The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-08-29
The Preaident,s Message.

vising measures necessary to the public
welfare whilst our country is involved in
desolating war. The suffering endured
by some portions of the people excite the
deep solictude OF the Government; and
the sympathy thus evoked has been heign-
tened by the patriotic devotion with
which the sufferings has been borne.
The gallantry and good conduct of our
troops, always claiming the gratitude Of
the country have been further illustra.
ted on hardfought fields, marked by ex-
hibitions of individual prowess which can
| find but few parallels in ancient or mod
| ern times,
Our army has not faltered in any Of the
various trials TO which it has been sub
jected, and the great body Of the people
has continued to manifest n zeal and una
nimity which not only cheer the battle
stained soldier, but give assurance to the
friends to constitutional liberty of our
final triumph in the pending struggle
against dcspotic usurpation.
The vast army which threatened the
Capital of the Conlederacy has bcen de-
feated and driven from the lines of in
vestment, and the enemy, repeatedly
foled in his efforts for its capture, is now
seeking to raise new armies on scale
such as modern history does not record
to effect that subjugation of the South Of
ten proclaimed as on the eve of accom-
plishment.
The perfdy which disrcgarded rights
secured by compact, the madness which
trampled on obligations made sacred by
every consideration of honor, have been
intensified by the malignity engendered
by defeat. These passions have changed
the character of the hostilities waged by
our enemies, who are becoming daily less
regardful of the usages of civilized war
ana the dictates Of humanity. Ranine
and wanton destruction of private prop
erty, war upon noncombatants, murder
OF captives bloody threats to avenge the
death of an invading soldiery by the
slaughter of unarmed citizens, orders Of
punishment against peaceful families en-
gagged in the cultivation ofthe soil. are
some of the means used by our Ruthless
invaders to enforce the submission of a
free people to foreign sway. Confscaton
bills of character so atrocious rs to en-.
sure, il executed, the utter ruin of the en-
tire population Of these States, are passed
by their Congress and approved by their
Executive.
The moneyed obligations of the Con-
rederate Government are forged by citi-
zens Of the. United States and publicly adj
vertis$d for sale in their cities, with q no.
torie1g which sufficiently attests the
knowledge of their Government and its
completely. in the crime is further evinc.
ed by, the fact that the soldiers of the in.
vadipg armies are found supplied with
lar g ,ff -irvrsfsssss-aotss, as
means of despoiling the country people,
by fraud, out of such portions of their
property as armed violence may fail to
reach Two, ut least of the Generals of
the United States are engaged, uncheck-
ed by their Government, in exciting SER
vile Instruction, and in arming and train
ing slaves for warfare against their mas
tiers, citizens of the Contederacy. Anoth-
or has been found of instincts so brutal
as to invite the violence of his soldiery
against the women of a captured city.
Yet the rebuke of civilized man has
| failed to evoke from the authorities of
fhe United States one mark of disappro.
baton of his acts nor is there any reason
to suppose that the conduct of Benjamin
F. Butler has failed to secure from his
Government the sanction and applause
with which it is known to have been
greeted by public meetings and portions
of the press of the United States. To in
quiries made of the Commander-in-C Chief
of the armies ofthe United States, wheth-
err 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 repression of these enormities but
such retributive Justice as it NAV be found
possible TO execute.
Retaliation in kind for MANY or tbem
is innracticoble for I have had occa.;on
to remark in former message that mn.
| der no nrovocotion could our noble
hearted defenders he driven to ,yraaly
venqence on unarmod mon On WOMEN
or on children. But stern and exemnla.
rv punishment can and mnst he n,atad
ont to the murderers and felons who die.
oracine The nrofession Of arms seaI, IN
make nublic war tba occasion Gov tho
commission of the most monstrous crimes,
Deenlv rs we regret tho cbaracter Of
the contest into which wa are about to
be forced we must accent IL os an alter.
native which recent NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. aivo
ne little hone can he avoided e''0
The exosneration If faiIure has orors.
ed tbe worst nossions Of on, onero;os q
LARGO nortion of their neonIe ayen tbe;r
cIeTov,,1an NOW engoao ~ uro;no On ev.
citad nonnloce IN t6e extrarne Of farocitv.
on6 notbino rarnoins Int 10 yind;ooto on,
,,;al,ts ond ,a;nto;,, o,,r a>;stanoa ~, am.
nior;na aoa;nst onr foe overv nnergy and
poS s,ae,,r,o ~ n,,n d;snosS 0'e'e' ''N'
amend for vonr information n cony
of the papers exhibiting the action Of the