The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-23
A9a5hrillg @luipu.
WI. CIMEROS q CO., Publishers.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER %. 1850.
Inauguration OF Gov. Patton - EX-
tracts from his Address.


ALABAMA.
Inauguration of Gov. Patton - EX-
tracts from his Address.
Hon. Robt. II. Patton, Governor elect Of
Alabama, was insugurated on the 18th inst
We are Indebted to him for a copy Of his
address on the occasion. The following ex-
tracts contain those portions Of most inter
est outside of the State
Geulcn1eu q the Senate
Gad house Of Regrsss1isatirss
Having been eleetsd Gavernor OF the state
Of Alabams, sppesr before you 70 day for
/ The purpose Of taking the oath prescribed
BY the constitution, and entering 10. mally
upon the duties Of the Office. Profoundly
grateful for the distinguished honor which
4 has been eoBferfed upon me, I am by no
/ means insensible OF ths heavy weight OF the
/ responsibilities which rest upon the Chief
. Executive Of the STATE, particularly at The
: present time. ] assume the dpiies 4 tia
/ high position under circumstances which
are peculiarly embarrassing Our county
1 is beset on every side with difficulties which
/ seem almost iusurmountable. But, relying
| upon the support and assistance OF the Co
ordinate departments Of the State Govern
nent, and trusting that q generous people
will look with kind iorbsarance upon what
ever errors may commit, and thst an All
wise and good Providence will direct me in
all my thoughts and conclusions, I willingly
enter upon the difficult task before me- BY
hrm and earnest application Of my best
energy and abilities 10 the high service 10
wh-cn l have been called by the popu ar
viii, hope 20 Justify, in some measure at
lesst, the great trust which has been re-
posed in me By my eonfding countrymen.
BY an act Of Congress approved March ?, |
1919, the State of Alabama became one OF I
the members Of the Federal Union. The /
relation then established betweea cur State /
end the General Government remained uu- i
in errupted for a period Of nearly half a /
century. During that time the people /
never felt the slightest pressure of real 20
htcal troubles. In 1919 the State was com
parauvely a wilderness. In 1860 i lite
rally bloomed and blOss0med as the rose.
From tie teebleness Of tender infancy, it I
had grown % gigantic manhood. This lew 4
settlements Of hardy and adventurous pio-
neeIs, situated at remote distances from
ch other, thr0us shout its vast area, ex-
paIded TO a dense and wealthy population.
At the beginning Of the year 1901, "A iabama !
contaiue nearly one million OF inhabitant
and all branches Of industry and trade
Were prosperous. Villages, towns and cit
les We're dourishiug, ana internal improve
ments were rapidly and satisfactorily pro-
gressing. We had everything in the most
b0Unte0us measure, which was essential to
make life happy. Our high state Of agri-
cultural prosperity may be readily spprs-
ciated by reference 10 the single article Of
cotton, the annual product Of which had
reached nearly 200, 900 Of bales. Official
reports show that the number Of bales pro-
durnd In sF0 rvaa uu- u-s Thfz ornon1t or I
cotton BY fair computation was worth in
the markets Of the world, al least, $50 ,000,-
900, Alabama had become the largest !
cotton growing State IN the Uuion, pro-
ducing about oLe-iltu Of the entire Ameri-
can crop. Nor was &c IN agriculture alone
that our State was prospy-Ing. Our com
merciaI, manu- acturing aod mechanical in
terests, and Internal Improvements, were
all advancing in q highly satisfactory de-
gree.
Thus We see that as a pesceful and quiet
member Of the Federal Union We had grown
from an infant state TO one Of greatness,
wealth and power Our growth was gradu-
a., health'ul, vigorous and substantial. No |
peop can attain TO such high state Of |
prosperity without the protect ng hand Of |
government, to maintain political tranquil
ity, and enforce civil order in the land. |
That quiet and order Alabama enjoyed with
UAk Alle slightest llO-e@L4LlOu from the time
she entered the Union in 1919 until the un- !
fortunate events Of the spring OF 1861. Then !
We we're brought 10 a sudden aud violent |
h.llt in our rapid march on the high road Of
prosperity and happiness.
On the lllh day OF January 1861, Con-
yention of the State passed an ordinance, |
declaring in effect, that the people Of Ala
bama were thencetJrth ab5O.vei from all |
allegiance 70 the Government Of the United |
D. Il e I. !
ed the theory that state had the tonstitu- |
tional right 70 dissolve its connection with |
the Federal Union, and decided that the |
time had come when it was expedient aud |
proper 10 sever the relations which bound |
US to the General Government
! trust that IL viii not be considered in
consistent with the proprieties OF the occa-
sIOu, 90 state that I uId not concur in this
reasoning. Ny judgment did not approve
Of either the dOct inc or the acts Of seces-
sion. ! thought the position assumed by
Alzhama, and the other Southern states,
would precipitate the Northern and South
ern Staies into an unnatural and Protested
war. But while firmly entertaining this
opinion, deemed il duty, as a c tIzen Of
Alabama, 20 yield a faithful obedience 20
what had been done. Painfully apprehend- |
ing that the step which had beea taken |
would bring ruin upon us. I nevertheless |
held myself bolnd by the authoritative de-
cree which was deliberately pronounced BY
the people through a Convention Of their
own choice. I can point 10 this action on
my part, IS al least sttesting my devotion |
10 all the regular forms Of authority in the !
State, and as some proof Of my rs a1iness 70
share the fate Of my iell0W-citizens under
any and all circumstances, whatever that
fats may be.
should have rei0iced il the events which
flowed from tho ordinance Of secession had |
been different from v hat / apprehended.
would have been most happy if the gre at
problem presented by the action Of the south
ern States had found some solution which
would have saved US from the direfuI caIaru-
ties OF civil war. But unfortunately such was
not the case. The United States Government
dis puted the claims Of secession and re-
solved to maiDtsin its authority over the Gu
tire Union az every hazard. The Southern
States, with equal frmness resolved 10
sand by the position they had taken, and
q conflict Of arms ensued. War becoming
t5en inevitable, the Southern people rushed
to the field with grest unanImity; and
this gave some ground for the hope that
the Struggle would at least be Of short du-
ration. But even those who cherished this
fond hope were doomed 10 disappointment.
when the issue Of arms was Joined, the
martial spirit Of the whole country was
aroused. The war at once assumed such
gigantic proportions as = render IL palpable
that the conflict was % be stubborn, pro-
tracted, sanguine and destructive, beyond
all parallel in the history Of civil wars An
efforts 70 check or mitigate its ruinous
course we- fruiuess. For four years it
swept over our land Ike q poisonous sirocco,
and scarcely locality in the South escaped
its devastating blast.
The ability and skill with which our
prominent Generals conducted their respec-
live campaigns, and the energy aud bravery
with which our patriotic soldiers fought,
excited the admiration Of the civilized
world. But with all the ability Of cur Cen
erals, and all the bravery OF cur soldiers,
the war resulted adversely 20 the South.
When our eminent commanders were forced
10 eapltulate, they bore themselves with a
chivulry and mRulIness which secured from |
their triumphant adve-saries such terms as
were emiusntly ma gns uimous and honor
able. When the arms Of the United States I
became supreme, the Confederate forces
were subjected 20 uo humiiiatipg submis-
sion. Their honorable pride was not offend
ed. They were accorded every privilege
which modern civilization concedfs % q
brave end patriotic, thooEh vanquished Zoe. |
OF the wide waste and ruin which the |
war hss wrought upon our once happy |
country, Alabama has suffered q full share
OF her brave sons who entered the army. IL
NAV be safely stated that from thirlv-iive I
90 forty thousand psrished ia the service.
In material weslth, her .1ss iu one species
NJ property al0ue--thut 0l slav-a--i- not less I