Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-02-28
MEssAGE OBJ
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS.
To TEE SENATE AND HOUSE, CT REPRESENT

consideration such measures as ho shal! judge
necessary end expedient, ha"o to communi'
cate that since my message, at tho Inst session
of the Provisional Congress, events have de
,monstrated that the Government had attempt
ed moro thar it had power successfully Il
achieve. Hence, in the effjrt to protect, BY
our arms, tho whole Of the territory OF thu
| Confederate States, scs-boGrd and inland, VI
have been so exposed rs recently to encounter
serious disasters. When the Conftderacy was
! formed, tho States composing 1t were, ny thu
peculiar character OF thoir pursuits. and ;
| misplaced confidence in their former asSo-
ciates, to great extent destitute Of the rieaE:
for tho prosecution OF tie war on so gigantic
! n scale rs that which it has attained. The
workshops and artisans "eTs mainly 10 oe
found in the Northern States; ). and ors Of the
first duties which dcyolTed upon tina Govern
ment was 10 establish the necessary manu.
factories, and in the meantime to obtain, By
purchase from abroad, Is far as practicable,
whatever was required for the public defence.
No effort has been spared to effect both these
ends; and, though the results have not equal
LED our hopes, il is believed that az impartial
judgment will, upon iul! investigation, award
| to the various departments Ct the Government
credit jor having done sll which human power
and foresight enabled them to accomplish.
The valor end devotion of ire peopls have
not only sustained tie Efforts Ct the Govern
ment, but have gone lar 20 supply its def
ciences.
The actiYe state OF military preparation among
the nations OF Europe in April last the date
Then our agents first went abroad, interposed
unaToidab bic delays in ths procurement Of
arms, and the want CT aavy mas greatly in
psded our effJrts to i:npor: military supplies o.
all sorts
have hoped for several days to receive Off
cial reports in relation to our discontinue a
Roanoke Island, and tho fall Of Fort Donelspn
They have not yet reached me. and am
therefore, unable TO communicate to you suct
information of these events and the conse.
quences resulting from then, as would enable
| me to make recommendations founded upo1
| the changed condition which they have pro
duced. Enough is known Of tbs surren'
der at Roanoke Island to make us fee
that it wns deeply humilisting howevei
imperfect may have been the preparations
| for defence Tho hope is still entertained
that our reported losses ut Fort Donolsol
have been grestly exaggerated, iuasmuch RS
am not only unwilling. but unable to believe tha
! a large army OF our people have surrendered
without desperate effort to cut their way
| through investing forces, whatever MAJ hsv'
| been their plumbers, and to endesvor to mak,
junction with other divisions Of tho army
But il the absence, OF that exact information
which can only bo afforded by otiicisl reports
il would be premature to pass judgment, Grt
my own is reserved, az l trust yours will he
until that information is received. n tn
meantime, strenuous efforts have been mad,
| to thrcw forward reirf,rcenents to :hc a.1nie
at the positions threatened, and cauact doub
that the bitter disappointnents we hs7s borne
by nsrVing the people to still grehter cxcr
| lions, will speedily aecure results moro &C
cordEnt with our just expectation, M;
% favorable to our cause rs those Ehc!
marked the earlier periods OF the war
The reports ot the Secretaries OF Var az,
| the Navy will exhibit the mass OF resource
Tor the conduct Of the war which we have bee
enabled to accumuls:e notwithstanding tt
very serious difficulties against which We hsv
commended.
They afford the cheering hope that our II
sources, limited SIS they were at The boginnin
of the contest, viii, during it's progress, be
come developed to such en- extent rs fully t
meet our future wants.
The policy Of enlistment! ios shor. term
sgsinst which have steadily coateadcd fror
| tho commencement Of tho war GAS, ia NJ
! Judgment, contributed in 10 imnaterel oeyre
TO the recent reve-ses which we have suffered
and even now render it difficult to furns!
you an accurate statement OF the army. Whcl
the war first broke ont many of our peopl
could with difficulty bs persuaded that i
would be long OF serious. twas not decnct
possible that anything SO Insane rs persisten
attemptto subjugste ;boso Sia,cs could be made
still less that the delUslcn would SO far pre-
vail as to give TO the var tie 1ast proportion
which It has assumed. The psopie, incrcdu.
lous Of long wsr. we're naturally averse t
long eDlistrcnts, ard the early legislation 6
Congress rendered it iDpTacticab!o to Obtain
volunteers for greater period than tweiv,
mouths. Now thu. it has become probable
that tho war will be continued through {
series of years, our high spirited and galan
soldiers, while generally re.enlsting, ere, iron
the fact of having entered the service for shor
term, compelled in many instances to go hom
TO make the necessary arrangements Tor thei
families during their prolonged absence.
The quotas of new regiments for The va.
called for from the different States. are in raoi;
progress Of organization. The whole Eody 0
now levies and re-enlsted men will p-oba oil
be ready in the ranks within the next ttir.l
| days. But in the mean time, it's exceedingly
difficult to give al accurate statement Of Ia,
number Of our forces in the field. They nuy
| in general terms, be stated AL fur hundrot
] regiments of infantry, with proportional.
| force Of cavalry and artillery, the details o
! which will be shown by the report OF tbs Sec
Rotary Ct War. / deem it proper TO advert t
tie fac. that the pTcecs. Ct ;usloughs and 70
enlistment In progress for the Inst month hat
so far disorganized and weakened our forces
ss to impair our ability for successful defence
but l heartily congratulate you that this evil
| which I had ioreseon and was powerese {,
prevent may now be said to be substantially
at an end, and that We shall not again during
the war 60 exposed 10 seeing our strength d.
| minished by this fruitful cause Of disaster
short enlistnents.
/ The people OF the Confederate States being
principally engaged in agricultural pursuits
were unprovided ut the commencement o
hostilities with ships, ship-yards, materials
for ship building, OF skilled mechanics ane
seamen in sufficient numbers to mako tht
prompt creation Of navy practicable tasl
even if the required appropriations had bee,
made for tho purpose. Notwithstanding oul
very limited resources, however, the report o
the Secretary will exhibit to you satisfactory
progress in preparation, and s certainty o
early completion Of vessels of number anc
class on which we may confidently rely fol-
contesting the 7aun,ed control CT tie enem!
over our waters.
The financial system devised by the wisdom
Of your predecessors, has proved adequate t.
supplying all me w6n:s OF tho Government
Notwithstanding the unexpected and very
largo increase Of, expenditures resulting from
the great augmentation in the necessary meant
of defence. The report Of the Secretary o.
the Treasury, will exhibit the gratifying fact
that re have no floating debt; that the credit
Of the Government is unimpairsd, and thst
tina fatal erpau,iiirr "a Of the Government n,