Year: 1863




President of the Confederate States, spent
Friday night in this place, on his way South.
A large crowd Of our citizens assembled in
front of the Mansion House at o'clock,
and called for speech. Mr. Stephens ap-
peared and spoke for about an hour in an
eloquent and encouraging tone. We will
attempt no synopsis of the speech, but
merely give an outline of the gentleman's g
remarks. He commenced by alluding to
the invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania
by Gen. Lees army-said that it had whip
ped the enemy on their own soil, and OBJ
tanned vast supplies for our own men, and
was now ready to again meet the enemy on
new field. Whatever might be the move.
ments and object Of Gen. Lee, he had en-
tire confidence in his ability to accomplish
what he undertook, for in ability and intel
lect he was a head and shoulders above any
man in the Yankee army. Recommended
Gen. Lee for keeping his own secrets, and
told the people mot to be discouraged be-
cause they did not hear from Lee oyer his
own signature. He would come out all
right in the end.


Mr.. Stephens next spoke OF the surreu-
der of Vicksburg, and said that it was not
an occurrence to cause discouragemeut or
gloom-that the loss of Vicksburg was not
as severe blow as the loss of Fort Pillow,
Island No. 10, or New Orleans. The Con.
federacy had survived the loss of these
points, and would survive the loss of Vicks-
burg, Port Hudson and other places. Sup.
pose, said he, we were to lose Mobile,
Charleston and Richmond, it would not af--
feet the heart of the Confederacy-we
could and would survive such losses, and
finally secure our independence. He was
not at all discouraged at the prospect he
never had the "blues" himself and bad No
respect or sympathy for "croakers." The
enemy has already appropriated twenty
seven hundred millions Of dollars and one
million of men for our subjugatiou, and
after two years war had utterly failed, and
if the war continued two years longer they
would fail to accomplish our subjugation.
So far they had not broken the she'll Of the
Confederacy. In the Revolutionary war the
British, at one time, had possession of North
Carolina, South Carolina and other States;
they took Philadelphia and dispersed Con-
gress, and for long time held almost com.
plete sway in the Colonies-yet they did
not conquer our fore. fathers. In the war
of 1912, the British captured the capital
of the nation, Washington city, and burnt
it, yet they did not conquer us; and if we
are true to ourselves now, true to our birth
rights, the Yankee nation will utterly fail to
subjugate u.s. Subjugation would be utter
ruin and eternal death to Southern people
and all that they hold most dear Heck
horted the people to give the Government
cordial support, to frown down all croakers
and grumblers, and to remain united and
fight to the bitter end for liberty and iude-
pendence.


As for reconstruction, said Mr.. Stephens,
such thing was impossible-sueh an idea
must not be tolerated for an instant. Re-
construction would not end the war, but
would produce a more horrible war than
that in which ne are now engaged. The
only terms on which we can obtain perma-
uent peace is final and complete separation
from the North-rather than submit to any
thing short of that Let US all resolve to die
like men worthy of freedom.
In regard to foreign Intervention, Mr..
Stephens advised his hearers to build no
hopes on that yet awhile. He did not be.
lieve that the leading foreign powers ever
intended that the North and South should
be again united-they preferred that the
separation should be permanent-but they
considered both sides too strong now, and
did not deem it. good policy on their part to
interfere and put an end to the war. For
eign nations see that the result of the war
will be to establish despotism at the North
and are, therefore, willing to allow it to
continue awhile longer.


The whole tone of Mr.. Stephens speech
was very encouraging and showed not the
slightest sign of despondency. He said
many things and related several facts by
way of encouragement to the southern peo-
pie, and concluded by expressing entire con-
fdence in the ability of the Confederacy to
maintain our cause and achieve our indie
pendepce.-Ch Charlotte Democrat.