Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-25

NIT OF repression by retaliation. lhaNC pctnuIueh
to tho necessity of enforcing this repression
The prisoners of war, taken by the enemy on
board the armed schooner Savannah sailing under
our commission, were. SIS l swas creiibly advised
treated like common felons put in irons confined in
Jail usually appropriated 10 criminals Of the worst
dye, and threatened with punishment as such Ihad
made an application for the exchange Of these Pris
oners, to the Commanding officer OF the enemy's
squadron of Charleston harbor; bu. that othcer fad
already sent the prisoners to New York when the
application was made. 4, therefore deemed II my
duty to renew the proposal for exchange 10 the
constitutional commaHder>in-ehief of the Army and
Navy of the United States-the only officer having
control of the prisoners.
To this end dispatched an officer to him, under
flag oftruce, and in making the proposal informed
Presida IiRcOlR of my rssolute purpose to Geek
all barbaritiosen prisoners of war by such severity
of retaliation on the prisoners held by US as should
secure the abandonment Of the practice. This com
muneation was received and read by the officer IN
command of the army of the United States, and
message was brought from him, by the bearer OF
my communication, that reply would be returned
by President Lincoln as soon as possible earn
estly hope this promised reply, which has not yer
been received, will convey tie assurance that pfls-
oDers of war will be treated IN this unhappy contest
with that regard to humanity which has made
such conspicuous progress in the conduct OF modern
warfare. As measure of precaudon, however,
and until the promised reply IS received, stiii re-
tain in custody some officers captured from the enc
u.
ealarge on parole and swhose fate must neces-
sary depend on that of the prisoners held by the
enemy
l append copy of my communication to the
President and Commander In Chief the army ana
navy of thu United States and of the report OF the
officer charged to deliver it, marked document
Az
There are some other passages in the remarkable
paper to which have directed your attention. haV'
ing reference to the peculiar relations winch exist
AZ and ha usnallV
termed border slave States, which cannot proper
ly be withheld from aotice
The hearts of our people are animated by senti-
ments towards the inhabitants OF those States when
found expression in your enactment refusing 10 con
sIder them as enemies, or to authorize hoSulues
against them That very large portion OF the people
of those States regard as brethren; that unre-
strained by the actual presence of large armies the
subVersion of civil authority, and the declaration OF
martial law, some of them at least would J0yfully
unite with US; that they are, with almost entire
unanimity, opposed to the prosecution OF the war
waged against u.s. are facts of which daily reeui ring
events fully warrant the assertion
The President of the United States refuses to re-
cognize in shese late sister States the right OF
refraining from attack on US, and justhes his re-
fusa by the assertion that the States have no other
power "than that reserved to them IN the Union oy
the Constituhon-no one Of them having ever been
a State out of the Union"
This view of the constitutional relations between
the States and the General Government, is fitting
introduction to another assertion of the message
that the Executive possesses the power OF suspend
ing the writ of Hdbsds Corpus, and or defeating
that power to military commanders at his uiscre,
ton and both these propositions claim respect
equal to that which is felt for the additional state
meut of opinion in the same paper that 1t Is proper
in order to execute the laws that "sOme single law
made in such extreme tenderness OF the eiuzens
liberty that practically it relieves more OF the gun
tv than the innocent, should, to very limited eX-
tent be violated" We may well reJolce that we
have forever severed our connection with Gov
ernment that thus tramples on all principles OF
constitutional liberty, and with people IN whose
presence such avowals could be hazafded
The operations in the field will be greatly eX
tended by reason of the policy which heretofore
secretly entertained, is now avowed and actedon Dy
the United States. The forces hitherto raised proved
ample for the defence of the seven States when
originally organized the Confederaey, is eVinced
by the fact that with the exception of three fortified
islands, whose defence is efficiently aided by pre-
ponderating naval force, the enemy las been driven
completely out Of those States and now at tie eXp
| ration of five months from the formation Oh tue
Government not a single hostile foot presses their
! soil.
These forces however, must necessarily prove in
ADEQUATE to repel thenvasion by half million Of men
now proposed by the enemy, and corresponding IN
crease in our forces will become necessary. The
Recommendations for the raising and efficient equip
ment of this additional force viii be contained ID the
! communication of the secretary of War, to which
! need scarcely invite your eaTnestattenuo1
! In nv message delivered in April last, referred
| to the promise of abundant crOps-with which we
were cheered. The grain crops generally have since
sincebeen harvested andthe yield has proven to be
the most abundant knO gn IN our history. Many be-
leve the supply adequate to two years consumption
of our population Cotton sugar and tobacco forming
the surplus production of our agriculture ana FUR
| n1shing the basis of our commercial inteTchanges
/ present the most cheering promise, and KIND FRO
| violence has smiled on the labor which extracts
the teemng wealth of eur soil In all portions OF
| our CoRfederacy. 1t Is tle more gratifying 70 o.
able to give you this assurance because OF the need
of large and increased expenditures in support Of
| our army.
Elevated and purified By the sacred cause they
| maintain our fellOW-citZens of every condiuoI
of life exhibit the most self-sacrihcing devotion
Tney manifest a laudabe pride in unfolding theil
Independence, unaided by any resources other thar
their own, and the immense wealth which a fertile
SOIL and genial climate, have accumulated IN TIM
Confederacy of agriculturists could not De more
strikingly Displayed than in the large revenues
which, with eager zeal, they have conrlputeu q
the call of their country
In the SINGLE article of cotton the SUBSCRIPTIONS
the loan proposed by the Government cannot tal
short of fifty of million dollars, and Will prooaoll
largely exceed that sum, and scarcely an article re
quirei for the consumption of the army Is Prov
ded otherwise than by subscription to the produc'
loan so happily devised by your wisdom
The Secretary of the Treasury. in the report sub
mitted to by him VIII give you Inc
connected with that branch of the public service
but il Is not alone on their prompt pecunIary con
trIbutions that the noble of treemen who IN
habit these States evince how worthy they are
the liberties which they so well know how l
defend. In numbers far exceeding those author
| lied by your laws they have pressed the tender Q
their services against the enemy. Their alutuo
of calm and sublime devotion TO their country
the cool and confident courage with which they ar
i, already preparing TO meet the Threatened invasion
whatever proportions it may aSsume-the sssuranc
that their sacrifices and their services II be re
nev1d from year to year, with unfateriBg purpose
until they have made good to the uttermost thel
right of selfgovernment-the generous and Amos
unouestioning confidence which they display IN thel
government during the pending struggle, al con
! bine to present spectacle such as the world hs
> rarely, if ever, seen.
To speak of subjUgating such people SO unite
D and determined, is to speak a language lncompT'
hensible to them-tO resist attacks on their rlgh
1 or their liberties, is with them an instinct
= Whether this war shall last one or three or nv
r wears is a problem they leave to be solved by u
q enemy alone. 1t will last tilrthe enemy shall nav
withdrawn from their borders. till their politics
rights their affairs and their homes-are freed tro
/ invasion Then and then only, will they rest fro
this struggle TO enjoy in peace the blessings whlc
: with the favor of Providence, they have secured
the aid of their own strong hearts and sturdy arm
! JEFFERSON DAVIS
/ RICHMOND, July 20, 1851.
DOCUMENT A
RrCHNoYp July G, 1861