The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-03-12
MEssA0RsOF THE PRESIDENT.
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R4euDaea;th " Qsfssva6 AalMs
IN obedience q the Constitutional provi.
sioo. reeuirinf The President, from time Co
yims. 10 rive 10 the Congress information Of
tAs state Of the confsderacy. I'd to recon-
nend TO their confederation such measure-
q he shall Judge necessary and expedient. I
have 10 communicate that, since my message
a the last session Of the Provisional Con-
srsss, events have demonstrated thai the go-
yernment had attempted more than il had
power successfully TO achieve. Hence. in
the effort to protect. by our arms. the whole
Of the territory OF the Confederate States,
seaboard and inland, we have been so expos.
cd as recently to encounter serious disasters.
When the Confederacy was formed, the
States composing it were, by the peculiar
character Of their pursuits. and a misplaced
condolences in their former associates, TO a
great extent destitute Of the means for the
prosecution Of the war on SO gigantic scale
Is that which it has attained. The work
shops and ariizans we're mainly 10 be found
in the Northern States. aud one of the first
duties which devolved upon this government
was TO establish the necessary manufactures.
and IN the meantime to obtain by purchase
from sbroad. As far as practicable. whatever
was required for the public defence. No eff
fort has been spared to effect both these
snds. and though the results have not equal.
cd our hopes. il 10 believed that an impartial
judgment will. upon full investigation. a
ward to the various departments Of the go
sernment credit for having done all which
human power and foresight enabled them to
accomplish.
The valor and devotion of the people have
not only sustained the efforts of the govern
mept. but have gone far to supply its def
ciencies.
The active state OF military preparation
among the nations Of Europe in April last.
the date when our agents first went abroad
interposed unavoidable delays in The procure.
ment of arms. and the want of navy has
greatly impeded our efforts to import mill
tary supplies Of all sorts.
| have hoped tor several days to receive
official reports in relation TO our discontinue
at Roanoke island and the fall of Fort Don
elson. They have not yet reached me. and
AN. therefore. unable to communicate to
you such information of those events, and the
consequences resulting from them. as would
enable me to make recommendations found
ed upon the changed condition which they
have produced. Enough is known Of the
surrender at Roanoke island to make US feel
that il was deeply Illuminating. however i'm
perfect may have been the preparation for
defence. The hope is siill entertained that
our reported losses at Fort Doneison have
been grestly exaggerated. inasmuch as am
not only unwilling, but unable. 10 believe
that large army Of our people have surren-
dered without desperate effort to cut their
way through investing forces whatever m y
have been their Numbers, and 10 endeavur
10 make q junction with the nther divisions
OF the army. But in the absence Of that ex-
act information. which can only be afforded
BY Official reports, il would be premature to
pass Judgment, and my own is reserved, as
trust yours will be. until that information is
received. In the meantime. strenuous ei.
forts have been made TO throw forward re-
Inducements 10 the armies at the positions
threatened, and cannut doubt thai the bit.
ter disappointments we have borne. BY nerv-
ing the people to still greater eKrrtions. will
speedily secure recruits more accordsnt with
our just expectations. aud az favorable ia
our Cause as those which marked the earlier
periods &C the war.
TIE reports Of the Secretaries Of War and
, the Navy will exhibit the mass of resources
for the conduct Of the war which we have
been enabled TO accumulate notwithstanding
the very serious difficulties against which
We have eontended.
They afford the cheering hnpe that our re-
sources. Limited as they we're At the begin.
ming Of the contest, viii. during its progress.
become developed to such an extent as fully
to meet our future wants.
The policy Of enlistment for short terms.
against which have steadily eontsnded
from the commencement Of the war, has, in
nv Judgment, contributed in no immaterial
degree 10 the recent resersrs which We have
suffered, and even now renders il difficult 10
furnish you an accurate statement Of the ar
my. When the war first broke nut. many Of
our people could with difficulty be persusd-
ed that IL would be long or serious. Il was
not deemed possible that anything SO insane
s . persistent attempt to subjugsie these
States could be made still less that the de-
fusion would 50 far prevail as I" give TO the