Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-03-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To THE SENATE AND Hovse st,r p

r. REPRESENTATIVES, OF THFt CONFEDERATE oFATEs:
In obedience to the Constitutional provision re-
quirlngths President from time to time to give to
the Congress information OF the state of the Con-
federacy, and recommend to their consideration such
measures as he shall judge necessary and expedlcnt
have to communicate that since my message at
the last session Of the Provisional Congress- events
have demonstrated that the Government had at,
tempted more than it had power successfully to
achieve. Hence in the effort to protect, by our
arms, the whole of the territory Of the Confederate
States, sea board and inland, we have been SO ex-
posed as recently to encounter serious disasters
When the Coniederacy was formed, the States COM
posing it were, 10y the peculiar character Of their
pursuits, and misplaced confidence in their former
associates, to great extent destitute OF the means
for the prosecution of the war on gigantic scale
as that which it has attained. The workshops and
artisans were mainly to be found in the Northern
States; and one of the first duties which devolved
upon this Government was to establish the neceS-
ssry manufactures and in the meantime to obtain,
by purchase from abroad, far as practicable, what
required for the public defence 10 effort
has been spared to effect both these ends and though
the results have not equallcd hopes, it IS bellev
ed that an impartial judgment will, upon full inves-
tgation award to the various departments of the
Government credit for having done all which human
power and foresight enabled them to accomplish
The valor and devotion of the people have not
only sustained the efforts of the Government, but
have gone far to suppy its Deficiencies.
The active state of military preparation among
the nations of Europe in April last, the date when
our agents first went abroad interposed unavoidable
delays in the procurement of arms. and the want of
navy has greatly impeded our efforts to import
military supplies OF all sorts.
have hoped for several days to receive official
reports relation to our discontinue at Roam oke
Island, and the fall Of Fort Donelson. They have
not yet reached me- and am, therefore, unable to
communicate to you such information Of those events
and the consequences resulting from them, as would
enable me to make recommendations founded upon
the changed condition which they have produced
Enough Is known of the surrender al Roanoke
Island to make US feel that it deeply numilat
ing, however imperfect may have been the prepare
tons for defence The hope Is still entertained that
our reported losses at Fort Doneson have been
greatly exaggerated, inasmuch | ain not only
unwilling, but unable 20 believe that large army
Of our people have lsrcndereI without desperate
effort to Cut their way through investing forces,
whatever may have been Their numbers, and to en-
deavor to make junction with other divisions OF
the army. But in the absence Of that exact infor
nation which only be afforded by official reports,
1t would be premature to pass Judgment, and my
own is reserved as trust yours will be- until that
information is received In the meantime strenuous
efforts have been made to throw forward reinforce
ments to the armies at the positions threatened and
cannot doubt that the bitter dsappolntmenls we
have borne by nerving the people to still greater
exertions, will speedily secure results more accord
ant with our just expectation and as favorable to
as those which marked the earlier periods
Of the war.
The reports Of the Secretaries Of War and the
Navy will exhibit the of resources for the
duct of the war which We have been enabled to ac-
cumuate. notwithstanding he very serious d!ti-
cuties against winch We have contended.
tT,,i
limited they "a, the beginning Of the contest
will during its progress become developed to such
an extent is fully to meet our future wants
The policy Of enlistment for snort terms against
which | have steadily contcnled from the
menccment OF the war has, in my Judgment, con-
trlbu;ed in intnAteriai degree u the recent re-
which We have suieis l, and even now render
it difficult to furnish you accurate statement Of
the army. When the war first broke out many Of
our people could with difficulty be persuaded that
it would be long serious. 1t was not deemed
possible that anything 50 insane as persistent at
tempt to suhjugate these States could be made ;
still less that the deiuson would far prevail as to
give to the war the vast proportions which 1t has
assumed. The people, iucrcdulouS of long war,
were naturally averse to long enl:stnents, and the
early legislation Of Congress rendered 1t imprac-
ticabe to obtain volunteers for greater period than
twelve months. Now that it has became probable
that the war will he continued through a of
years. our highs spirited and gallant soldiers while
generally re-enlistng, are from the fact OF having
entered the services Tor short term, compelled in
many instances to so hone to make the necessary
arrangements for their families during their pro-
longed absence.
The quotas Of new regiments for the war, called
for from the different States in rapid progress
OF organization. The wnole body of new levieS and
re ENLISTED men will probably be ready in the ranks
within the next thirty days. But, in the mean
time, 1t is exceedingly difficult to give an accurate
statement of the number of our forces in the held
They may, in general TERMS be stated at four hum
dred regiments OF infantry, with a proportionate
force of cavalry and artillery, the details Of which
will be shown by the report Of the Secretary OF
War; l deem proper to advert to the fact that
the process of burroughs and reenllstment IN pro-
gress for the last month had far dsorganized and
weakened our forces as to impair our ability for
successful defence but heartily congratulate you
that this evil which had foreSeen and was power.
less to prevent may now be said to be substantially
at an end, and that We shall not again during the
war be exposed to seeing strength diminished
by this fruitful of d,saster-short cnllstmentS
The people of the Confederate States being prin-
cipally engaged in agricultural pursuits were u'.-
provided at the commencement of hostllites with
ships, ship yards materials for ship building, or
skilled mechanics and seamen in sufficient numbers
tomake the prompt creation Off navy practical task
even if the required appropriations had been made
for the purpose Notwithstanding our very limited
resources. however, the report Of tn: Secretary
will exhibit to you satisfactory progress in prepa-
ration and certainty Of early completion, of vessels
of number and class on which We may confidently
rely for contesng the Wanted control of the enc
nv over our waters.
The financial system devised by the wisdom OF
your predecessors has proved adequate to supplying
oil the wants of the government Notwithstanding the
unexpected and very large increase of expenditures
resulting from the great augmentation in the neces.
ary means of defence. Thereport of the Secretary OF
the Treasury. will exhibit the gratifying fact that
we have no floating debt; that the credit of the gov
eminent is unimpaired, and that the total expendi-
ture of the for the year has been in round
numbers one hundred and seventy millions of dollars;
less than one-third of the sum wasted by the en-
envy in his vain effort to conquer Useless than the
value of single article Of export-the cotton crop
of the year. -,
| The report Of the Postmaster General, will show