The New York herald., 1862-03-01
NEWS FROM The SOUTH.
JEFF Davis Message to the
Rebel Congress.
The Rebel Leaders Have Attempted Moro
Than They Can Achieve.
Important Meeting Of Cotton and To-
bacco Planters at Richmond.
THE DESPAIRING CRY OF THE REBELS.
The Town Of Fayetteville, Arkansas,
Burned BY Ben. McCullOch.
s~~~1>~~~~o->~~~~.>-~~r.
An Communication Between Savannah
and Fsrt PulasAd Cut OG,
&es, &e., n.
THE DESPAIRINe CRY OF The REBELS.


&e., &C., IA.
JeR Davis Message 70 tho Rebel Com
gress.
10 rm SENATE AND Housz or REPRESENTATIVES OF m
In obedience to the constitutional provisions requiring
the President from time to time give 10 Congress in
formation Of the state Of the confsderacy and recon-
mend for their consideration such measures 40 he
shall Judge necessary and expedisnt, have TO commu-
ncte that since the at the last session Of the
Provisional Congress- epaas haS demonstrated
that the government had attempted more thdn
Il had poCr successfully to achiUs. Hence
in the effort to protect by the whole territory Of
the Confederate States, seaboard and inland, have
been exposed recently to encounter serious dsas
ters When the confederacy was formed the States COM
prisng were in the peculiar character Of their pur
suits and misplaced confidence in their former
cates great destitute Of the the pro-
secuton Of the gigantic scale that to which
it has attained. Tho workshops and artists were
mainly to be found in the Northern States, and
one Of the first duties which devolved upon the
government was TO establish the necessary manufac-
tories and In the meantime obtain by purchase from
abroad far az practicable whatever was required for
the public defence. No effort has been spared to effect
both these ends and though the results have not equed
will upon full investigation, award to the various do
partments Of the government credit for having done
all which human power and foresight enabled them TO
accomplish.
Tho valor and devotion Of the people have not
only sustained the efforts Of the government, but
have gone far 10 support It's defciencies The
active state Of military preparations among the
nations Of Europe in prl last the date when agents
first went abroad nterposel, Unavoidable delays in the
Of arms and the want Of navy has greatly
impeded our efforts to import military supplies Of all
sorts.
Ihave hoped for several days to receive the official
reports relation discontinue at Roanoke Island
and the fall of Fort Doneson They not yet reached
me- and am, therefore, unable to communicate to
you such information Of past events and consequences
resulting therefrom soos'ld ssosss 10 mako
recommendations founded upon the changed condition
OF things aUhich they hare produced Enough is
known Of the surrender Of Roanoke Island to make
feel that it deeply humiliang, however imperfect
may have been the preparation for defence The hope
still entertained that reported losses at Fort Done
son have been greatly exaggerated, inasmuch as am
not only unwilling but unable to believe that large
army of people have surrendered without desperate
effort to cut their way through the investing forces
whatever may have been their NUMBERS and TO endeavor
to mako q junction with other divisions Of the army
But the absence Of that exact information which can
only be afforded by official reports would bs premature
to pass judgment, and my own rs reserved as trust
yours will be. until that information is received
In the meantime, strenuous efforts have been made to
throw forward rsinforcemcnts TO the armies at positions
threatened, and canpot DOUBT the bitter dsappojpt
mens we have borne by nervng the people to still greater
exerons, will speedily results accordant
with just expectations and favorable to
as those which marked the earlier period Of the
The reports Of the Secretaries Of War and Navy will
exhibit the Of for the conduct Of the
which have been enabled to accumulate notwith-
standing the very serious difficulties against which
have contended They afford cheering hope that our
sources, limited they wore at tho beginning Of the
contest during its progress became developed to such
an extent as fully TO meet our future wants.
The policy of short terms against which
have steadily contended from the commencement OF
the war has, in my judgment, contributed In no imma
tsral degree to the recent reverses which have
suffered and renders IL difficult to furnish you
an accurate statement Of the army When the first
broke out many Of our people could with diff
Hculty be persuaded that II would be long
or serious II not deemed possible that anything
insane persistent attempt to subugae these States
could be made still less that the delusion could far
prevail give the the vast proportions which it
has assumed The people, incredulous Of long war,
naturally to long enlstments and the early
legislation Of Congress rendered 1t impraccable TO OBJ
tain volunteers for greater period than twelve months
Now that has become probable that the war will be
continued through series OF years, our high spirited
and gallant soldiers, while generally re-snlsting, are,
from the fact Of having entered the service for short
term compelled In many instances, to 60 homo TO make
necessary arrangements for their families during their
prolonged absence Tho quotas Of regiments for the
war; called for from the different States in rapid
progress of organization The whole body Of new levies
,t.h ta
within the next thirty days But, In the meantime II s
exceedingly dcult to give accurate statement Of the
number of our forces in the field
They may in general be stated at four hundred
regiments Of infantry with proportonate forces Of
valry and artillery, the details Of which will DO shown
by the report Of the Secretary Of War.
deem proper 70 advert TO the fact that the process
Of urough and enlistment in progress for the last
month had far and weakened our forces
TO impair our ability for successful Defence but hereby
congratulate you that this evil which had foreseen and
was poweress TO prevent may now bs said TO be sub
santialy at end aud that shall not again during
the be exposed TO seeing strength diminished by
this fruitful cause or disaster-ehort estimates.
The people Of the Confederate States being principally
engaged In agricultural pursuits were unprovidod s the
commencement Of hostlitcs, with ships, ship yards
materials for ship building skilled mechanics and sea-
men In sufficient numbers 10 mako the promp creation
Of navy practical task, II the required appropr
ations had been made for the purposes. Notwithsand
ing our very limited resources, however, the report
Of the Secretary will exhibit 70 you a satsfactorv
proposition in preparation and certainty Of the near
completion Of vessels Of number and class on which
We may confidently rely for contesting the vaunted
control Of the enemy over ourwaters.
The financial system devised BY the wisdom Of your
predecessors has proved adequate 70 supplying ali the
wants Of the government, the unexpect
Cd and very large increase Of expenditure resulting from
great augmentation in the necessary measures Of do
fence The report Of hs Secretary Of the Treasury viii
exhibit ths gratifying fact that w hays floating debt;