PRESIDENT DAVIS.

Evening Post, Issue 8, 16 February 1865, Page 2

PRESIDENT DAVIS.

The Message to the Confederate Congress contains the following remarks on the policy of arminggflaves r— — „ . w . . . , " The subject ta to be viewed hy^us solely in the light of policy and our, social -economy. When so regarded, I must dissent from those who advise a geneibil levy'and arming of the slaves for the duty of soldiers^XQtil our white population shall prove insufficient for the armies we rcquiro»Rud«oan afEord-teu keep iv the field, to employ as a soldier the -njsgropwho has been merely trained to labor* " and as a laborer the white man aceustbmea' ffolsnjisTffuth'tc-tiiGrttse'of-nrF'Bnns'woitar scurcely be deemed wise or advantageously any i and this Js the question r»w before";^ Bu! $hpuld|he alternative ever be presented of subjugation, or of the employment of the. sl^ve as a solcifer, there seems no reason to d6ubt what then should be our, 'decision.' Whether our view^enibraces^what would, in so extreme a case, be the sun*? of misery entailed by the dominion of the enemy,' or be ¦ i*estrjcj§d solely to the .effect upon the welfare and happine. s of the fiegro population themselves, the result would be the same. 'Th*e appalling demoralisation, suffering, disease, and death, which have been caused by*par--tidlly ¦ substituting the invaders' syst<hii%£ police for tho kind relation previously! subsisting between the master and the slave, have* been a Sufficient, demonstration thaCt external interference with our institution o£ LdomJstio slavery is productive ofce'vil only.-; '* I' "If the subject involved no^jjherenrisidoration than the mere riirht oi> property, • the 0 . sncriflVes heretofore made by onrpeople'lmve ¦ been suck as to permit nogoubc of.tfilft* readiness to surrender every possession) iti' order to secure their independence. But fhe social and political question, which is exeluX sively undeHthe control of the several States^ has a far wider and more ensuring importance', than that of pecuniary iuterest. luuts manifold' phases it embraces the stabilfij^ of 'republican institutions, resting on "tfie actual" political equulitv of. all its cilizensj^afld includes the fnlnlmeift?©f'the task/, which haa been so happily begtinNMhat-of Christianising andHmproving the condition, of the Africans i whd have, by the. will of Providence, bee"tf Kplhqed iv our charge. Comparing the results' of our experience with those^f; the experiw- • inentsof others who have borrijfraihiiiar rola* r j tion to the Af ricafipice,' tliespeople of the , several Slates of the Confederacy* have | abundant reason to be satisfied with the past* I and' to use the greatest circumspection in 'de-t I terininitig their course. These co r nsidoratid"n:i»f however, are rather applicable to 'the im* probable contingency of our ileed ofTesortitfg to this element of resistance than to' bur pre*l sent condition. If ihe recommendation abov^i named, for tlio training 64! Sl),OoO negroes for tho^ervice indicated, shall meet your apprnvul/- ¦ it is certain that even this limited number, by.; 'their preparatory training in intermediates duties, would form a more valuable reserve force in case of urgency than three-fold their" number suddenly called from field labor | ' whfle a fresh levy could, to.a certain extent,; supply their places in the special service for which they are now employed. 1 . r i < "In the hope that the day will soon be reached wlien, under Divine .favor, these may be allowed to enter j on? their former peaceful pursuits, and to <3et*£l&p tha abundant natural resources with which they are blessed, let us, then, resolutely continue to devote our united and unimpared energies to the defence of o'ir homes, our lives, and our. liberties. This is the true path to peace ; (let usUread it with confidence in the assured result. 5 .