The Portland daily press., 1862-09-23
State of Maine.
The Rebel Invasion of the North.

On the 18th of the present month a debate
sprung up in the rebel Congress at Richmond,
on the proposed invasion of the North by fhe
army of the Confederacy The military com
mittee submitted resolutions thanking Gen.
Lee for his victory at Manassas, and also ex-
pressing satisfaction with "the triumphant
crossing of the Potomac by the victorious ar
my" of the Confederacy, and stating that the
Congress "reposed entire confidence in the
distinguished skill fthe commanding General,
and the valor of the troops, TO achieve new
triumphs, to relieve oppressed Maryland, and
advance its standard into the territory of the
enemy"
The debate was opened by Mr.. Lyons, of
Virginia, who moved to strike out that por-
ton of the resolution which referred to the
advance into the enemy's country He ap-
proved the movement of the armies thus far,
and thought a resolution of thanks eminently
proper; but if it were passed with the words
proposed to be stricken out, it would be an in
vitation from Congress to advance into the
enemy's country, and that was a responsibility
which, for one, he was not prepared to assume
Mr.. Miles, of South Carolina, was in favor
of extreme measures, and said the whole coun-
try demanded ''the onward movement" He
was for retaliating upon the enemy, who had
outraged all the laws of civilized community.
He did not expect the army to accomplish i'm
possibilities, but he expected it to relieve OPP
pressed Maryland, and to march onward into
the territory of the foe He said:
1t is the determination of the people of the
Confederate States to retaliate, to free them
selves, to drive theiroppressors back into their
own territory and let our swords CLEAN, and
banners float over their own territory make
them bleed, and strike their dagger to their
hearts. We do not propose war of conquest,
but we do propose a war of invasion. / do
believe ii is the true policy of war to strike
wherever you find weak point, within your
own limits, or on the soil of the enemy.
Mr.. Lyons inquired of the speaker if he be-
ieved the Confederate army could safely 20
into the heart of the North? Mr.. Miles re-
Piled:
eral. for whose opinion know the gentleman
from Virginia has high regard, that give
jackson one-haf of our present army, and al
though there were 100000 men in the field, he
would drive them all before him. / believe
now is the time to strike the blow. The reg
ular armies of Mcclellan and Pope are unable
to meet one aillh of the number they ought TO
be. LII the House is induced to strike out the
words indicated, it will create, with the public
and the country, the erroneous idea that Con-
gress does not favor-what believe the coun-
try desires-an aggressive policy.
Mr.. Conrad of La, hoped popular senti-
ment" would never be brought into the House.
He evidently had little faith in the cry of "On
to Richmond" reversed. Mr.. c. congratulated
himself that Mr.. Miles was not in command of
Gen. Jackson's army.
Mr.. Aver, of South Carolina, believed the
resolutions expressed the popular desire. He
said it was the desire of the people that the
war should be carried into the eneniy's coun-
ry. He quoted Mirabeau, who said that the
only way to conduct successful revolution
was ito dare, to dare again, and still to dare !"
MIR. Smith, of Ala, was opposed to the reso-
lutions; popular opinion was not always wise,
nor could it ways be safely followed He
said:
Our troops have already achieved great VIC
tories, and the great success of our arms has
uVch hcu W tIlutilpus uilpdIdlltu III tuG
history Of nations. Yetthe House was told by
the gentleman from South Carolina that it
must back up the resolution of the admnistra-
ton. IL is a question get as 10 uhether nee
shall be able to hold Maryland. We hare nee
er been inrited to enter Maryland, and IRE do
not knotc ho,c zee shall be receiced. When
our armies entered Kentucky, where we had
been invited to go, we had to meet Kentucki-
ans steel to steel, and knee to knee, and ace
rere driren out by Kentuckidns.
This Inflated move lost us Nashville, and led
TO series of other disasters, until the great
valley of the Mississippi was lost. 1t was an
old saying that "whom the gods would destroy.
they first make mad" The people 90 mad
twice year, when they have anything to go
mad about. No war of invasion had ever been
successful except it was for the purpose of col
onizing the country which they invaded
Several other gentlemen participated in the
debate, when the motion of Lyons was voted
down, and the resolution passed by a vote of
56 to 13. Before this time, probably, the vap-
oring of Miles and Aver has somewhat subsid-
ed, and the more sensible views of Lyons,
Conrad and Smith are found to have indicated
the safer if not the popular policy.