Newbern weekly progress. [volume] (Newbern, N.C.) 1858-1863, 1861-07-30
Headquarters DIVISION No. 9,
Memphis July 13, 1861. !

He, ,pQUARTERs DIVISION No. 9,
Memphis, July 13, 1861.
Having been assigned to the charge of the
defence of that part of the Valley OF the MssiS
S:l,pi which is embraced within The boundaries
OF division Ne, >, | hereby assume command.
Ali officers on duty within the limits will re-
port accordingly.
In assuming this very grave responsibility,
the General in command is constrained to de-
clare his deep and long settled conviction that
the war in which we are engaged IS one not
warranted by reason or any necessity, political
or social of existing condition, but that it
is indefenSibe and OF unparalleled atrocty.
We have protested, and do protest, that all we
desire is TO be let alone, to repOse IN Quictness
under oar own vine and Our own fig tree. We
have sought, and only sought, the undisturbed
enjoyment Of the uhcrcnt and iEdeteaSabc
right Of self fgovcrnmcnts right which free
men can never rcIinquish, and which none but
tyran:s o>uid ever Seeck to rest from us.
Those with whom We have been lately asso-
ciated in the bonds of a pretended fraternal re-
gard have wished ald erieavorcd to deprive US
Of our great birlh-right as American frecmcn.
Nor is this all They have sought to deprive
us OF this in, SimatIc II gat by mercilcSs war,
which can attain no other possible end than the
ruin of fortunes aud the destruction of lives
I,,r the suhiu4at.on OF ChrIsti ian frecmcp is out
Of the question \ war which has Thus no
t.ntlyr except lust OF nate, and no object except
devastation, under the shallow pTetencc OF
Il restoration Of the CuiCn, S surely a war
..!.,l.!>t Heaven, as we'll rs q way against earth.
Oi all the abSdgtil.IcS ever enacted, Of all the
hYpocI acie> ever I.rac iced an attCLny' to res
tnre Il un:on Of mInd>.atId hearts ana viii, Ike
that whic. once existed in North America, by
the r:,yagee of fire and sword, ;s,l.rcdiy
among the NEST prod II !u%.
rs >jre aS tiIcru - 9! Righteous Hrtc' # Gre
u"ivcr,r, such war must end II. disaster u
those by wilors : glo~ !c-:;-1nte3 with cir
clmstanccS Of barba!ity which it was fondiy
believed Woiiu uc<t.' A3.:e disgrace tc annals
of. civillze,, people Numbers may bc against
III; but the battle is not alHrys with the strong.
Justice " i'll triumph. and an earnest Of thi>;
triumph we already behold in the mighty up
rising OF the whole Southern heart
Almost aaont mat, tt!s great section comes
tn the rescue, resolved 10 perish rather than
t. yield to the opprc5SoT, who, in the uatnc OF
freedom, yet under the prime inspiration Of an
inliicl horde, seeks to reduce eight millions OF
fleemen to abject bondage and suoiection All
ayes and al conditions unitcd IN grand
and holy purpose OF rolling back the desoating
tin $ of invasion, and Of restoring to the people
Of tie South that peace, independence aud right
OF selCgovcrnment to which thcyg are by ma
ture and nrture's God, as Justly entitled as
tho sc who seek ruthleasly to ensavc them.
The General in command having the strong
est confidence in the intelligence and firInness
OF purpose of those belong TO his Department,
enloins upon hem the maintenance of calm,
patient, persistent and undaunted detcrmina-
ton to resist the Invasion at ALL hazards and
to the last extremity. 1t comes bringing with
it a contempt for constitutional liberty, and
the witherlng Influence Of the intidelity OF New
England and Germany coolbned- Its success
wwould deprive OF a future.
The best men of our invaders opposed the
course they pursuing at the tirst bat they
haze been Overborne and swept into the wake
of the prevailing current, and now under the
pronptings of their fenTs the deluSion of
some idolatrous reverence due to fayorite
SYMBOL as active any in instigating this
unnatural, unchristian and crnel war.
Our protests, which We here Solemnly repeat
ia the fac of the civilized world have been
hitheato nnhceded, We are left alone under
God, TO the resources of own hearts-to
the csourcus OF our manhood.
Knowing as he does, thoes whom he ad-
dresses, as well those with whom they are
cooperating throughout the South, the Gener-
al in command feels he may rely upon with
unwarerng confidence. Let every man, then,
throughout the land, arm himself in the most
effective manner, and hold himself in readiness
to support the combined resistance. A cause
which has for its object nothing less than the
security Of civil liberty and the preservation of
the purity of religious truth, is the cause of
Heaven, and may we'll challenge the homage
and service OF the patriot and Christian. In
God is our trust. LEON1DAS POLK,
Major General P. A. c. S. Commanding.