Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-11
He Reviews the War, its Causes and
Consequences and the Course OF the
States Rights the
Key Of an Enduring Govern
ment and Permanent
Peace.

MISSISSIPPI CITY, July 10.-The follow
ing is brief synopsis of the address made
to- day by Jefferson Davis on the occasion of
the presentation to him of gold badge and
certificate of membership of the Army of
Tennessee. Colonel James Hingan made the
presentation address.
Mr. Davis. after expressing his gratitude for the
kindness and honor bestowed recaptulated the STIR
ring events of the war and the hardshIps endured.
He said the question of States right of secession
in 1861 was at least debatabe, but the course pur
sued by the Federal government after the war had
separation to be necessary the safety and freedom
of the southern States. Their unsuccessful attempt
to separate left those in power to work their will
1t had been manifested when they first got control of
the government The events are too recent to
require recapitulation, and the ruin they have de
veloped require no other memorial than the moral
wreck which the country resentS The speaker re-
right of secession, and the duty of every citizen to
battle for the OF his State After secession he
and in speaking of Albert Sidney johnson, he said:
Was 1t that his grand presence inspired you With
days when opportunity should offer. or was
1t that your judgment told you that
YOU did Greatest soldier and the sI
civil or military, Confederate or Federal Mr. Davis
Port Hudson. and spoke in glowing terms of their
defenders. He said; LET no one suppose that in
thus vindicating cur cause; and in paying due trib
ute to your gallant deeds, am seeking to disturb
such peace have to avoid the logic of events
You have done your duty In the past, and l would
ask than that should fulfill equally we'll
the duties of the present and the future. The
bravest; as rule. are the gentl:st. and they
assumed. You struck for independence, and were
you agreed to return tot to the Union and
formity with 1t. Thus far, and no farther. do I'M
derstand your promise to extend; Referring to the
legislation of congress which followed the war, he
said the taxpayers know that an increased burden
was imposed on them by the contracts made with
know that we have lost the carrying trade. And
to what extent will they assign a policy
which preve' IS the registration of American ships
that had changed their flag during the war, which
imposes such duties upon raw materials as to inter-
ton of foreign built Ship though 1t be by purchase
the property or citizens OF the United States? Will
the people, the source of all power, allow longer
continuance OF such palpable wrong to the masses,
such ruin to the interests which lave been equal
ly our pride and our means of prosperity?
form of government must correspond t. the charac-
ter of the people for which 1t Is appropriate. 1t is
therefore that republics have failed whenever
rption the body polite and renders the peo
pie unworthy to rule Then they become the fit sub
to respond to the call Caesar could not subject
people who were 1T to be free nor sor could
o The With which our pse
have borne the oppression imposed on them
W SfSe which thew have struggled against poverty and
official pillage, is their highest glory and give the
Psss he al of
ment In the power ofthe people to choose their
bayontts This is great victory and it promises
another as the sequence to 1t total non tnterfer
affairs OF the States the renewal Of the time honored
doctrine of State sovereignty and the supremacy OF
law will secure permanent peace, freedom, and
prosperity The constitution of the United States,
interpreted as it was by those who made it, is the
prophets rod to sweeten the brny water from which
flowed the strife the carnage the misery, and the
shame CT the past as well as the perllS or the pres
ent Every evil which has befallen our Institutions
lie tic n
Of Union, and the usurpaton by the Federal govern
Ie smee G @ We
admission as a tate into tie Union to which she
had Lawful Ggst under 1 de a nnG b ana
the treaty by which the Territory was acquired her
application was resisted and her admission WAS
miscalled compromise Then that establish
ment of polite geographic line was vas, announeed to
the apostle of Democracy, who, full OF years and
honors in retirement watched with
profound solictude the course of the government
he had so manfuliy contributed to inaugurate, hi
prophetic vision saw the end of which this was
the beginning the news fell upon his ear like fire
about measures and public policy according to their
circumstances or mental characteristics. Such diff
tfiumph Of reason over error. Parties so founded
would not be sectional, but when the Federal gov
cal LINE line, sectional party could not fulfill
the. ends for which the Union was ordained
tuition had been observed, and its purposes had d-
rected the Federal legislation, no such act could
have remained closed and the country have escaped
a long train of similar aggressions which ag-
adding insult to injury finally destroyed the frater
nifty which had bound them together. 1t was no
part of my purpose, as has been already shown, to
discuss the politics of the day. though the deep in
tereSt l must ever feel in the affairs OF the
not permit me to be unobservant of passing events
of Indifference to the humiliating exposures TO
iected. Separated from any active participation in
public affairs. may not properly Judge Of those who
senting no one, it would be quite unreasonable to
hold any other responsible for an opinion which
and practices of its earlier period may be accom-
mains only Mostly to hope and hopefully to be-
leve, though may not see 1t, that the restoration
uiar Intelligence aud integrity which sefgovern-
ment must necessarily depend. Though severely
and I prdyerfully trust, though / should
not live to see the hope realized,
the principles on which our fathers founded their
government will finally prevail throughout the land,
attained, and rendered perpetual hnman in
situations may be. have said that we could not
but it is not difficult TO determine what means are
needful to secure the result, First in order
ana for II Is me corner ste1e o. the e1
honestly exercised Let there be no class legisla-
ton but low taxes low salaries and no Per2gisites
to their constituents Nepotism and
gift-taking By public agent deserv $
The seVerest censure and the bestOwal
of the peoples Off ces a reward for partisan ser
vice should be a gross breach of trust Let not
such an ofense be considered. for in government
of the people there can be no abuses permissible
As usefully counteIfeiting each other, truth
and Justice and honor presided at the
birth of our Federal Union, and its mission
can only performed by their continued attendance
upon it. For this there is not needed condition OF
human perfectiblity but only so much of virtue as
will control vice and teach the mercenary and self
seeking that power and distinction
and honor will be awarded to patriotism,
capacity and integrity. To your self
sacrifising self denying defenders of imperishable
truths and fnalienabe rights, look for the per-
Torrance of whatever man can do for the welfare
and happiness of his country.
During the delivery of the address Mr..
Davis was frequently applauded.