The national Republican., 1862-03-03

sPaElD1HT lAyws MEssAGE
To rzs nm 2 Co~oRHss.
shs docunsnt a. auunAaasursl ~
&ss Of The sans fssc 1pearx 5os iuto q ~
e sAs opsrssoos Of = rid 5IvaausdE =
n. Davis, - win y - suaks y ,h-'
Sutssadsr Of Roanslp lsla6a Z !" hu ni!ia..'
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JEFF. DAvIs's MESSAGE.
10 Ne Sswats and House Of Represen a'iecs of
-hs Confederate &0tes: ..,.5.ti--f- -.
In obedience 70 the constitutions, pr vision
requiring 0s Preeedent ffSn tins y tme to
y Vocsfed "a Ss ~ ne ststs o. tns
sratiuu such uelsuree - hs shall judge nsces.
sary and expsdient, I have to. communicate
tnas a9oe ~ meenge q ne lnst session Of the
pscstssbnsl Oongress, event. have demcnstratsA
that the government had attempted more than
II had power successfully to achieve. Hence
territory Of ths ConIsdsfsts stasss, ssaSoard
and inland, We have been 90 exposed ~ rsoently
federaoy wai formed, the States comprising
1t we're, in the peculiar character Of their
pursuitS, and . mispiaosd coincidence In their
former associates, to great extent, destitute
30 gigantic o, scale e that to which II has IT.
tanned. The workshops and artists were main
ly to be found In the Northern States, and ons
Of the hrst duties which devolved upon this
mauufaetories, and in ths meantime 10 obtain
BY purchase from abroad, As far as practicable,
whatever was required for the public defence.
No effort has been pared to effect both these
ends. and though the results have not equalled
our hopes, Il Is believed that an impartial
judgment will. upon full invest VgasiUn, award to
the various departments Of the government
credit for having lpne AL which human power
| and foresight enabled them to accomplish.
only sustained the e1crts Of gie government,
| but have gone fir to support Its deficiencies
The active state OF military preparations among
the nations Of Europe in April last. the date
when our e, agents ntst went sbroad, ,iotsrposed
and the want Ola navy has greatly impedsd
| Sorts. r.Fl 'Js.t '.-sIt
have hoped for several days to receive the
| ofioial reports In relation to our discontinue
Ut Roanoke Island and the fallof Fort Donel.
son. They have not yet reached me, and am
therefore unable to communicate to you such
information Of past events, and consciousness
make recommendations founded upon the
changed condition which they have produced.
Enough is known Of the surrender OF Roanoke
Island to make W feel that II WIS deeply hui.
. mllduuk, uUW0N0T Imp6TItCk may nave O6on
the preparation for defence. Tho hope is still
entertained that our reported iosses at Fort
Donelson have been greatly exaggerated, mas.
much as am not only unwilling but unable to
believe that ,sag, large army Of our people hsv.
their way through the investing forces, what.
ever 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
Information, which can only be afforded by Oh.
cial reports, II would be premature to pass
Judgment, and my own Is reserved, as trust
yours will be, until that information ia 70.
ceived. In the meantime, strenuous efforts
msnts 10 the armies ct positions threatened,
and cannot doubt the bitter disappoiu,ments
we have borne by'nerving the people to still
greater exertions, will speedily secure results
more accordant with our just expe ectatiOns, and
/ as favorable to our cause as these which
marked the earlier period of the war.
The reports of The Secretaries OF War and
Navy will exhibit the 1asss Of resources for The
conduct Of the war, which wo have been ena
bled to aScumuiste. notwithstanding the very
tended. They afford cheering hope that our
resources, limited as they were at the begin
ming Of the contest. during It's progress, became
developed to such A. an extent t ss fully to meet
short terms. against which have steadily con.
tended from the commencement OF the war
has In my judgment, contributed, In no imma-
| terisl degree, to the recent roverses which We
have suffered, and even now renders II diffioult
| to furnish you an accurate statement of the
| army. When the war frat broke out, many oi
our people could with difficulty be persuaded
/ that II would be long or SERIOUS. II was not
deemed possible that anything 30 insane as q
persistent attempt to subjugate these States
could be made still less that the delusion could
SO far prevail as TO give to the war the vast
proportions which It has assumed. The peo.
pie, incredulous Of long war, were naturally
uN In nuA l.
laton Of Congress rendered 1t itimpracticabls 10
| obtain volunteers for a greater period than
twelve months. Now that 1t has become pro-
babis that the war will be continued through a
soldiers, while generally re enlisting, are, from
the fact Of having entered the service for q
short term. compelled Ia many instances TO 60
home to make necessary arrangements for
thair families during their prolonged absence.
The quotas Of new regiments for the war,
called for from the different States, are In rapid
progress Of organization. The whole body OF
. new levies and re- enlisted men will probably
be ready In the ranks within the next thirty
days. But. In the meanttme, II is ceedingly
dificut " give an accurate statement of the
number Of our forces In tho held
They may in general terms be stated at fouI
1 hundred regiments Of Infantry, with proper
tionate forces Of cavalry and artillery, the do
D tails Of which will be shown by the report o.
a the Secretary Of War. I deem It proper tC
advert to the fact that the process of furloughs
and re.enlistment in progress for the last month
had SO far disorganized and weakened our
d forces az to impair our ability for suocsssfu
q defence, but ! hereby congratulate you thai
q this evil, which had foreseen ard was power
/, less to prevent, may. now be said to be substan
TALLY At an end and that We shall not again
d during the war, he exposed to seeing oul
d strength diminished by this fruitful cause O
disaster-short estimates.
b The people of the Confederate States beins
e principally engaged IN agricultural pursuits
>. were unprovided at the commencement of hos
3. tlities. with ships, ship yards. materials fo
ship building or skilled mechanics and seamen
A. in sufficient numbers to make the prompt ore
alton Of a navy a practical task, even II th
required appropriations had been made for th
purposes. Notwithstanding our very limite,
. resources, however, the report Of the score