Year: 1861

jeff. Davis has sent forth bis inaugural message
to the citizens of the new created American Con
federacy, particularly, and to the balance of the
civilized world in general On the 18th Of Feb
ruary, at Montgomery, Alabama he was formal
ly inaugurated President of the Confederate
States of America" The ceremony, and cir.
cumstance attendant, is said to have been the
most grand and imposing pageant ever witnessed
in the Souh. An immense cOncouIse of people
we're in attendance from all the seeding States


President Davis reannounced the old States
Rights doctrines, based the present action of Sc
cedng States on those rights and justifes the
erection of the Southern Republic as the only
means whereby the South could possibly hope tc
gain and maintain her rights His address com
mences-


Gentlemen Of he Congress Of C"nfderate States Of timer


ica, friends and feflow citizens


UCaled to the difficult and responsible station of Chic
Executive of the Provisional Government which have
instituted approach the discharge Of the duties assigned
me with an humble distrust of my abilities hut with
sustaining confidence in the wisdom of those who tt
guide and aid in the administration of public affairs
and abiding faith in the virtue and patriotism of the
people Looking forward to the speedy establishment


permanent Government to take the place Of this, anf
which by its greater moral and physical win be bet
ter able to combat with the many difficulties arising from
the conflicting interests of separate nations enter upon
the duties Of the Office to which have been chosen with
hope that the beginning of career Confederacy
not be obstruoted by hostile opposition to enjoy
ment of the separate existence and independence With
the blessing of Providence intend to maintain pre-
sent condition.


The last sentence winds up all hope of a com
promise, so far as JEFF. Davis aspirations, infu
ence and power is concerned. If the intention,
of the people belonging to the "Confederate
whom they have chosen to guide their ship o
State, then they never did intend to compromise
but were simply fooling the people of their sis
ter States with their cries of outrage and wrong
upon their constitutional rights-these were only
pretcxts, something with which to inhame the
blood of the Soubrons, and amuse and engage
the North, whilst they were perfecting a distinct
and separate government-never more, under
any contingencies, to be united with the Free
States.


Davis shadows forth the principle Of Free
Trade, and strongly intimates an appeal to the
sword if those principles shall be interfered with
by the States remaining in the Union. In the
event of our Government interfering with her
commerce, by the collection of United States
revenue at sea, (as proposed by those who favor
the coerclng of seeding States into submission
he suggests not only war on land, but " the well
known resources for retaliation upon the COM
merce of an enemy" Here is what he says:


"An agrcutu raj people, whose chief interest
is the export of a commodity required in every
manufacturing country, our true policy is peace,
and the freest which our necessities will permit
1t is alike our interest and that of all those from
whom we would buy, that there should be the
fewest practicable restrictions upon the inter
change of commodities. There can he but little
rivalry between ours and any manufacturing or
navigating community, such as the free States of
the American Union. 1t must, therefore, follow
thercfrom that mutual interest would invite good
will and kind Offices. II, however passion or
lust of dominion should cloud the Judgment or
influence the action of those States, we must pre-
pare to meet the emergency and maintain, by
the final arbitrament of the sword, the position
which we have assumed among the nations of the
earth. We have entered npon a career of indie
pendence which must be iniexibly pursued.
Through many years of controversy with our
late associations and Northern States. we have
vainly endeavored TO secure tranquility and OBJ
tain respect for the rights to which we were en-
titled as u necessity, not a choice. we have
resorted to the remedy of a separation and hence
forth our energies must be directed to the cond
ton of our own affairs and the perpetuity of the
Coniederacy which we have formed. II Just
perception of mutual interests shall permit us
peaceably to pursue our separate political career
my most earnest desire will have been fulfilled
but if this be denied us, and the integrity of our
territory and jurisdiction be assaied. it will but
remain for u.s. with firm resolutions. to appeal to
md invokn fhn hln nj nrnyiJnnna m n
Just cause


Actuated solely by desire to preserve our
rights and to promote our own welfare, the sepa-
ration of the confederate States has been marked
by no aggressiOns upon others, and followed by
no domestic convulsions-our industrial pursuits
have received no check. The cultivation of our
fields progresses as heretofore, and even should
we be involved in war, there would be no consid
cradle diminuion in the production of the staples
which have constituted our exports, in which the
commercial world has an interest scarcely less
than our own. This common interest of produc-
er and consumer can only be interrupted by an
exterior force which should obstruct its transmits
sion to foreign ports. course OF conduct which
would be detrimental TO the commercial and
manufacturing interests abroad. Should reason
guide the action of the Government from which
we have departed policy so detrimental to the
civilized world-the Northern States included -
could not he declared by even stronger desire
to inhict injustice upon us. But If it be other
wise, q terrible responsibility will rest upon it,
and the sufferings of millions will bear testimony
to the policy and wickedness of our aggressors
In the meantime there will remain to u.s. besides
the ordinary remedies before suggested, the well
known resources for retaliation upon the COM
merce OF an enemy.


He closed his address with the following invo-
cation


Reverently let us invoke the God of our fa-
theirs to guide, provide and protect us in our ef-
forts to perpetuate the principles by which, with
his blessing, they were able to vindicate and
transmit to their postcrity with a continuance Of
his favors ever gratefully acknowledged, to sue
cess to peace, to prosperity"


There you have the perfection of Southern
Republic, and the full ntents of its founders
The question now is, what is the best policy fol
the Federal Government to pursue We freely
confess inability to answer. Without discussing
the rights or wrongs, or the immense injury done
10 ron ,,hout tho