Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-07-25
Presidents $ Message.
RlcHMosD, July 20, 1861.
Gentlemen of Me Congress cfthe
 CoaJederatea States Of America-

OOHjtutFUtt4 tottHto Cf -1"tci
 My message addressed to you, at the commencemento of the last session, contained such full information of the State of the Confederacy, as to render 1t unnecessary, that I should now do more than call your attention to such important facts as have occurred during the recess, and tie matters connected with the public defence.
 have again to congratulate you on the accession of new members to our Confeder- acy of free and equal sovereign States-our loved and honored brethren of North Caro- lima and Tennessee have eonsummated the action foreseen and provided for at your last session. 1 have had the qualification of announcing by proclamation, in conformity with the law, that these States were admit ted into the Confederacy. The people of Virginia also, by majority previously un known in her history, have ratified the ac ton of her convention, uniting her fortunes with ours. The States of Arkansas, North Carolina and Virginia have likewise adop- tel the permanent constitution of the Con- federate States, end no doubt is entertained of its adoption by Tennessee at the election to be held early next month.
 I deemed it advisable to direct the re- moval of the several executive departments with their archives to this city, to which you had removed the seat of government Immediately after your adjournment, az gressive movements of the enemy required prompt and energetic action. The accumula- tion of his forces on the Potomac, sufficient ly demonstrated that his efforts were to be directed against Virginia, and from no point could the necessary means for her defense and protection be so effectively decided, as from her own capital. The rapid progress of events for the last few weeks, has fully sufliced to lift the veil, behind which the true policy and purposes of the government of the United States had been previously concealed. Their odious features now stand fully revealed. The message of their pre- sident, and the action of their Congress, during the present month, confesses their intention of the subjugation of these States by war, by which it Is impossible to at tain the proposed result, while its dire ca. lamities, not to be avoided by us, will fall with double severity on themselves.
 Commencing in March last, with the af fectation of ignoring the secession of seven States, which first organized this govern
 ment, persisting in an idle and absurd as- sumption of the existence of riot, which was to be dispersed by 8 posse comitatus, continuing in successive months, the false representation, that these states intended an offensive war, in spite of conclusive evidence to the contrary, furnished as well by the official action as by the very basis on which this government IS constituted The president of the United States and his advisers succeeded in decciving people of these States into the belief that the purpose of this government was not peace at home, but conquest abroad-not the defense of its own liberties, but the subversion of those of the people of the United States. The series of manpuvres by which this impress sion was created-the art with which they were devised, and the periidity with which they were executed, already known to you, but you could scarcely have supposed that they would be openly avowed, and their success made the subject of boast, and self laudation in an executive message. For tunately for truth and history, however, the president of the United States details with minuteness the attempt to reinforce F't. Pickins in violation of all armiStlce, of which he confessed to have been informed, but only by rumorS, too vague and uncer- tain, to fix attention. Of the hostile eXpe- dition, dispatched to supply Ft. Sumpter, it is admitted to have been undertaken, with the knowledge that its success was impossible The sending of notice to the governor of South Carolina, of his Lin coln's intention to use force 10 accomplish his object, and quoting from his inaugural address, the assurance that there could be no conflict unless these States were the az gressors, he proceeds to declare his con duct just related by himself, was the per formance of promise. So far from the power of ingenious sophistry, as that the world should not be able to misunderstand it, and in defiance of his own statement, that he gave notice of the approach of the hostile fleet, he charges these States with becoming the assailants fthe United States who were without a gun in sight or in ex- pectancy to return their fire, save only a few in the fort. He is indeed fully iusti- fled in saying that the case is so free from the power of ingenious sophistry, that the world will not be able to misunderstood 1t. Under the cover of this unfounded pretence, that the Confederate States are the assail ants, that high functionary, alter expressing his concern, that some foreign nations had so shaped their action as if they supposed the early destruction of the national union probable, abandons all further disguise, and proposes to make this contest short and decisive one, by placing at the control of his government for the work, at least four hundred thousand men, and four hundred millions of dollars. Congress concurring
 in the doubt thus intimated as to the suf- Gcency ofthe force demanded has increas- ed 1t to half million of men. These en- ormous preparations in men and money for the conduct of war on a scale more grand than anywhich the new world ever witnessed is distinct avowal in the eyes of civilized man, that the United States are engaged in a conflict with great and powerful nation. They are at last compelled to abandon the pretense of being engaged in dispensing ri oters, and suppressing instructions, and are driven to the acknowledgement that the ancient union has been dissolved.
 They recognize the separate existence of these Confederate States, by an int terdic- tive embargo and blockades of all com merce between them and the United States, not only by sea, but by land, not only in ships, but in ca1s, not only with those who bear arms, but with the entire population of the Confederate States. Finally, they have repudiated the foolish conceit, that the inhabitants of this Confederacy areStill citizens of the United States, for they are waging indiscriminate war upon them all, with savage ferocity unknown in modern civilization. In this war rapine is the rule, private houses in beautiful rural re- treats, are bombarded and burnt, grain crops in the field, are consumed by the torch, and when the torch is not conve- nient, careful labor is bestowed to render