Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-10-10
PROCEEDINGS OF REBEL CONGRESS

PROCEEDINGS OF REBEL CONGRESS.
In the rebel Senate on the 10th Of Septem-
Der, Mr.. Semmes Of Louisiana submitted the
following joint resolutions
Resolved by the Congress Of the Confeder-
ate States, that the Proclamation of President
Lincoln, President of the United States or
America, issued at the city Of Washington, in
the year 1862, wherein he declares that on
the | st day Of January. A. d., 1868, all per-
sons held in slavery within any State. or de-
signated narts Of State whereof the people
shall be in rebellion against the I. s., sehll
be thenceforth and forever free" is levelled
against the citizens of the Confederate States,
and as such is great violation of the usages
of civilized warfare, an outrage on the rights
Of private property. and an invitation to an
atrocious servile war, and therefore should
be held up to the execration of mankind, and
counteracted by such severe retalatory meas
ures as in the judgment of the President may
be best calculated to secure its Withdrawal or
arrest its execution.
Mr.. Semmes, of La, said that the resolu-
ton had not been drawn without reflection.
The question Of retaliation was exclusively
an executive one, to be regulated by crcum-
u
tive department OF the government should ex-
press its approval of the retaliation contem-
plated by the resolution.
/ Mr.. Clark, of Missouri, said the resolution
did not go far enough He thought the
President should be authorized Immediately
to proclaim that every person found in arms
against the Confederate government and its
ipstitutions, on our soil, should be put to
I 4 a. - al 90 a Al. 4
eracy be proclaimed a soldier, for the time
being, to execute the proclamation upon the
persons of every murderer, thief and scoun-
drel endorsed and acting under the procama-
ton of Lincoln. Our people have been muir
dered, our property destroyed, and now this
asst and atroclous measure is proclaimed -
/ II is now a mattel of life and death Let us
meet the emergency. The resolution was
not sufficient. lie moved its reference TO a
special committe
MIR Phelan, of Mississippi, said that he
had always been in favor of conducting the
war under the "black flag" Ii that flag had
been raised at Manassas a year ago, the war
ere now would have been ended.
Mr.. Henry, Of Tennessee, did not think
the resolution strong enough. The time had
arrived when we should declare a war Of ox.
termination upon every foe that puts his foot
upon our soil, no matter what may be the
bloodshed it may cause We should meet a
foe Of the character that menaces us under
the black flag, and neither ask nor receive
quarter from this day henceiorward In Eu-
rope armies have been known to pause when
they knew no quarter would be given OIL
GERS have deserted their commands when con-
scious-of the fate that would meet them if
they fell into the hands Of the enemy whose
territory they were invading. The way was
to declare a war of determination, and. his
life for it. we would not be troubled with in
yasion hereafter.
Mr.. Phean said the introduction OF the ro-
solution indicated the dawn of better oloy
with referet ce to the future defence of our
country. am now and ever have been in
favor Of fighting this contest under the black
flag. II it had been erected over the plains
of Manassas one year ago, in my opinion this
war would ere this have been ended ] move
it be made the special order of the day for
twelve o'clock tomorrow.
+ Mr.. Yancy, Of Alabama, moved that the
pending resolution, together with the resou-
tons submitted by him some time since rela-
tive to retaliation, &c. be referred to Sc
lect committee OF three, and be made the
special order for Wednesday next.
Mr.. Burnett, of Kentucky, moved that all
of said resolutions be referred to the commit
tee on the Judiciary. This was agreed to.