Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-16
message o. Governor spr.gue.

On the sszemblage of The Rhode Island LIE
gislature in special session. on the 9Th inst,
Governor Sprague delivered the following
message:
The Senators are aware of the object that
has called them together, both from the FRO
clamation which has been made and by eVenta
with which the whole country have become
familiar
When the action of this body was first ia
ken, the State and the country felt that the
war would. from the necessities OF the case,
be of short duration. Since that time events
have transpired which have opened the eyes
of the whole country, to the magnitude OF the
rebellion which they are called upon to crush
out The repulse which the army has recent
Iy suffered has been owing to so many causes
that il is impossible to attribute il to any
which we should regard as satisfactory,-al
of them pointing to the condition of things
which we now behold. The State and the
country, however, may feel assured, from the
change in the programme at Washington and
by the people throughout the whole North,
that the errors of the past will not be repeat
ed in the future, and also that every move
meut for the future will hardly fail to result
in success.
The war will of necessity be long one.
We have been in error as TO the strength of
the enemy, and as to the long and persistent
course which has been pursued by the South
tending towards this point; while we have
been occupied in our business they hav been
creating revolution. We were under the i'm
preston that they were lacking in all the re-
sources which go to raise and maintain ar
mics. Whereas, in almost every particular,
We have found them superior to ourselves.
We have found not only the physique of their
men equal to ours, but their clothing, their
arms, their subsistence and their means of
portation-everything that goes to make
up malitTy efficiency, superior to ours. And
when we have been obliged to be the attack
ing force, marching under Southern sun,
exhausted, without provisions and without
shelter, they have been encamped and in for
tilted positions in country unfriendly to ls
and friendly to them, where they could re-
Give information of every movement OF ours
and we could learn nothing whatever as TO
theirs.
The probabilities are that in no case on the
record of the worlds history has an army
been called into the field possessing so little
knowledge OF the strength and position of the
enemy; and such being the case, 1t was i'm
possible for any troops in the position ours
found themselves, to have sustained them
selves for any considerable length of time.
Il has opened the country to the immensely
of this struggle, and in that view of the sub
ject the result may be bearable..
The troops of the North entering the field
against those of the South have in every case
occupying equal advantages beea able to
drive them from the field; but protected by
superior position, by batteries aud seperior
force. it has of course been impossible-utter-
Iy out of the question to atrempt to drive
them from their strODghOlds.
Such being the case, and the country call
ing upon the States for SO much more than
was at first anticipated, taxation by the gen.
eral government and next by the State in
creasing, have been induced to call the leg
islature together to see whether they are
willing to continue the liberal course which
was inaugurated when this contest first be-
gan.