Book: Speeches of the Hon. Jefferson Davis of Mississippi, Delivered During the Summer of 1858. Baltimore: John Murphy and Co., 1859. String bound, no covers, 5.75 x 9.25, 26 pages. Jefferson has made 61 pencil revisions, emendations and deletions throughout the text. The text begins with a preface to the speeches: "I have been induced by the persistent misrepresentation of popular Addresses made by me at the North and the South during the year 1858, to collect them, and with extracts from speeches made by me in the Senate in 1850, to present the whole in this connected form; to the end that the case may be fairly before those by whose judgment I am willing to stand or fall."
In very good condition, with last few pages detached, uniform toning to cover and pages, some creases and edge chips to front cover, as well as a spot of soiling to bottom.
Davis's speech made on the Fourth of July, 1858, at Sea: "…Senator Davis dwelt at some length on the right-of search question - on the insulting claim which Great Britain made to a peace-right to visit our ships…. Let a foreign power under any pretence whatever, insult the American flag, and it will find that we are not a divided people, but that a mighty arm will be raised to smite down the insulter, and this great country will continue united.”
In Davis's last speech in this collection, made before the Mississippi Legislature, he concludes, "…if it should ever come to pass that the Constitution shall be perverted to the destruction of our rights…we shall then bear to the federal government the relation our colonial fathers did to the British crown, and…we will in that event redeem our rights even if it be through the process of revolution…. Now, as in 1851, I hold separation from the Union by the State of Mississippi to be the last remedy - the final alternative. In the language of the venerated Calhoun I consider the disruption of the Union as a great though not the greatest calamity. I would cling tenaciously to our constitutional Government, seeing as I do in the fraternal Union of equal States the benefit to all and the fulfillment of that high destiny which our fathers hoped for and left it for their sons to attain.”
A longer description is available for download or viewing by clicking here. RRAuction COA.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
