East Saginaw courier., 1865-02-22
Mass Meeting in Richmond.
Speeches OF JEFF Davis. Judah p. Benja-
min and J. A. Gilmer.
A srrrcu ny slrrnnsos DAVIS.


lie said he would have been plsa.ed II th'
meet ny had teen called 20 commemorate a vic
tory. hut Il was not only pleasant, he felt proud
and esstsiic Joy 10 see his eountrymen lookin,
whatever disasters there had been IN the face, ana
pluck'ng from sdv~rsity new courage and resolo'
ton J. and II was Mt ih's spc,ta le that his hear
bent high sith hope. II was we'll that there
should commence here In Virginia that reaction
any movement Of the people Ia preparation for q
new proslsm tion 10 meet the demands of The
hour M mu-t nov lie laid on the altar os the
country. u such a feeling should now take pos.
s.ssou Of the hearts of the people II they should
give hearty and unanii-ous answer 10 the de-
Inands of the present exgency upon them then
hc could say We stood now upon the verge of sue.
cesses which would teach the insolcnt enemy who
bad treated our propositions with coDturnely that
Ia that conference In which he had ~ plumed
hiinseif with arrogance, he was, indeed, liking
10 b's masters Tremendous cheers lilo said
he had never hoped anything froln propositions oi
peace made to the enemy unless accompanied
with victories of our arms that the true hope OF
the tonfederacy was in brave soldiers In sufficient
NUM- en- 10 cont, 81 her claims in the military field
but he would have been more or less thnB maf
not Ia have yielded To natural desire to testify
nn every pio. or occasion. his anxiety, his yearn
ing anxiety tor peace. lie had received notice
Iiom MI. LIN, OiD opening the way 10 an unotli-
rial onierence on the su jeet lie lid not feel al
liberty 10 decline the invitation which IL implied
Ia the n'iie which passed between Mr.. Lincoln
snd hinseif IN the matter there WIS one marked
difference lie (prs'deht Dayis) spoke always
VI two countriss. MI Lincoln spoke of a com
mon country. lie souli hive no common c,,uii-
iy with the Yankees liis III, was bound up
snh the onfe,lcrsey AMI IL any man supposed
hat under my sir, unsiun es he c.uld bs an
'g.m of the econstru> ti"n or the Cnion he mis-.
ook every element OF his nature. With the Con-
ederacy L, WI ud live or die Thank cod he
'eliesepted people too proud ;. en-, the leck
'r bow the lack to mortal man. Great ap-
p.suse.
Although he anticipated that nothing in the
May IL peace could come out of the recent con-
ercnees with the enemy, yet he WAS not prepared
or sueh ex,ravagaL. Ut insolencs as they had
Lomn They L.d not 80 much us proposed that
hesc States might come back even on those con-
ntons whi,h we're he frst occasion OF their sep.
.ration om the tniou tut they were to cIne
'eN 30 V"i'Y"o'e.. I.sVl,iy, suDmttting to all the
sssni Ssiasg sgi'Sa me sSoh # ahs sl&SEspBr
rc,nt.y enacted IN Congress, mud pushed with
be grestest haste through that hojy before tie
els could arIive at Fortress M"nroe.-
Aud ui ~ lev days beiore this, une OF Mr. Lin
olns cabine' hau Eat II the feet of Bee, her IN
baltimore, gloa,lng over the picture drawn by
hat lankee artist oi words Of "a long procession
Il the pu lie men OF the Conicderacy moving
awards the gallows TO expiate the crime OF re-
,ellion" Perhaps Lineoln's heart soitencd Mt
he length OF the procession whom be suggested
hat, in case Of our submission, he might be mer-
;iful (Laughter) He would never have occasion
10 show that mercy. Words Of cheer and encour-
lgement had recently come from the armies Of
ho Confedersey. If only half the absontees were
back in General Lees army he was sure that
irapt would be taught lesson such As he had
never received even in his eventful route from
he Rapidan TO the James. Beauregard held
another army in Sherman's path, and it might
oon be showff that Sherman's march through
ieorgia was his last. (Cheers.) IL there had
been mistakes in the past lot US accept them As
essons Of wisdom for the future (Cheers) Let
as improve the errors Of bygonesi let MS unite
,ur hands and our hearts, lock our shields to-
sether, and we may well believe that before the
next summer solstice falls upon US 1t will be the
enemy, who will he asking US for conferences aud
',vasivus in ~lsoii " make known our demands
Great ebeering)
SPEECH NJ p pESJanIS.
Hon ]. T.. Benjamin, Secretary Of State, con.
yr.tul tied the large alsemblage on the change
u sentiment ~ parent in the meeting The sud
leu rev ulson from the dependency Of n few days
ago H. ih, high resolves, holy determination and
patriotic emulation Of this pc pie, hope and con-
ndencc woie rsnewed n tue hearts anu minds Of
men. What Is tne cnuse OF IL; have any great
Military tucersses teen nnnouncedl M; u Is
lnc hnOwledgs and "ps,iousuess that has csmo
hom 10 all, TINT is tell IN the core oi all hsafts,
hat we must conquer IN this light or dio. Thank
Iiod, We all know It nos The path If duty Is
placed before us clear, straight AMI plain and
AL know that We must iSsat OF perish. Our terms
IRE independence With that one word on our
treaty scrull, We say 10 Lincoln, put what else
you please, we sign the deed
hr u, ut this 10 Mt oi his remarks. entered
into recital Vt the circumstances that led to the
sending, by President Davis, Of commissioners
with tue ternisand instructions under which they
we're sent. The speaker next touched upon the
Of supporting the government and re-
iniorcing the army. War was game that coul
not 10 piayed without men, ani men We mus'
have. lie 1.-THE spoaker) WAS here to-day to tel
very uuwholesonc truths lIe would be blamed
aud abused for them, probably; but he could moi
help that When our soldiers ~ the trenches are
,endIng up earnest appeals for help, will yot
wthhohi that aid whether that aid be white ol
bla,kl lbreat ,LeerIng
MIR benjamin sul united some statistical fact
shown the fighting element available betweer
the two %, .ons IN lS6O he Confederate States
exclusi,e oi tennessee and Kentucky, had with
ia their boundaries one million AMI sixty thous,n,
lighting men between the ages Of eighteen ans
ioiiy-hve years Against this formida lie forc'
the enemy ave arrnyed three millions of men
at varnus periods ,Dce 1861. There are in th,
south SIX nuniisi and eighty Thousand ilacl
ncn of the hghtng age and capable of bein,
made lighting mcp Let us say tV every negr'
who wants To into the ranks, :. Go aud Ggat, an'
you are nee" Don't press them, for that wil
make them run away, AMI fhey will he foun'
fighting against us ins cad of for us As yet bu
cue sld. is to!i. The YANKEES can beat us fron
the legiuning TO the epd ef the year II makilI
bargains let - stop the negro fiom runnInI
over 10 Sherman BY saying: IL you 10 over .
,he ianss you will get your Freedom. hut yo
will perish oa the earth, for you cannot 1.-Two II
that cold climate Fight for your masters, an
the other danger Let us prolnisc the negro
sood iaiib thai IL he will fight for US he shall hav
h ffeed,m A voice; 9 Let's try it"l ic'
lets tIy IL. lie the speaker) had mover hved i
any but - slave country, and like M Vt 0f his au
d.rice, oouOtless, lai his Il. .ek mamma na,se
but he would willingly give up all for the nttaii.
IIoni VI indcp.i dence
" bat State will lead in sen ling the black ma
10 the aia ol General L.el (Crics of "Virgri,
Who gave brtn to secession and led of the frs
cshnon sho, oi the revolution 2 south CarolIns
anu one after announcer tho SOutncfn states Wnco
ed into line Virginia held back, for her love e
the Union was as strong and warm and affection
ate ne the love of n mother for her child Tb
people began to ask, what Of Virginia The
came Telegram saying that Virginia was goin
10 abandon the South that she was lukewarn
reluctant, and holding back, Ia voice, who hel
her back 1") but soon another telegram informe
us that Virginia was with us, and like sout
Carolina.
We arc looking TO her TO lead In the now msa
uro Of war policy which ie inevitable, aud come
must. When shall 1t be done1 Voices, Nov
now, now! Yes, now. Ask your Legislatul
10 pass a resolution recommending the measuI
To Congress, and in twenty days Gen. Leo can
reinforced by 10000 men. The speaker was I
sensatonalst, no alarmist lie had como to Il
meeting for the very purpose Of giving utteran'
10 some dIstasteful truths Without the adoptie
Of some decisive, energetic measure like thi
there WAS danger-ereat danger, TO avert whic
we're he rs much Virginian Nc he wac n Louis
sn,an, he would not bestate TO make his last sa
rihcs. Louisiana will follow Virginia and 81
cannot Ike one step to which louisiana will n
| respond
1ns only alternative Is presented Either v
must light the Yankees with our negroes, OF ths
viii take them aud hold them a shield ightii
W wuh their emancipation procl, nations In fore
Ana " tbcie be such ~ place as hell ppm cart
then 1t would be illustrated by our condition
Ihls stus gle over, and our su jug 'ticn aceoin
I