Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-09-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To sse Senate and House of Representatic Of He Confederate States:


 measures necessary to the public welfare, whilst our country is involved in desolating war. The suderings endured by some portions of the people excite the deepest solicitude of the gov ernihent, and the sympathy thus evoked has 1 been heightened by the patriotic devotion with which these sufferings have been borne. The gaantry and good conduct of our troops, ai- ways claiming the gratitude of the country, have been further illustrated on hard fought fields marked by exhibitions of individual prowess which can find but few parallels in an cent or modern history. Our army has not fal- tered in any of the various trials in which 1t has been subjected, and the great body of the people have continued to manifest zeal and unanimity which not only cheer the battle stained soldier, but gives assurance to the friends of constitu- 1 tional liberty of our final triumph in the pend ing struggle against despotic usurpation.
 The vast army which threatened the capital | of the Confederacy has been defeated and driven l from the lines of investment, and the enemy, re- peatedy foiled in his efforts for it's capture, is now seeking to raise new armies on a scale such as modern history does not record to effect that subjugaticn of the South so often proclaimed as on the eve of accomplishment.
 The perfidy which disregarded rights secured | by compact, the madness which trampled on obligations made sacred by every consideration of honor, have been intensified by the malig> nity engendered by defeat. These passions have changed the character of the hostlities waged by our enemies. who are becoming daily less regardful of the isages of civilized war and the dictates ofhs.sa@zsy. Rapine and wanton destruction of private property, war upon non> combatants, murder of captives, bloody threats to avenge the death of an invading sodiery by the slaughter of unarmed citizens orders of banishment against peaceful farmers engaged | in the cultivation Of the soil, are some of the means used by our ruthless invaders to enforce the submission of a free people to foreign sway. Confscation bills of a character so atrocious as to insure, if executed, the utter ruin of the en- tire population of these States are passed by their Congress and approved by their execu- tive The moneyed obligations of the Con federate government are forged by citizens of the United States, and publicly advertised for sale in their cities with notorety that suff- cicntly attests the knowledge of their govern ment and it's complcty in the crime Is further evinced by the fact that the soldiers of the u- vading armies are found supplied with large quantities of these forged notes as means of despoling the country people, by fraud, out of such portions of their property as armed vio- ence may fail to reach Two, at least, of the Generals of the United States are engaged, un checked by their government, in exciting sur vile instruction, and in arming and training slaves for warfare against their masters, citi- zens of the Conederacy. Another has been found of instincts so brutal as to invite the violence of his soldiery against the women of g. captured city.
 Yet, the rebuke of civilized man has failed to evoke from the authorities of the | nited States one mark of disapprobaton of his acts, nor IS there any reason to suppose that the conduct ot Benjamin F. Butler has failed to secure from his government the action and applause with which 1t is known to have been greeted by public meetings and portions of the press of the United States. To inquiries made of the com mander-in- chief of the armies of the United States, whether the atrocious conduct of some of their military commandants met the sanction of that government, answer has been evaded on the pretext that the inquiry was insulting, and no method remains for the suppression ot these enormties but such retribUtiye justice as it may be found possible 10 execute.
 Retaliation in kind, for many of them, is inn practicable, for I had occasion to remark in @ former message, that, under no excess of provo cation, could our noble hearted defenders be driven to wreak vengeance unarmed men, on women, or on children. But stern and exem, plary punishmeptrcag aud must be meted out to the murdererS 'ind ieloDs, who dlsgracing the profession of ans, seek to make public war the occasion for the commission of the most atrocI0us crimes.
 Deeply as we regret the character of the con- test into which w9 are about to be forced, We must accept it as ;Sn alternative which recent manifestations give us little hope can be avoided.
 The exasperaton of failure has aroused the worst passions of our enemies; a large portion of their people, even of their clergymen, now engage in urging an excited populace to the extreme of ierecity, and nothing remains but to vindicate our rights and to maintain our eX- stence by employing against our foe every en- ergy and every resource at our disposal.
 I append for your information 3 copy of the papers exhibiting the action of the government, up to the present time, for the repression of the outrages committed on our people. Other measures now in progress will be submitted hereafter.
 In inviting your attention to the legislation which the necessities of our condition require, those connected with the prosecution of the war command almost undivided attention.
 The acts passed at your last session to secure the public defence by general enrolment, and to render uniform the rule governing troops in the service, have leu to some unexpected crti- cism that is much to be regretted.
 The efficiency of the law has been thus some~ what impaired though 1t is not believed that in any of the States the popular mind has with~ held it's sanction from either the necessity or propriety of. your legislation. It is only by harmonious as well as jealous action that a government as new as ours, ushered into exist ence on the very eve of great war, and un- provided with the material necessary for con dncting hostilites on so vast a scale, can fulfil its duties. Upon you, who are fully informed of the acts and purposes of the government and thoroughly imbued with the feelings and sentiments of the people, must reliance be placed to secure this grest object. Ton can best devise the means for establishing that en- tire cooperation of the State and Confederate governments which Is essential to the well be- ing of both at all times, but which is now n~ dispensable to their very existence
 And if any legislation shall seem to you ap, propriate for adjusting differences of opinion, it will be my pleasure as we'll as my duty to cooperate in any measure that may be devised for reconciling just care for the public defense with 8 proper deference for the most scrupulous susceptibilities of the State authorities.
 The report of the secretary of the treasury will exhibit in detail the operations of that de- partment. It will be seen with satisfaction that the credit of the government securities re~ mains unimpaired, and that this credit is fully justified by the comparatively small amount of |