Fellow citizens, this truly is a wonderful day. Firstly I would like to thank my worthy opponent, Mr Whipple, for a hard, well fought campaign. Secondly, to those party members and supporters who worked so diligently to achieve this victory, thank you, and finally but certainly not least, you the citizens of the Confederacy.

As I now look out upon you, here I stand, both humbled and yet proud. Humbled, as I contemplate the faith that you have shown in me to lead our fledgling Confederacy during these uncertain times but proud to be a Tennessean, proud to be a citizen of this great nation and proud to be the first President of the Confederate States of America.

We face dangerous times - challenges to our security and to our way of life. Our response to these challenges must be firm and unequivical. Now is the time for action. Time to place those political differences behind. We have the right to determine our destiny, rights to which we are guaranteed under the constitution, rights for which our forefathers shed their blood. We know what we have to do. That is our challenge. My friends, this is only the end of the beginning.

I believe that we all have within ourselves that strength, that self discipline and the resolve that will be needed in the days ahead. The winds of war are seemingly blowing evermore strongly in the northern states and I assure those who would listen that the forebearance which we have past shown will not be forever ongoing.

Nobody willfully seeks confrontation, and we, a Confederacy of seven states, are not seeking to grab new territories nor do we harbour animosity toward our nothern brethern but we will not shrink from defense of our citizens, our homeland, our Confederacy.

I will, within days, form a cabinet, and it is my intention to draw upon the best that the Confederacy has to offer with the goal of implementing those plans and strategies that will provide for the security and future well being of the Confederacy.

As this campaign began, we outlined a platform of states rights, industrialization, expansion, growth and unity while developing new minds and spirits into positions of leadership. These issues and positions were not made in rhetoric or merely to catch the eye of the voters. These principles still stand with us because they are what we firmly believe are the rights of a populace that seeks improvement, liberty and happiness. During the upcoming epochs, I will be endeavoring to see that we, as a unified nation, achieve these goals while defending vigorously against any who would seek to deny our citizens of them. We ask that we be allowed to independently pursue these worthy goals in peace, but will defend our rights to achieve them should it be necessary.

And now, join with me in raising your voices, nay shout the words so that they will be heard not just across the street, across the county, to the next State, but across the world. Echo's reverberating from the Atlantic to the Pacific coastlines- "Long Live the Confederacy"

Let's get to work.

President David Gallatin
Confederate States of America