The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1861-05-09
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P""oe' Ihc iu" vi iiutiohs uiu uut pc NIT
me to question the authority Of the T.. ecu,
tive OF foreign nation to declare war
against this Confederacy. Although 1
might have RETAINED from taking active
measures for our defence, if the States Of
the Vi ion had sll initiated the action OF
Virgi la, North Carolina, Arkansas, Ken.
tucky, TeTenncssee, and Missouri, by do,
nonncing the call for troops as an uncons,i-
tutional unsurpation OF power TO which
they refused 20 respond, was not at LID ,.
ty to disregard the fact that many of the
States seemed quite contcntto submit 10
the exercise Of the poyer assumed by tho
President of the United States, and were
actively engaged in leyy.ng troo. tn Id
used Tor the purpose indicated in the proc
laination.
Deprived of the aid of Congress at the
moment, L Was under the necessity of con-
Inning my action to a call on t,.e States fo,
volunteers Tor the common defence, In ac-
cordance with the authority YOU had con-
tided to me before yCur Adjournment. [
deencd 1t proper further to issue procan,a
ton inviting application from persons dis
posed to aid our defence in private armed
vessels on the seas TO the cnd that prcparu,
g.
sue OF letters OF marque and reprisal, which
you alone, under the Cons tuition, have
power to grant. L entertain 10 doubt you
viii concur with me in the opinion that ia
the absence of 4 feet of public vessels, it
, VIII be cminentiy expedent to supply their
place iiy private armed vessels, so hnppily
styled by the publicists ofthe Cui;ed States
'ihe militia of the sea-" and so often and
justly relied on by them as an efficient and
! admirable instrument Of defensive warfare.
earnestly remmend the Immediate massage
oi law authorizing me to accept The hume
'ous proposals already received.
! cannot close this review OF the acts os
the Government OF the United States with,
out referring to proclamation issued by
their President under date of the 18th in
stant, IN which, after declaring that an liz.
| surrcction has broken out in this Contcd,
eracy against the Government of the nj.
ted States, he announces blockade of al
the ports of these States, and threatens 10
punish as pirates all persons who shall mo-
lest any vessel o. the United States puder
leters'o OF narque issued by this Guncrn-
ment. Nothwitl anding the .avthe,,sicity
OF this proclamatiaF, you will concur witt,
me that 1t Is Eard TO bcieye it could have
emanatcd !roan President of the United
States LIS announcement Of mere p;,-
per blockade is SO r.anifcsily violation of
the Law OF nations, that it would seem ia,
credihic that 1t could haze bren issued by
aetbs Ity-out conceding this to be the
case so far as the Executive is concerned.
it will be difficult to satisfy the pcuple Of
these States that their late conf dcra,es
VII sanction its declarations, will deter
mine to ignore tie usaeos of civilized na-
| tlors, and VIII lnauguraic war of exte.x
mirutlon Oh both sides, 10y treating IS /: il
rates, open enemies actipg under the ai.-
thority OF commissions issued by an Or
Sanzed Government. If such proclan.a-
ton was Is. ucd, IL could only have be,n
Published under the sudden influence .t
passion, and we may rest assured mankind
viii be spared the horrors OF the conflict X
seems to invite.
For the detail of the administration of
the departments, | refer to the reports of
the Secretaries which accompany this
Message
The State Department has furnished the
necessary Instructions for three commits
slOners who have been sent to England.
France, Russia and Belgium, since Your
adjournment, 70 ask our recognition as :,
member of the family OF naticns, and 70
make with each of those powers trcaties of
amlty and commerce. Further steps will
be takon to enter into like negotiations
with the other European powers in pursu-
ance OF your resolutions passed ut the last
session. Sufficient time has ne. vet clans
cd stHee the departure Of these Commits
sion0rs for the receipt OF Intelligence from
them. KS deem it desirable that commits,
sioners CT other diplomatic agents should
also be sent at an early period to the indie.
pendent American lowers South Of our
Coniederacy, with all Of whom it is our
interest and earnest wish to maintain tho
most cordial and friendly relations, | SUI
gest the expediencY of making the ncccs-
sary appropriation for that purpose.
Having been officially notified bv the
pubic authorities of tie State Of Virginia
that she had withdrawn from tie Union
and desired to naiptaip the closest political
reatiops with us which il Was possible at
this time to establish, | commissioned the
Hon. Alexander II. Stephens, Vice. Presi-
dent OF the Confederate States, 10 repre-
sent this GoveIRmcnt at Richmond. am
happy to inform you that he has concluded
a convention With the State Of Virginia, by
which that hn,.ed commonwealth, SO loup
and justly Distinguished among her sister
States. aud so deaE to the hearts of thou.
sands OF her children in the Confederate
States, has united her power and her for.
tunes with Guns, and becoming one of US.
This Convention, together with the ordi-
nance of Virginia, adopteding the Provis-
ional Constitution of the Confedaracy, will
be laid before you for your constitutional
action. | have satisfactory assurances
from other ot cur late eo,federa,es that
they are on the point Of adopting similar
measu'cs, and | cannot doubt that ere you
i shall haye been mnnv wanks ~ .ossin,, -