Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-08-30
BANQUET OF THE SOUTHERN HIS

LONLCAL OOCLEA -
Several of the papers of the Southern
States have taken pains to deny that JEFF
Davis has any sympathizers with his late
speech at the Sulphur Springs. Since that
speech, however, report of the banquet
of the Southern Historical Society, which
followed. has been published in the Rich
mond Enquirer, where we find that Davis
was fully endorsed, and more offensive re-
marks if possible than his own made. Old
Jubal Early and Admiral Scmmes were
lionized, while jeff Davis was 'the recip-
lent of many u sweet kiss from the ladies
fair" Warmed by the champagne which
flowed like water, the tongues of the ex-
confederatcs wagged briskly, disclosing
thoughts which at another time they
might have hesitated to declare. Davis
presided, and toasted Semmes as "that
grand Old Admiral who started to sea
Sin one ship, wore her out, then took an
'other, and swept away the commerce Of
''our enemies" This called up Semmes,
VINO classed himself with the Porters and
Decaturs in his achievements, claiming
that he had done right in fighting the gov
eminent, and expressing satisfaction that
the contest had come in his day when he
was able to take a part in it. "Ours had
been a model government" he said, but
when the North encroached upon the
rights of the South ''that beau ideal had
fled forever" He continued rs follows:
We had been charged as revolutionists who
aimed at the life of the nation. At the life of
what nation did we strike? Surely not at the
life of the Federal Constitution surely not at
the Government handed down to us by our
fathers. We struck at the life of no nation,
but at monster that had grown out of the
institutions handed down to US; monster
that had destroyed the Constitution before the
war commenced, and it was at that monster
that, like Caesar, deserved to be struck. If
this was nation grown out of usurpations it
deserved death. We had struck at no nation,
at no people; we had simply desired to with
draw quietly from the Union, and not strike
at any one. We wished to withdraw from a
fellowship that had failed to perpetuate the
great principles of this Government. To show
we did not desire to strike any one, we sen
peace commissioners to settle amicably thu
terms of our separation. The enemy said w
had struck at the Government in firing OF
Fort Sumter. This was not so. Fort Sum
ter belonged to US, and was part of our owl
territory, and we were bound to expel for
eigner from our soil. That, and that alone
caused US to fire on the Federal flag.
He simply referred to his own course, anc
then said, with Robert Emmett the time hat
not come for the epitaph Of our fallen coun-
trymen to be written. Events are now trsns-
piring that will affect the future Of our coun-
avk, ,ro1 = Aa1x
the place of the old Federal government, a
government in form not different from the
other centralized governments ofhistory, what
was to prevent this from following in the
course of other centralized republican govern
ments of the world? He predicted, if things
did not change, and this Capitalization con-
tinued that some fine morning the people
G would wake up and find themselves reading a
q proclamation of some Caesar that sounded the
;, death-knell Of his country's liberty in pro.
" claiming himself their Emperor. Then would
n the people of this continent do justice to the
y Confederates, and credit them as farseeinl
statesmen, trying to prevent this very result
= and save the ark of the covenant from the de
, stroyer's hand. Let not Lees epitaph b,
}. written until the time will come when he shall
II be justified of all men.
He spoke of the meeting of the ASSOCIATION
y who had not met to plot treason, as our enc
u mIeS uiiSHt say, puI " peIPetudtc tic uecu
If and acts of our people and country. In con.
clusion, he said when the day comes for these
u epitaphs to be written, how will the acts Of
re that Caesar that rules over us be compared
/. with that of him who can not be more an EN-.
peror than he is in the hearts of this people
When history shall be written how will the
acts of this monarch without a crown, this
emperor without jewels, this emperor whose
I empire is in the hearts of the whole people
= be compared with the acts of the usurper
: Then will the people everywhere rise up and
q say ''See what these Confederates did see
how they would have saved us our liberties.
: Then will the monarch sit more firmly upor
his throne than any Cesar who may have
: usurped the liberties of his people.
e The reporter says he was applaudet
, throughout. Ex-senator Foote may deny
0 that Davis and Semmes have any influence
t in the south, but while they are toasted W,
@ believe he would be roasted in some quar-
e ters did he dare say anything against thu
0 sentiments which they avow.