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

To the Congress Of the Confederate Sltes Of AMERICA
GESrLEsrEN My message addressed to you at tn i
commencement Of the session contained such 1ul
information of the state of as TO rem
de, it unnecessary that / should now do no more
than call your attention TO such important facts as
have occurred during the recess, and TO matters con-
eeted with the public defence
have again 10 congratulate you on the accession
of new members of our Confederation OF Tree equal
and sovereign States Our loved and honored breth-
ran of North Carolina and Tennessee have consum-
mated the action foreseen and provided Tor at yeur
last session; and have had the qualification OF an
nouneng by proclamation, IN conformity win
law that those States were admitted into the Con
federaey.
The people of Virginia, also, by majority preyi'
ously unknown in her history, have ratified the
action of her convention uniting her fortunes with
ours.
The States of Arkansas North Carolina and Vir-
einia have likewise adopted the permanent Constr
fntion of the Confederate States and doubt is en-
tertaned of its adoption by Tennessee at the election
to be held early next month
deemed it advisable to direct the removal OF the
several Executive Departments with their arcnlVes,
to this CITY, to which you had removed the seat OF
Goverpment, Immediately after your adjournment
The aggressive movements of the enemy required
promOt and energetic action. The accumulation OF ms
forces on the Potomac sufficiently demonstrated that
his efforts were to be directed against Virginia; and
from no point could the necessary measures Tor her
defence and protection be so ehclehuy uIrec'eu aS
from her own capital
The rapid progress Of events for the last lew
weeks has fully sufieed to strip the ven Oehlnd
which the true policy and purposes OF the Govern
mept of the United States had been previously con-
cealed. Their odious features now stand fully re-
yealed The message of their President aud the
action of their Congress during the present month,
confess the intention OF su6ugatng tnese SlSlEs "
war whose folly is equalsd only by Its wlckedness
warby Which, is impossible to obtain the PROPOSED
~ .ts 1fpaa oil
nv MS will fall with double severity on themselves
Commencing in March last with an aHectauon
of ignoring the secession OF the seven states "hicn
frat organized this Government; persIsng IN Aprh
in the idle and absurd assumption OF the existence
of riot which was to be dispersed by posse cons
Hal,is: continuing in successive months, the raise
representation that these States intended an omen
siye warm spite Of the conclusive evidence 10 the
contrary furnished as well by official action, as oy
tho yery basis on which this Govern
r1ert ia constituted-the President Of the United
States and his advisers succeeded IN ceceiylng tue
neone of those States int the belief that the pur-
nose of this Government was nOtfor peace athome'
| but conquest abroad-not the defence OF us own
liberties, but the suoVefsloh VI thuSe VI 'e POP
! of the United States. .
| The series of mannuvres by which this inpres
sion was created-tls art with which th-y were aes
! ylsed-and the perfdy with WHICH they were exc,
cuted were already known to you; put you couiu
scarcely have supposed that lhey "outu De GPeuIy
l
| boast and self Iaudation in an Executive message
Fortunately for the truth Of history, however the
President of the United States details with minute
ness the attempt TO reinforce FoftFlckens IN yloia
+ion of an armistice of which he conesses TO nave
| been informed but only by rumors 100 vague anu
| uncertain TO FIX attention.
| The hostile expedition despatched TO supply For1
| Sumter admitted to have been undertaken Win tls
| knowledge that its success was lmposslDle ule
sapdinC of notice to the Governor OF South Caroll
| 80 q
| ipct and then quoting from his inaugural address
The assurance that there could be no connle uhIes
these States the aggressors he processes 10 Ge
clare that his conduct, IS just relAteu O hllsell
was the performance OF TINS PROMISE 50 iree mn
the mower of ingenious sOphstry as that the WorlI
should not be able to misunderstood it, and IN dc
fance of his own statement that he gave noTlce o
the aDproach of the hostile fleet he charges tnes
States with becoming the assaliants OF the Ohl'e'
States s.without a gun in sight or IN expectancy U
re+,n their fire save only few IN the fort" lie /
indeed fully justified in saying that the case rs 9
| free from the power of ingenious sOPhStry thaE th
world will not be able TO misunderstood IT,.
| Under cover of this untounded pretense, ina
the Confederate States are the assallanls Iaat mig
fpnctionary after expressing his concern mat som
| foreign nations had so shaped their action as
thew supposed the early destruction OF our Natlona
Union was probable" abandons all further dsgulse
| and proposes "to make this contest snort ana ae
cisiye ore by placing at the control OF the Govern
! at co. the work at least 400 900 men, and S4OO
0OO 600. The Congress cOncurring IN the dOuOt Ihu
intimatod as to the sutciency of the force demand
or. has increased it to half million OF men:
| These enormous preparations IN men ana none:
for the conduct of war on Scaie LUZ sIs1 a
than any which the New World has ever witnessed
| il distinct ayowal, in the eyes OF clVlLzed maj
that the United States engaged IN con1lct VII
great and powerful nation Ihey are at lSSt CON
pelled to abandon the pretence OF Delng engaged
The disnersng of rioters and the suppresslng OF II
I'D driVp
nent that the anci,nt Union has been 1lssolve
They recognize the separate existence Oh THESE Oo
federate States by the Introduction, embargo an
blockade of all commerce between theun anu lu
limited States not only by sea but by land-not OF
lv in ships but in raicaIs-not only WIN muse WI
baar arms hut with the entire population OF u
| Confederate States. Finally, they nave TePuulste
the foolish conceit that the inhaDltants Oh THIS 20
fpderaey are still citizens Of the United Otdtes
| tbev are wsgipg an indiscriminate war upon the
III I1,;,b a savage ferOcity unknown to modern civ
. | Gz,tion In this war rapine IS the rule-pFl'a
| residences in peaceful rural retreats are DomOar
ed and burned grain crops IN the neld are consun
| cd nv the torch and when the loren Is not coDEe
lent careful labor is bestowed 20 renuel dr
mont remaining in private dwellings, after their
) babitants have fed from the outrages OF Dru'
I | soldiery. -. -.,,,o,+
colonies took possession OF Tue VERY
Of the United States. The houses then lnhanlI
by the people, after being respected and protect
nv ayowed invaders, are now pliIagea ana
stroyed by men who pretend that the victims a
their felicw-citizens. Mankind will shudder to ne
, the tales of outrages committed on defenseless
',oles bv the soldiers of the United States, now
Tading our homes. Yetthese Outrages are prompt
by iniamcd passions and the madness Oh ihto1 OK;
ton. But who shall depict the horror with VIM
thew will regard the cool and deliberate maiignl
which under pretext of sqppressIng an lnst
rection said by themselves to be upheld by a mln(
tv only of our people makes special war on the slS
including the women and the children, ~ earei9
c, devised measures to prevent their obtaining
T,odicinea necessary for their cureg The sacr
claims of humanity, respected even during the IL
of actual battles, by careful diversion Oh lne
tacs from the hospitals containing Woanl
= enemies, are outraged in cold blood by COVE
ment and people that preteni TO desire the conu
lie ance of fraternal connections. All these outrs
INST remain unavenged save b. the universal
nrobat,on of mankind, in all cases where the
tual pe1petrators of the wrong escape capture II
ma | admit of no retahstlOn. The humanity OF our
II, pie would shrink instinctiyely from the pare