Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-07-31

under our commission, were, as twas crealoiy ao-
vised treated like common felons put in irons con,
fined in jail usually appropriated to criminals OF
the worst dye, and threatened with punishment Is
Of these prisoners to the commanding ofifcer OF the
enemy's squadron of Charleston harbor, but that
officer had already sent the prisoners to New York
when the application was made. Therefore deemed
it my duty to renew the proposal for the exchange
to the constitutional Commando Chief OF the
Army and Navy Of the United States, the only ON.
Ger haying control of the prisoners TO this. endI
dispatched an officer to him, under Tag OF truce
and in making the proposal, informed President
Lincoln Of my resolute purpose to check all barbara
ties on prisoners of war; such severity OF retalla
ton on the prisoners held by us as should secure
the abandonment of the practice
This communication 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 return
ed by President Lincoln as soon possible. ear
nesty hope that this promised reply, which has not
vet been received, will convey the assurance that
prisoners of war will be treated in this unhappy con-
test, with that regard to humanity which has made
such conspicuous progress in the conduct OF modern
warfare. As a measure of precaution, however, and
until the promised reply is received still retain in
close custody some officers captured from the enemy,
whom it had been my pleasure previously to enlarge
on parO.e anu whose Idt6 muSL ucCcSSdVlIy uCpSho
on that Of the prisoners held by the enemy.
I append copy of my communication to the
President and Commanderin- Chief Of the Army and
Navy of the United States and of the part of the Of
ticer charged to deliver it, marked Doc. A.
There are some other passages IN the remarkable
paper to which have directed your attention, hav.
ing reference to the peculiar relations which exist
between this government and the States usually
termed the border SLAVE States, which cannot prop
erly be withheld from notice.
The hearts of our people are animated by senti-
ments towards the inhabitants Of those States, which
found expression in your enactment refusing to con-
slider them enemies, or to authorize hostilities
against them. That very large portion Of the peo
pie of those States regard us as brethren that if I'M
restrained by the actual presence of large armies
the suoversion Of civil authority and the declaration
of martial law, some Of them at least would joyfuliy
unite with US; that they with almost entire una
nimity opposed to the prosecution of the war waged
against u.s. facts of which daily recurring events
fully warrant the assertion.
The President of the United States refuses to re-
cognize in these late sister States the right of
refaining from attack US and justifies his relu
sal by the assertion that the States have no other
power than that reserved to them in the Union by
the Constitution, no one Of them haoing ecer been
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 habeas corpus and of delegatng that
power to military commanders, at his discretion;
and both these propositions claim respect equal to
that which is felt for the additional statement of
opinion in the same paper that it is proper, in order
to execute the laws that some single law, made in
such extreme tenderness of the citizens liberty that
practically treieves more of the guilty than the in
nocent should, to very limited extent be violated"
We may well rejoice that we have forever severed
our connection with government that thus tram
pies all the princp Piles of constitutional liberty,
and with people in whose presence such avowals
could be hazarded
The operations in the field will be greatly extern
ded by reason of the policy which, heretofore Sc
cretly entertained, is now avowed and acted on by
the United States The forces hitherto raised
proved ample for the defence Of the seven States
which originally organized the Confederacy, as is
evnced by the fact that with the exception of three
fortified islands, whose defence is efficiently aided
by preponGeratng naval force, the enemy has been
driven completely out of those States and now, at
the expiration of five months from the formation of
the government not single hostile foot presses
their soil These forces however, must necessarily
prove inadequate to repe the invasion by half mil
lion Of men, now proposed by the enemy ; and a
corresponding increase in our forces will become
cessary. The recommendations for the raising and
euClenC Oh tNlS auOltlOndt IOrCe, Will Oe
contained in the communication of the Secretary of
Var, to which need scarcely invite your earnest
attention.
d, In my Message delivered in April last referred
to the promise of abundant crops, with which we
were cheered. The grain crops, generally, have
since been harvested and the yield has proven to be
the most abundant known in our history. Many
believe the supply adequate to two years cons,imp-
ton Of our population Cotton, sugar and tobacco,
oc
and furnishing the basis of our commercial inter-
changes, present the most cheering promise and
kind Providence has smiled on the labor which ex-
tracts the teemng wealth of our soil in all portions
of our Coniederacy.
It is the more gratifying to be able to give you
this assurance because of the need of large and in
creased expenditure in the support of our army.
Elevated and purified BY the sacred cause they main
tain our fellow citizens of every condition of life ex
hibt the most selfsacrifcing devotion: they mani
fest laudable pride nupholding their independence
unaided by any resources other than their own and
the immense wealth which fertile sol! and genial
climate have accumulated in this confederacy Of az
ricuturiss, could not be more strikingiy displayed
than in the large revenues which, with eager ZEAL
they have contributed at the call of their country
In the single article Of cotton the subscriptions to
the loan proposed by the government cannot fall
short of fifty millions of dollars, and will probably
largely exceed that sum- and scarcely article
quired for the consumption of the army is provided
otherwise than by subscription to the produce loan
so happily devised by your wisdom. The Secretary
of the Treasury, in the report submitted to you BY
him, will give you the amplest details connected
with that branch of the public service. -
Blu. it is not alone in their prompt pecuniary con-
tributiohs that the noble race of ffeemen who in.
habit these States evince how worthy they are of
the liberties which they so well know how to defend.
In numbers far exceeding those authorized by your
laws they have pressed the tender Of their services
against the enemy. Their attitude of calm and sub
lime devotion to their country the cool and conf
dent courage with which they are already preparing
to meet the threatened invasion in whatever proper
tions it may assume the assurance that their sacrl-
fees and their services will be renewed from year to
year with unaltering purpose until they have made
the generous and almost unquestioning confidence