The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-24
Senator Davis Withdraws.

In the meantime. Hon. jefferson Davis,
q Senator from Mississippi in the Con-
gress of the United States had on the
list day of January, 1861, withdrawn from
that body. upon receiving satisfactory
evidence that the State of Mississippi
had by ordinance of a convention sepa-
rated from the United States. he. among
other things. in that notable and Illus
trious farewell address announced that
he advocated. as an essential attribute
of State sovereignty, the right of a State
to seCede from the Union, and he be-
lieVed the cause justifiable and approved
of her act" Mr.. Davis continued, saying
that the act of secession has been
conviction of pressing necessity-it has
been a belief that we are deprived, in the
Union, of the rights which our fathers
bequeathed to us which has brought MIS-
sissippi into her present decision. She
has heard proclaimed the theory that all
men are created free and equal, and this
made the basis Of an attack upon her So
cial institutions; and the sacred Declar-
alton of independence has been invoked
to maintain the position of the equality
of the races.
Then, Senator'S we recur to the COM
pact which binds us together: we recur
ment was founded; and when you deny
them, and when you deny to us the
right to withdraw from government
which thus perverted, threatens to be de-
structive of our rights, we but tread in
the path of our fathers, when we pro-
claim our independence. and take the
hazard. This is done, not in hostility to
others-not to injure any section of the
country-not even for our own pecuniary
benefit: but from the high and solemn
motive of defending and protecting the
rights We inherited. and which 1t Is our
duty to transmit unshorn to our children.
j go hence unincumbered OF the rememb-
rance of any injury received. and having
discharged the duty of making the only
repariuon in my power for any injury
offered
fter leaving the Senate Mr. Davis re-
paired at once to Mississippi and was
made the Major-General and Commander
in-Chicf of the volunteer forces of the
State He is said to have longed for
peace and was in favor of making every
reasonable sacrifice to attain it; but he
feared the worst and favored making the
most active preparations to meet the war
which he believed the Republicans of the
North would force upon the South. While
actively engaged in organizing the forces
of his State the Provisional Congress as
sembled at Montgomery and organized
the new Government
The Confederate Congress.
On the 4th day of February, 1851, the
Confederate Congress met in TINS CITY,
and its first duties consisted in preparing
a form of organization for themselves
and the States which they represented
which resulted in PROVISIONAL Constl-
tuition to continue IN operation Tor one
year and one of the first acts under inns
Constitution was the election OF Jefter-
son Davis of Mississippi as President ana
Alexander H. stephens of Georgia as
Vice President. Mr.. Davis did not seek
or desire the Presidency. 1t had been al
legged that it was his ambition and That
he consplred to break up the Union IN
order to be President of a southern Con-
federacy. He quotes in his own book OF
the war letter from his intimate ana
confidential friend, c. c. Clay of Ala
bama to refute any such charge and
there is abundant and conclusive proof
that he neither sought nor desired the
position. He had frequently expressed
himself as preferring to serve in the army
and had his wishes been consulted he
would not have been chosen. But when
united and unanimous action of the Con-
gress was made known to him he yielded
to his high sense of duty and decided to
accept the grave and responsible position
Reaches Montgomery.
On the 18th of February, 1861 the new
President of the Confederacy, the new
Government just born. reached Mont
Tomery and upon his arrival here was
greeted with such an ovation as mad new
err before been witnessed in all the South
and responding he said among other
things. THE time for compromise has
now PASSED, and the South is determined
to maintain her position and make all
who oppose her smell Southern powder
and feel Southern steel If coercion Is per-
sisted in" He had no doubt as to the
results He said. we will maintain our
rights and Government at all hazards.
We ask nothing. VIC want nothing, We
will have no compli atoms. Ii the other
States Join our Confederation they can
freely come in on our Terms. our Sepa-
ration from the old Union is now COM
plete No compromise, no reconstruction
u now to be entertained.