The New York herald., 1862-08-24

We published yesterday the message Of JEFF.
Davis to the rebel Congress now assembled at
Richmond. The document is as brief as it is
| impudent. In those portions of it which refer
to indisputable facts, such 'the sufferipgs en-
| dured by some portions OF our people" the
writer cuts himself short as If he feared to say
too much Only when describing the imaginary
| atrocities of the Union armies, or when piling
| lie upon lie in regard to the Union generals,
| does jeff allow his pen full swing, The mes
sage was evidently written for Europe, and the
effort to be dgnfed and magisterial is pain
| fully apparent. 1t claims no special victories,
says not word Of the recent battles before
Richmond, the fight at Cedar Mountain, the re-
cent guerilla raids and the destruction of the
Arkansas, but claims success in general terms.
Every pretext afforded by the abolitonists Is
skilfully used to excite the Southern people,
and retaliation of the most yindictive kind is
openly threatened. In short, the message is
remarkable mainly forts glittering generalities,
for its audacious lying, for its silence in regard
to European intervention, for its cold, lugubri-
Gus and hopeless tone, and for its barbarous
recommendations of retaliatory warfare.
The message opens by reminding Congress Of
the I" desolating war; the "suherings Of the
people" and the "gallantry and good conduct
ernment is then charged with "perfdy
which disregarded rights secured by COM
pact and madness which trampled upon OBJ
legations made sacred by every consideration
of honor" What this means only JEFF. Davis
can explain. Who have been guilty of the
'perfdy which disregarded rights secured by
compact" except those rebellious Stateswhic
have attempted to force themselves out Of the
Union, thus disrupting the nation and imperil-
ling the country Who have ''trampled upon
obligations made sacred by every consideration
of honor except those traitorous rebels who
have proved false to their country and false to
the oaths they had taken to support the consti-
ton, and who are now violating laws which they
themselves framed, disregarding obligations
which they themselves imposed, and indulging
in causeless and hopeless rebellion against
the best government on earth-against gov
ernment which they themselves assisted in
forming and which they themselves aided
in administering? We're we not well ac-
quainted with JEFF Davis character we should
consider that such sentences as those we have
quoted were bitterly satirical, and intended as
reflections upon the rebels themselves. In the
same vein are the complaints Of rapine and ont
rage made against the Union forces, but true
only of the Confederate troops. Proceeding in
his attempt to fire the rebel heart, JEFF Davis
re-echoes the abuse Of the English journals
against General Butler, but adroitly holds our
government and people responsible for the
Generals verbal indiscretions. The Confiscation
bills passed by the last abolition Congress
and the attempts Of Hunter and Phelps to raise
abolition negro regiments are artfully en-
ployed, as we predicted they would be, to
strengthen the rebel cause. Thus once more
Northern abolitionism and Southern treason
Join hands and encourage each other.
The message says nothing of the number Of
troops now enrolled in the rebel armies; but
JEFF. Davis seems startled by the Presidents
calls for six hundred thousand more men. He
says that we are now seeking to raiso new
armies on scale such as modern history does
not record" and begs Of his Congress to extend
the Censcription act so that two hundred and
fifty thousand more rebels may be placed in the
field. The, Conscription act may, and doubtless
will, be extended: but the rebels can never
raise that number of new levies. All of their
available men are now in the field, and when
we have defeated their present armies our mill
tary labors will be substantially over. The
message admits, as we have often asserted, that
the former Conssrption laws of the rebels have
been boldly criticised and sometimes resisted:
and we are informed that the efficiency Of the
law has been thus somewhat impaired" Le-
gislation to adjust this difficulty, to control
military transportation by railroad and to rid
the army Of incompetent officers is urgently
recommended. In regard to the rebel navy
JEFF Davis is careful TO say little He speaks
OF the g construction and equipment of armor
vessels at home and abroad but he neglects
to mention that his vessels built at home
are sunk or blown up as soon as con-
structed, and that those purchased abroad are
generally captured as soon as they attempt to
secure crews for vessels" but it might better
be devoted to securing vessels TO be manned.
Has Mr.. Davis forgotten the blockade, or has
he become so accustomed to isolation as not to
recognize the rest Of the world? One would
really think the latter of these hypothesis cor
rect; for it lis remarkable fact that no European
Power is even named in the message, and all
parties, except the United States and the sham
confederacy, are utterly ignored and ruled out
Of the quarrel. This is as it should be. Let
Slidell and Mason retire from tho European
courts, and lot US settle our domestic difficulties
for ourselves. Perhaps, however, JEFF. Davis may
be indulging in hopes of Intervention which he
dare not express. lie does not mention inter-
vention; but he also says nothing Of Stonewall
Jackson.