The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-31
JEFFERSON DAVIS IN ATLANTA.
f5c Accepts Nothing, hui shakes Hands
with Politics.,

MIR. Davis was enthusiastically received IN
Atlanta on Saturday. at night, e welcoming
| speech was delivered at the kimball House oy
| General Darlington, ABOUT two thousand per-
sons attending. In response. according TO Tie
Ere, Mr.. Davis said, substantially:
Looking down upon the honest faces before
him, he experienced a peculiar pleasure as ne
realized the fact hat The complimentary tri-
butte paid to aim was an expression OF senll-
ment on the part of The people OF Georgia.
| Georgia had q proud record. Beginning Win
| Oglethorpe,. and glahcing rapidly at the ola
| Co,onial times, the speaker remarked that the
| principles fol. (which Georgians fought IN the
late war between the States were the same
they contended for in the revolul!oc 9! HIS,
| and in the war Of 1872. He !elt animated ana
| sustained by the conviction mat Georgia
would yet recover her ancient hberlles ana
be a great, prosperous and sovereign Sta'e
When first he saw Atlanta it was simply an
| old field of stnbble. Again he saw 1t just sller
the Federal army had swept over Ii. making
their course by a vandalism lar blacker imam
anything that had ever stained the falr lame
of Turenne as O soldier. A third time ne saw
1t, and then the blackened runs nag aisap,
peared; the evidences OF de5olation mad oeen
swept away to make room fOr The stately struc-
lures which now ornamentthe city. Dwelling
at some length upon the enterprise anG energy
displayed by the people OF Georgia. under so
MANY adverse circumstances, the speaker al
luded to the important work which the young
men of The State had before them. He dld
not propose to discuss pohlics, re nau
shaken hands with politics, and had done
with them forever. He trusted that every
one In the audience would agree. with him
on that point. But while he did not care
to make a political speech. he felt that he
ought to express one or Two opinions IN refer
ence to the BEST policy to be pursued oy lhe
South. He referred only to the present-the
futnre might take care OF itself. He'dared not
saw all that he would. 1t would be used against
the Southern people, and they would be COM
pelled 20 bear the responsibility oil his utter
apces. There was o good deal Of talk about
accepting the situation" but, as lar as ne was
concerned, he would "accept nothing THESE
miserable phrases about accepting the sltua,
tom because our rights had been submitted
10 The arbjtrament Of the sword and lest,
were the excuses Of ounces and towards. NO
one has O right to submit the liberties oil a
people 10 The a%rbitrament OF the SWord.
The representatives Of the Southern people
had never been authorized to DO anything OF
the kind. As their chief executive, le nad
never been so authorized, nor did ne ever
claim, to be- He did not like to be understood
az ADVOCATING resistance. On the contrary, he
counselled submission to existing laws. lie
knew very well that the conGuerer was LOU
powerful 10 be successfully resisted by the
South. It YVES the duty Of Georgia, and Of the
other Southern States, to Keep alool from
politics, and to attend to the Development OF
their internal resources. This was all that
could be done ut present. 1t was useless Tor
the South to attempt to take a controlling
part in the politics oil the country. AS matters
now stand such action would only delay Inc
day of deliverance. He was firmly convinced.
and intended to live and die believing that
Georgia and her sister States would again be
prosperous. free and sovereign. Unless TINS
was again the case, the Republic was a failure.
But there were great numbers OF ireemen IN
the North who sympathized with MS. they
would never submit to be deprived OF lGelf
liberties, and when they felt Inc Danger at
home they would then need the aid OF the
South. Thus. by quietly holding aioof, Inc
South could become a political balance OF
power on this continent. This desirable result
would be accomplished by waiting unit! they
divided at the North, and then 1t would be Inc
policy OF the south 10 act with the party nav
Ing the best candidate and the best platform.
In conclusion, Mr.. Davis made a lev hui
morous remarks about the life insurance olslc
ness. He preferred TO discuss that instead OIL
politics. Ii would afford linn pleasure TO IN
sare the life o. every man present, and guar
autee one hundred years existence. Again
expressing TO his audience bis heartfelt APP
probation Of the demonstration in his honor,
MIR. Davis babe them ''goC4 night and re-
tired amidst enthusiastic cheering.