The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-12
STILL UNRECONCILED.
speech of Jeff. Davis a. ni.si.si ppi City

Speech OF Jeff Davis ut Mississi ppi City
MISSISSIPPI City, July 1.-THE following
is synopsis of the address by Jefferson
Davis yesterday, on the presentation to him Of
gold badge and certificate of membership ir
the association of the army of Tennessee
Col. James Lingan made the presentation
address. Mr.. Davis, after expressing graft
tude for the kindness and honor conferred
recapitulated the events of the war, and the
hardships endured. He said:
The question of the State right of secession
in 1861 was at least debatable, but the course
pursued by the Federal government after the
war ceased INDICATED the judgment of those
who held that separation was necessary for the
safety and freedom of the Southern States.
The unsuccessful attempt to separate left
those in power to work their will as it had
been manifested when they first got control Of
the government. The events are too recent to
require recapitulatiOn, and the ruin they have
developed require no other memorial than the
material and moral wreck which the country
presents.
The speaker reasserted his mistaken faith
in the right of secession and the duty oil
citizens to battle for the cause of the State
after secession. He reviewed the campaigns
from Fort Henry to Shiloh, and said that
Albert Sidney Johnston was the greatest soldier
and ablest man, civil or military Confederate
or Federal. He reviewed the operations about
Vicksburg and Port Hudson. and spoke in
glowing terms of their defenders, and said:
Let no one suppose that in thus vindicating
our cause, in paying due tribute to your gal
liant deeds, am seeking to disturb such peace
IS we have, or to avoid the logic of events
You have done yonr duty in the past, and I
would ask no more than that you should fulfil
equally well the duties of the present and
future. The Dravest are as rule the quetest
and they are also the truest to every obligation.
Assuming that you struck for independence
and were unsuccessful, you agreed to return to
the Union and abide by the constitution and
the laws made in conformity with it. Thus
far and no father do understand your promise
to extend.
Referring to the legislation of Congress
which followed the war, he said:
The tax payers know that increased burdens
have been imposed upon them by the contracts
made with the bondholders; the merchants and
ship-ownerS know that we have lost our carry
ing. trade: And to what will they assign a
policy which prevents the registration of
American ships that had changed their flag
during the war, which imposes such duties
upon raw material as to interfere with ship
building, and prohibits the registration of
foreign.built ships though by purchase the pro-
the people, if worthy the source of all power,
allow long continuance of such palpsble
wrongs to the masses and such ruin to in
terests which have been equally our pride and
the means of our prosperity? A form of
government must correspond to the character
have failed. Whenever corruption enters the
body polite and renders the people unworthy
to rule then they become fit subjects Of
despotsm. and despet is always at hand. A
Caesar could not make subject people who
were fit to be free, nor could Brutus save
them if they wers fit for subjugation.
The fortituds with which our people have
borne the oppression imposed upon them since
the war, ana the resolution with which thew
have strussled against poverty and official
pillage. is their highest glory and gives the
rejoice in the regained possession of local self
government, in the power of the people to
choose their own representatives and to
legislate uncontrolled by bayonets. This is
great victory and promises another as the
sequence to ia total non.interference by the
Federal government with the domestic affairs
of the State. A renewal of the time-honored
doctrine of State sovereignty and the
supremacy of law will secure permanent
peace. freedom and prosperity. Every evil
which has befallep our institutions is directly
union and the usurpation by the Federal
government of dndelegated powers
He then referred to the Missouri compromise
as the beginning of trouble for the country,
and then adverting to the present political
aspect said he hoped that the restoration of the
government to the principles and practices of
its earlier period will soon come He has not
lost faith in the people, and believes that the
principles of the fathers will vet prevail
throughout the land. He said there should be
no class legislation and no prequsites to
officials, who should be held to strict accounta-
bility by sheir constituencies. Breaches of
trust should not be condoned. He closed by
saying:
To you, the self-sacrificing, self.deuving
defenders OF imperishable truths and inaiiena.
BILE rights, look for the performance of what
ever man can do for the welfare and happiness
of this country