New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-05-06


tons, and will ipaugurate a war of determination
on both sides by treating as pirates open enemies
. acting under the authority of commissions issued
| byan organized Government. II such proelama,
ton was issued, it could only have been published
under the sudden influence of passion, and we may
rest assured mankind will be spared the horrors
of the conflict it seems to invite
For the details Of the administration of the differ
ent departments, refer to the reports OF the sec
fetarieS which accompany this message.
The State Department has furnished the neceS-
sary instructions for three Commissioners who have
been sent to England France, Russia and Belgium,
since your adjournment, to ask recognition as
member of the family of nations, aud to make
with each of these powers treaties of amity and
commerce. Further steps will be taken to enter
into like negotiations with the other European Pow
ers in pursuance OF your resolutions passed at the
last session. Sufficient time has not yet elapsed
| since the departure of these Commissioners for
the receipt of any intelligence from them. AS
| deem it desirable that Commissioners or other
diplomatic agents should also be sent at an carly
period to the independent American Powers
south of our Confederacy, with all of whom it is
our interest and earnest wish to maintain the most
cordial and friendly relations, suggest the eXped
ency of making the necessary appropriations for
that purpose.
Having been officially notified by the public
| authorities of the State of Virginia that she had
withdrawn from the Union, and desired to maintain
the closest political relations with which it was
| possible at this time to establish | commissioned
the bon. Alex. II. Stephens, Vice President of the
Confederate States to represent this Government at
| Richmond. | am happy to inform you that he has
concluded Convention with the State of Virginia,
J by which that honOred Commonwealth, so long and
Justly distinguished among her sister States, and
dear to the hearts of thousands of her children in
the Confederate States, has united her power and
her fortunes with ours and become one of us. This
Convention together with the ordinance OF Virginia
adopting the Provisional Constitution of the Com
| federacy, will be laid before you for your costu-
tional action. have satisfactory assurances from
other of our late conedeFates that they are on the
point of adopting similar measures, and cannot
doubt that you shalt have been many weeks
| in session, the whole of the slaVeholdng States
Of the late Union will respond to the call of honor
and affection, and by uniting their fortunes with
| ours, promote common interests and secure
| our common safety.
| In the Treasury Department, regulations have
| been devised and put into execution for carrying
out the policy indicated IN your legislation, on the
subject of the navigation of the Mississippi river
as well as for the collection of the revenue the
frontier. Free transit has been secured for vessels
and merchandise passing through the Confederate
States and delay and inconvenience have been
avoided as far as possible in organizing the
revenue service for the various railways entering
our territory. As fast as experience shall indi-
cate the possibility of Improvement in these regu-
latons, no effort will be spared to free commerce
! from all unnecessary embarrassments and OBJ
structions.
Under your act authorizing loan, proposals
were issued inviting subscriptions for five millions
| of dollars and the call was answered by the
prompt subscription of more than eight millions by
our citizens and not single bid was made un-
der par. The rapid development of the purpose of
the President of the United States to invade soil,
capture our forts, blockade ports, and wage
against u.s. induced me to direct that the entire
subscription should be accepted. 1t will now be-
| come necessary to raise means to much larger
amount to detray the expenses Of maintaining
our independence and repelling invasion. | in.
vite your special attention to this subject and
the financial condition of the Government, with
the suggestion Of ways and means for the supply
of the treasury, will be presented to you in a
separate communication.
| To the Department of Justice you have contided
| not only the organization and supervision OF all
matters connected with the courts Of justice, but
also those connected with patents and with the
| bureau of the pnblic printing.
| Since your adjournment all the courts, with the
exception Of those of Mississippi and Texas, have
| been organized by the appointment of marshals
and district attorneys, and are prepared for the
| exercise OF their functions.
| In the two States Just named the gentlemen con.
firmed as judges declined to accept the appoint
ments, and no nominations have yet been made to
fill the vacancies. refer you to the report of the
Attorney General, and concur in his recommends
ton for immediate legislation, especially the sub
ject Of patent rights. Early provision should be
made to secure to the subjects of foreign nations
the full enjoyment of their property in valuable in
ventions, and to extend to our citizens pro-
lection not only for their own inventions, but for
such as may have been assigned to them or may
| hereafter be assigned by persons not alien enemies
The Patent Office business is much more extern
sive and important than had been anticipated. The
| applications for patents although confined under
the law exclusively to citizens of our Confederacy
already average seventy per month"; showing the
| necessity for the prompt organization Of bureau
| of patents.
| The Secretary of War; in his report and accom-
panyng documents conveys full information con-
corning the forces, regular, volunteer, and pro-
visional, raised and called for under the several
| acts of Congress-their organization and distribu-
ton; also, an account of the expenditures already
made, aud the further estimates for the fiscal year
ending on the 18th of February, 1862 rendered
necessary by recent events. | refer to the report,
also, for full history of the in Charles
| ton harbor, prior to, and including the lombard
ment and reduction of Fort SUMTER and Of the
measures subsequently taken for common defence
receiving the intelligence of the declaration of
war against u.s. made by the President OF the United
States. There are now in the field at Charleston,
| Pensacola, Forts Morgan, Jackson st. Philip and
Pulaski, $4,000 men, and $1,000 are now en- route
for Virginia. 1t is proposed to organize and hold in
readiness for instant action, in view of the present
exigencies of the country, army of 100000 men.
If further force be needed, the wisdom and patriot
ism of Congress will be confidently appealed
to for authority to call into the field additional
numbers Of our nObe-sprited volunteers, no are
constantly rendering services far in excess of our
wants.
The operations of the Navy Department have
been necessarily restricted by the fact that sui-
cient time has not yet elapsed for the purchase
| construction of more than limited number of ves
| sells adapted to the public service. Two vessels
| purchasd, have been named the Sumter - and
. Macree, " and being prepared for sea, at
New Orleans, with all possible dispatch. Con
! tracts have also been made at that city, with two
different establishments, for the casting Of ord
nance--cannon, shot and shell-wth the view to
encourage the manufacture of these articles, so in
| dispensable for our defence, at as many points
| within our territory as possible.
! call your attention to the Recommendation of
the Secretary for the establishment of a magazine
and laboratory for preparation OF ordnance stores
and the necessary appropriation for that purpose.
| Hitherto such stores have usually been prepared
at the navy yards, and no appropriation was made
at your last session for this object.
| The Secretary also calls attention to the fact
that no provision has been made for the payment
of invalid pensions to our citizens. Many of these
persons are advanced in life, they have no means
of support, and by the secession of these States
have been deprived Of their claim against the Gov
| eminent of the United States. | recommend the
appropriation of the sum necessary to pay these
pensioners, as well as those of thearmy, whose
claim can scarcely exceed $4,000 per annum.
The Postmaster General has already sccceeded
in organizing his Department to such extent as
to be in readiness to assume the direction of our
postal affairs on the occurrence of the contingency
contemplated by the act of 18th March, 1861, or
even sooner, if desired by Congress.
The various books and circulars have been pre-
pared, and measures taken to secure supplies of
blanks, postage stamps, stamped envelopes, mail
bags, locks, keys, etc.
| He presents detailed classification and arrange
men of the clerical force aud asks for its increase.
An Auditor of the Treasury for this Department