The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-06-21

sent to the secretary merely for his owl
information and to obvlate the embar
rassment OF an arrival at night withou
the knowledge of his friends or inforlna
ton wnero to find them He had NJ
idea OF finding the association in SEES
sion, and the reception that followed
was entirely unlocked for.
Major Barksdale, the chairman of the
committee appointed to wait on Mr..
Davis, then introduced the the ox-Pres-
ldent to the audience and welcomed
him in an address of impassioned elo-
quence, in the course of which he said
that every Mississippian walked with
loftler stride when Jefferson Davis APP
peared among them after the long and
dreary night of oppression through
which we had passed. Now that we
were redeemed with self-government
restored, it was one of our dearest
privileges to be able to welcome him
to our hearts and homes.
Mr.. Davis reply being entirely I'M
premeditated and extemporaneous, it
is difficult to report it with literal accu-
racy. We ere enabled, however, to
reproduce its substance and as nearly
as possible its language. He said
Nh. President, LGdjeS and Gentlemen:
1t is not in the power of words to ex-
press how deeply I am touched by the
warmth and cordially of your reception.
From my earliest youth my hopes and as
pirations and interests have been identified
with Mississippi Duty has often led me
abroad beyond her boundaries, but whether
serving in camp or in cabinet, in the field
or in the Senate-whether leading her brave
sons to battle or bound with chains in the
darkness of dungeon-my allegiance and
my affections have been ever true to Missis-
sippi.
In that dark period of which you have
spoken, Sir to Major Barksdale !, we were
not only fettered in body, but bound in
speech, so that scarcely word could be
uttered in vindication from calumny, for the
voice of the press was then hushed by the
power of the bayunet. Among the
charges with which wewere SO freely
iouted was the renewed accusation
hat Mississippi had at former period |
'epudiated her own just and honest debts.
As one who had no part nor agency in the
egislation Of that period-as one who |
vas always known to be an advocate of the
payment of every honest debt, at whatever |
cost of labor or sacrifice of interest let |
ne here say that the charge is untrue, and
hat no faint of ''repudiationn sullies the
air fame of our State.
1 rejoice with you in the restoration of
reedom, and that Mississippi is again gov
rned by Mississippians. In the darkest
# our troubles it has been consolation to
'e able TO say, with the patriarch Job, 81
now that my Redeemer liveth," and to
eel an abiding confidence in the final
triumph of Truth.
Gentlemen of the press, it is especially
ratifying to meet so many of you assem-
led in council, for in you is largely de-
endent the future veal or woe of our be-
'ved State. The power which you WELD
one most poteat for good or evil. 1t can
ardly fail to be executed for greater good
nd for the promotion of higher standard
public and personal morality through
utual conference and counsel. The tone
the press of Mississippi is already, in
" judgment unsurpassed by that of any
Their State; and think l have right to
ldge, having formerly been an active
ember of political party, and as such
nenable to the criticism of the newspa-
ers of the opposite party. No man ever
nd less cause to complain of his oppo-
ents on the score of truthfulness, or can
or, or courtesy, or decorum.*
Most cheering of all, my countrymen, is
lie expression of the kindness and approval
SO many of that sex which was ''last at
lie cross and first at the sepulchre." and
hich in our own day has furnished the
ost shining examples of unselfsh and
al nl;t b, ;nlA
Id country. Seeing you here, am tempt
to repeat remark made once before,
though it was misinterpreted by our ene-
l had never yet seen a Southern
oman who was RECONSTRUCTED. Your
'votion and your steadfast fidelity gave us
ason to hope that the children of such
omen will yet vindicate the principles
hich we failed to maintain.
Let no one suppose that 1 am advocating
or sectional strife. 1t is not the
,od of the South alone, but of all parts of
e country, that requires the maintenance
sound constitutional principles. We, of 7
g South, have never been disunionists :
g were always the most steadfast friends
the Union as organized by tho constitu-
n. Notification and secession-for
iort to which our despair of the preserva>
II of a constitutional union we have
Ell SO bitterly reviled-were first suggest
to us by the North. They originated
New England. We resorted to them
the last extremity-as a
e necessity, and not from choice or on s
ht occasion. As the South was then-as
las always been-so may it ever be-true
the union of the constitution. r
My friends-for all Mississippians are I
: friends-I love Mississippi and 1 love
God bless you, each
| all-now and forever. 7,
We have not attempted to interject
Y expression of the repeated and r
st enthusiastic outbursts of applause
which these remarks were interrupt
at every possible opportunity.