The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-11-29

be difficult to fix limit 10 the period
during which we could conduct n war
against the adversary whom we now en-
counter. The very efforts which he makes
TO Isolate and invade Us, must exhaust
his means. whilst they serve 70 compfete
the circle and diversity OF the produc-
tions OF our industrial system.
The reconstruction which he seeks to
effect by arms, becomes dailv more ana
more palpably impossible. Not only the
causes WHICH induced us to separate stiiF
exist, in full force, but they hsve bseD
strengthened, and whatever doubt msy
have fingered in the minds Of any, has
been completely dispelled by subsequent
events. II. instspd of being diesoiution
of a league, 1t were indeed q rebellion In
which we are engaged, we might fnd arn-
pie vindication for the course We have
adopted, in the scenes which are nov be-
ing enacted by the United States.
Our people look with conteunptuotn ~
tonishment on those with whom they had
been so recently associated. They shrink
with aversion from the bare idea Of re-
newing such a connection. when they SEQ
President making wsr without the %.
sent of Congress--when they behold
Judges threatened besauss they nsintAin
the writ Of hd5eas corpus, so sacred to ffee-
men--when they see justice and lsw tram
pied under the heel Of military authority,
and upright men and innocent women
dragged to distant dungeons, upon the
mere ediot Of despot-when they fnd
all this tolerated. applauded By . people
who had been in the full enjoyment Of
freedom bnt few months ago. they ~
lieve there must bc some radical incon.
patibility between such people and
themselves. With such people we may
be content to live ut peace, but the sepa-
ration is final; and, for the Independence
we have asserted. we will accept no al
Tentative. iil
The nature Of the hostilitiss which they
have waged against US must be character
lied as barbarous, wherever 1t is under
stood. They have bombarded undefended
villages. without giving notice 10 women
and children to enable them to escape.
and in one instance selected the night -
the period when they might surprise
them most efectually, whilst asleep and
unsuspicious Of danger. Arson and rspins,
the destruction of private houses and pro-
perty. and injuries Of the most wanton
character, even upon nnon.combstants. have
marked their forays along our borders and
upon our territory. Although we ought
to have been admonished by these things
that they were disposed to make upoR Us
war in the most cruel and relentless spirit.
yet we were not prepared to see them ft
out large naval expedition with the
confessed purpose, not only OF plunder.
but to incite servile insurrection in the
midst of US. If they convert their soldiers
into incendiaries. and involve IN In .
species Of war which claims non-combat.
ants, women and children a. victims, they
must expet to be treated az outlaws and
enemies Of mankind. There are certain
rights of humanity which are entitled 10
respect, even in war. and he who refuses
to regard them. forfcits his claims, il cap.
tured, to be considered as prisoner Of
war, but must expect to be dealt with'as
an offender against all law, human and
divine.
But not conksnt With violating our
rights, under tho law OF nations. at home.
they have extended these injuries to us
within other jurisdictions. The distin.
guished gentlemen whom. with your ap-
proval at the last session, commissioned
to represent the Confederacy at certain
courts. have been recently seized by the
captain Of Urited States ship-of-wsr. on
board British steamer. on their voyage
from the neutral Spanish port Of Havana
to England. They have thus claimed q
general jurisdiction over the high seas.
and entering British ship. sailing under
its country's flag, violated the rights Of
embassy, for the most part held sacred,
even amongst barbarians, by seising our
whilst under the protection and
domains Of neutral nation. These gen.
tlemen were rs much under the protec-
ton of the British Government, upon
that ship and beneath its flag, as If they
had been on its soil; and claim on the
part of the United States to seize them in
the streets Of London would have been
as well founded as to apprehend them
where they were taken. Had they been
maletectors. and citizens of the United
States they could not haze been arrested
on British ship or on British soil, un.
less under the express provisions Of .
treaty, and according to the forms there
in provided for the extradition Of crimi.
nails.
But rights the most sacred seem to have
lost all respect in their eyes. When Mr..
Faulkner. former Minister of the Uni
ted States to France. commissioned, be-
fore the secession Of Virginia his native
State, returned in good faith to Wash
ington to settle his accounts and fulfill all
the obligations into which he had enter
ed, he was perfidiously arrested and I'm
prisoned in New York. where he now L..
The unsuspectiDg confidence with which
he reported to his Government was sbus.
ed, and his desire to fulfil his trust to
them used TO his injury.
In conducting this war we have sought
no aid, and prepared no alliance, offensive
Or defensive. abroad. We have asked for
4 recognized place in the great family Of
nations. But in doing SO, We have de-
nanded nothing for which we did not
offer fair equivalent. The advantages
Of intercourse are mutual amongst ma
lions, and seeking to establish diplomatic
we were only endeavoring to
place that intercourse under the regula-
tion Of public law.
Perhaps we had the right, II we had
chosen to exercise it, TO ask to know
the principle. that blookades to
be binding must be effectual. 10 solemuly
announced by the great powers OF Europe.
at Paris, is to he generally enforced or
applied only to particular parties. When
the Confederate States, at your last ses-
sion, become party to the declaration
to this principle of international
law, which has been recognized so long
by publieists and governments. we certain
ly supposed that it was to bs universally
The customary law Of nations is made
up Of their practice. rather than their
declarations; and II such declarations are
onlv tn be enforced in narticular in.