Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-14
u. DAVE sPEECH.

In RICHMOND
JETT. DAvIs SPEECH.
President Davis appeared on the speak.
ers stand and addressed the people fol
about half an hour. He said he would
have been pleased if the meeting hsd been
called to commemorate victory. But il
was not only pleasant, he felt proud and
ecstatic joy TO see his countrymen looking
whatever disasters there hsd been in the
face, and plucking from adVersity new
courage and resolution; and it was at this
spectacle thst his heart beat high with
hope. It was well that there should COM
mence here in Virginia that re-Actionary
movement of the people in preparing for
8 new proclamation 70 meet the demands
of the hour. All must now be laid on the
altar Of country. If such feeling should
now take possession of the besrts Of the
people, if they should give hearty and
unanimous answer to the demands OF the
present exigency upon them, then hecould
say We stood now upon the verge Of sue
eeIses which would teach the insolent
enemy who had treated our propositions
with contumely, that In that conference in
which he hod 30 plumed himself with ar.
rogance, he was, indeed, talking to his
masters. Tremendous cheers he said
he had never hoped anything from propo-
Aitions of peace made TO the enemy unless
accompanied victories Of our arms that
the true hops of the eonfederAcy was in
brave soldiers in sufficient number to con-
test her claims in the military field but be
would have been more or less than man
1oE - have ria1dad 70 q nafuro1 daa;ra -
testify, on every proper occasion, his
anxiety, his yearniDg anxiety for peace.
He had received a notice from Mr.. Lin
coin opening the way TO an unofficial con-
ference on tho subject. He did not feel at
liberty to decline the invitation which it
implied. In the note which passed be-
tween Mr.. Lincoln and himself in the
matter there was one marked difference.
he president Dsvis) spoke always Of two
countries. Mr.. Lincoln spoke Of COM
mon country. He could have no common
country with the Yankees. His life was
bound up with the oonfederacy; and if any
man supposed that under any eircum-
stances he could be an agent of the recon
struction Of the Union he mistook every
element in his nsture. With the confede-
racy he Woul live or 6ie. Thank God he
people too proud 10 eat the
loRk or bow the neck TO mortal man.
Although he anticipated that nothing in
the way of peace could come out of the re-
cent peace conferences with the enemy,
yet he was not prepared for such extravs-
gance of insolence as they hsd shown.
They had not as much as proposed that
these States might come back even on
those conditions which were the first occa-
sion Of their separation from the Union;
but they were 70 cone back as conquer
ed pople, submitting TO sll the recent legis-
lation of the Washington government in
GLIDING the abolition clause in the Consti-
tuition recently enacted in Congress, and
pushed with the greatest haste through
that body before the Commissioners could
arrive at Fortress Monroe. And but few
days before this one of Mr.. Lincolnis Cabi-
net had sat at the feet Of Beecher in Balti-
more, gloating over the picture drawn By
that Yankee artist of words Of q long pro-
csssion of the public men Of the Confed
erscy moving to the gsllows to expiate the
crime of rebellion" Perhaps Lincoln's
heart softened at the length Of the process
sion when he suggested that, In case of our
ubmission, he might be merciful. Laugh,
ter) He would never have occasion 70
show thstmsrcy. Words of cheer and en-
coursgement had recently come from the
armies Of the confedersoy. If only half
the Absentees were back In General Lees
army he was sure that Grant would be
taught lesson such as he had never re-
cei7ed even in his eventful route from the
RapidAn 10 the James. Beaursgard held
another army in Sherman's path, and it
might soon be shown that ShermAn's
march through Georgis was his last.
(Cheers.) If there has been mistakes in
! he past LET US accept them a. leasonsx
wisdom for the future. (Cheefs) Let Us
improve the errors Of bygonesj let Us unite
our hands and our hearts, lock cur shields
together, and We may well believe that be-
fore the next summer solstiee falls upon u
it will be the enemy who will be asEing us
for conferences and occasions In which to
make known our demands. [GFeat cheer
IN