mr. Lncoln's Cabinet lad sat q
The }aei Of Rcecter In Baltimore, gloatlng ovel
al ihe picture drawn By that Yankee artist Q
: words Of a long procession Of puhli
!. mrn Of the Contederacy moving t.
> II ~ a ehelliou," Perhaps Lincoln's hear
! saffeped 1T the length Of the procession whc'
= he snrpcsted that, in case Of our submission
: i,e mief,t be merclful, TLaughter.l Hewous
i never have occasion to show that mercy
Words Of cheer and encouragement aao 1e
), cent1v cnme from The armies Of the Conted
= eracv. If only half the abscntees were oac
. IN f;rne,a1 Ices army he was sure that GFan
y 1yon1d I've taught 8 lesson such as he had neve
i rcceiyed erc1l in his e7entfal route from tn
J. RnpIdan to the James, beAufesas1 ~ aoaI .tt
r otterarmy In shezman's pain, am " na s
9 soon be shown that she11aa1s n.a'
- through Georgia was. bis last lGueelsj ;
It there had been mistakes in the past ~
+ accept them IS lessons Of wisdom '!of 1ae