Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-08-27
Oh Stanbarb.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


To the Senate and House Of Repressntatises Of IL.
Confederate States: >
1t is again uffortune to meet for devising meas.
ures necessary to the public welfare whilst our
country is involved in desolating war. The suffer-
ings endured by some portions of the people excite
the deep solicitude of the Government; and the
sympathy thus evoked has been heightened by the
patriotic devotion with which these suHerngs have
been borne
The gailantry andgood conduct of our troops al
ways claiming the gratitude of the country, have
been further illustrated on hard-fought fields mark
ed by exhibitions of individual proves which can
find but few parallels in ancient or modern times
Our army has not faltered in any of the various
trials to which it has been subjected and the great
BODY of the people has continued to manifest zeal
and unanimity which not only cheer the battle
stained soldier but give to the friends of
constitutional liberty of our final triumph in the
pending struggle against despotic usurpation.
The vast army which threatened the capital Of
the Contederacy has been defeated and driven from
the lines of investment, and the enemy, repeatedly
folled in his efforts for its capture, is now seeking
to raise new armies on scale such as modern his
tory does not record, to effect that subjugatlon of
the South so often proclaimed as on the eve of &C.
complishmcnt.
The perfdy which disregarded rights secured by
compact the madness which trampled on o5llga-
tons made sacred by every consideration OF honor;
have been intensified by the mall snity engineered
by defeat These passlonsshave changed the char-
acter of the hosttes waged by our enemies, VINO
are becoming daily less regardful of the usages OF
civilized war and the dictates of humanity. Rapine
and wanton destruction of private property, war up
on non-combatants, murder of captives, bloody
threats to avenge the death of invading soldery
by the slaughter of unarmed citizens, orders OF ban
ishment against peaceful families engaged IN the
cultivation of the soil, some of the means used
by our ruthless invaders to enforce the SUBMISSION
of free people to foreign sway Contiscaton bills,
of character so arocious as to ensure, II executed,
the utter ruin of the entire population OF these
States, are passed by their congress anu approved
by their Executive.
The moneyed obligations of the Confederate Gov
ernment are forged by citizens of the United States
and publicly advertised for sale in their Cities with
o notorety which sufficiently attests the knowledge
of their government; and its completely in the crime
is further evinced by the fact that the soldiers OF
the invading armies are found supplied with large
quantities Of these forged notes, as means Of de-
spelling the country people by fraud out OF such
portions of their property as armed violence may
fail to reach Two at least of the Generals OF the
United States engaged, unchecked by their gov
eminent in exciting servile instruction, and in arm
ing and training slaves for warfare against their
masters, citizens of the Confederacy. Another has
been found of instincts so brutal as to invite the
violence of his soldiery against the women OF cap
tured city.
Yet, the rebuke of civilized men has failed to
evoke from the authorities of the United States one
mark of dsapprobation of his acts; nor is there any
reason to suppose that the conduct of Benjamin T.
Butler has failed to secure from his government the
sanction 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 Colnmander-in- Chief of the armies of
the United States whether the atroclous conduct OF
some Of their military commandants met the sane
ton of that government answer has been evaded on
the pretext that the inquiry was insulting; and no
method remains for the suppression OF these enorml-
ties but such retrbutiIe justice as it may be found
possible to execute.
Retaliation in kind, for many Of them is imprac-
ticable, for have had occasion to remark in for
nrer message that under no excess OF proVocat!on
could our noble defenders be driven to wreak
vengeance on unarmed men, on women, or on chill
dren. But scorn and exemplary punishment can
and must be melted out to the murderers and felons
who dsgracing the profession of arms, seek to make
of public war the occasion TOR the commission OF
the most monstrous crimes.
Deeply as we regret the character Of the contest
into which We are about to he forced, we must &C
cept 1t as an alternative which recent manifestations
give US little hope can be avoided.
The evaporation of failure has aroused the worst
passions of our enemies; large portion Of. their
people, of their clergymen, now engage in urg-
ing excited populace to the extreme OF feroclty
and nothing remains but TO yindicate our rights and
to maintain our existence by employing against our
foe every energy and every resource at our dis
posal.
l append for your information copy of the pa
pers 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 condition require, those con
nected with the prosecution of the war command
almost undivided attention.
The acts passed at your last session intended to
secure the public defence by general enrolment and
to render uniform the rules governing troops in the
service have led to some unexpected criticism that
is much to be regretted.
ne efficiency of the law has been thus somewhat
impaired, though it is not believed that in any Of
the States the popular mind has withheld its sane
ton from either the necessity or propriety your leg
islaon 1t is only by harmonious as we'll as Jealous
action that government as new as ours, ushercd
into existence on the very eve of great war, and
unprovided with the material necessary for conduct
ing hostties on so vast scale, can fulfill Its du-
ties. Upon you, who are 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 great object You
can best devise the for establishing that en-;
tire cooperation of the State and Confederate gov
ernments which is essential to the well being OF
both at all times, but which is indispensable to
their very existence. And if any legislation shall
seem to you appropriate for adjusting differences Of
opinion, it will be my pleasure as well as my duty
to cooperate in any measure that may be devised
for reconcng just for the public defence with
proper Difference for the most srcppulous suscepti'
blllties of the State authorities.
The report of the Secretary Of the Treasury will
exhibit in detail the operations of that department.
1t will be seen with satisfaction that the credit of the
Government securities remains unimpaired, and thai
this credit is fully justified by the comparatively
small amount OF accumulated debt, notwithstanding
the magnitude Of our military operations.
The legislation of the last session provided for tn.
purchase of supplies with the bonds of the Govern
ment but the preference of the people for Treasury
notes has been so marked that legislation is recon-
mended to authorize an increase in the issue Of rea
sury notes, which the public service seems to re
quirs.
No grave inconvenience need be apprehended from
this increased issue, as the provision of Iaw h,