The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-04

foreign tiou 10 declare war against this Con-
| federacy- Although l might have refrained
from ia king active measures for our defence
| if the States Of the Union hid all initiated the
action of Virginia. North Carolina, Arkansas,
| Kentucky, Tennessee ana Missouri, by de.
nounclng the call for troops As an uncousti-
tutionaI usurpation OF power 20 which they
| refused to respond l was not at liberty 70
disregard ths fact that many of the States
| seemed quite content TO submit to the exercise
OF the power assumed by the President of the
United States, and wera actively engaged In
| levying troops TO oe used for the purpose in
Gicafed In the proclamation.
Deprived of the aid Of Congress at the mo-
ment, l Wa under the necessity Of contining
! my action to call on the States tor volunteers
| for the common defence. in accordance with
| the authority yoa had confided me before
| yoGi adjournment. / deemed it proper fur
| ther 70 Issue proclamation inviting apples-
| ton from persons disposed To aid our defence
| IN private armed vessels on the high seas, 10
| tue end that preparations might be made Tor
! tle immediate te issue OF letters of marQ ae and
reprisai, which yon alone, under the Consti-
| tuition, have power to grant. l entertain no
| doubt you Will concur with me III the opinion
| that in the absence OF a fieet of pnbic vessels,
| Ii will be eminently expedIent to supply their
| place by private armed vessels. 50 happily
| styled by the pabiicists Of the United States,
| ''the militia of the sea-" and often aud
| justly relied on by thern efficient and
| admirable instrument OF defensive warfare
| l earnestly recommend the imnedlat te passage
| OF II law authorizing me TO accept the numer-
| ous proposals already received.
| l cannot close this review OF the acts of the
| Government OF the United States without
| referring to a proclama ton issued by their
| President under date OF the 18th April, in
! which, after declaring that an instruction has
| broken out in this Confederacy against the
| Government of the United States, he
| nounces Il blockade OF all the ports of these
| States, and threa tens to punish as pirates all
| persons who shall modest any vessel of the
United States under letters of mara is ued by
| this Government. NotWiths Ia ndlnC the an
| "A tiE,lip Ill
| with me that tits hard 10 believe 1t could have
| emanated from Il President of the United States
/ LIS announcement OF 4 mere paper blockade
| ia so manItestiy a viola ton of the law OF na-
| tions that 1t would seem Incredible that it
| could have been issued by authority but
| concedlng this TO be the case tar ~ the Ex-
| eculiVe Il concerned, it Will be aIIficult to
satisfy the people of these States that their
late copfederaies Will sanction its declarations,
| will determine TO ignore the eXteTIniuation on
! both sides, by treating pirates open en-
| enes acting under the authority OF commis-
| sions issued by an organized Government. II
! such proclamation was issued, il could only
| have been published under the sudden infiu
ence OF passion, and we may rest assured
| mankind will be spared tne horrors of the
| conflict it seems to invite.
For the details OF the admins tration of the
| different departments refer to the reports of
| the Secretaries which accompany this mes
sage.
The State Department has furnished the ne
| cessary iustruc tlons for three ommssioners
/ sia, and Belgium, since your adJoui nInent, TO
ask our recognition MS Il mem Der OF the family
| OF nations, and TO make with each OF those
powers treaties OF amity and commerce. Fur
/ ther steps will be taken TO nter into like ne
gOtlations with the other European powers in
pursuance of your resolutions passed at tine
last session. Sufficient time has not yet
elapsed since the departure Of these Conmis-
| sioners for the receipt of any Intelligence from
| them. AS ] deem il desirable that CoInuIis
| sioners or other diplomatic agents should also
| be seat at an early period To the independent
American powers south OF our CoufeIeracy,
Wi tn all OF whom il IL our IN terest and earnest
/ wish to maintain the most cordial and friendly
| relations, l suggest the expedency Of making
| the necessary appropriations for that pur
pose.
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 poll relttions with
| Us which II was possibta al this time to estab-
| lish, / comm issioned the Hon. Alexander H.
Stephens, Vice President OF the Confederate
| States, to repr, sent this government at Rich
| mond. / an happy to inform you that he has
| concluded convention with the State of Eir-
| ginia, by which that norored Common
| wealth, 90 long and justly distinguished
| among her sister Stites. aud dear TO the
| hearts OF thousands of her children in the
| Confederate States, has united her po yer and
| her fortunes with ours, ana become one OF us
| This con yentiOn. together with the ordinance
| Of Virginia, alopting The PrCYl9ionll Cousti-
| tuition OF The Don fedeT3oy, Will br laid before
| YOU for your constitutional action | have
! satisfactory assurances from other OF our late
| copfederates that they are on the point OF
| adopting similar measures and cannot doubt
| that ere you SHAH have been many weeks In
! session. the Whole Ot the sltyeholding States
| of the late Union VIII respond 10 the call of
| honor and atec ton, and by uniting their for
| tunes with ours, promote cur common inter
| eets and secure our common safety.
| In the Treasury department., regulations
| have been devised and put into execu ion for
carrying out toe policy incica ted in your lrgis-
| Iation on the subject OF the navigation OF the
| Mississippi river, as we'll as for the collection
| of reVenae on the frontier. Free transit has
| been secured Tor vessels and merchandise
| }ssing through the Con federate States: and
| delay and Inconvenience have been avoided as
| lar as possible in organizing the revenue SER
vice for the various railways en- terinS our ter
ritOry. As fast experience shall indicate
| the possibility ot improvement in these regu.
| ldtiOrs, 10 effort VIII be spared 10 free com
| nercc trotn all unnecessary embarrassment
| aud Distractions.
! Under your act authorizing loan, propo-
sails were issued inviting subscriptions for
| five millions of dollars, and the call was an
| eWereu by the prompt subscription OF more
| than eight millions by own citizens, and
| not a single bid WIS made under par. The
! rapid development Of the purpose OF The Presl-
| dent of the United States 10 invade our soil,
| capture our forts, blockade our ports, aad
/ wage war against Hs, induced NE TO direct that
! the tire subscription should be accepted
| II viii now become necessary 10 raise means
/ 10 4 MuCu larger amount 10 Gefrdy The
| penses OF maintaining our independence and
| repelling gtnvasion. I invite Your special at
| tention 10 this subject, and the financial con-
dition OF the Government, with the sdgges ton
| OF ways aud means for the supply of the
| Treasury, will be presented TO you il . sepa-
| rate communica alton.
| To the department of Justice you have con-
dded not only the orgauiz alton and pei vision
OF all matters connected with the courts of
! Justice, but also those connected with patents
| and with the bureau OF public printing
| Since yonr adjournment, ali the courts,
| with the exception Of those of Mississippi and
| Texas, have been oTgtaized by the appoint
| ment OF Mdrshals and District Attorneys, and
| are now prepared for the exercise OF their
functions,
| In the two States Just named, the gentle
men confirmed as Judges declined 10 accept
| the appoin tnent, and no nominations have
| yet been made 10 Hi the vacancies. refer
| you 10 the report of the Attorney GeneraI,
and concur IN his recon Enea adaLiou Tor InlTne
| diate legislation, especially on The subject OF
| pateat rights. Early provision should be made
10 secure to the subjects of foIe ega nations the
/ full enjoyment OF their property in valuable
| inventions, and 10 extend 10 our own citizens
! protection, not only for their IL zen lions
| bat for such may have been assigned 10
| them, or may hereafter De assigned by persons
| not alien enemies.
The Patent Office business is much more ex-
1ensive and important taan had been aa:ici-
pated. The applications for pateats, although
confined under the law exclusively 10 citizens
Of our Confederacy, already average seventy
per month, showing the necessity for the
prompt organize tion of a bureau OF patents
The Secretary of War, in his report and ac-
couapanying documents, conveys fan infor.
nation concerning the forces regnlar, yolan-
teer and provisional, raised an called for an
der the Sc everal acts OF Congress, their Organ
ixatiou and distribution. Also, an account Of
the expenditures already made, and tAs fur
Their estimates for the fiscal year ending
on the IsIA Of February, 1852, rendered ne
cessary by recent events l refer 10 his re-
port also for a full history of tho occur