Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-04

The following the most important para
graphs in JEFF. DAvIs's message 'to the Senate
aud House of Representatives of the Confeder
ate States"
In obedience to the Constitution and provision
requiring the President. from time time to
give to Congress information of the state of the
Confederacv, and recommend 10 their considera-
ton sue. measures a. he shall Judge necessary
and eXpedient, have To communicate that since
my message NJ the last session OF the provisional
Congress, events have demonstrated that the
Government had attempted more than it had the
power successfully to achieve. Hence in the eff
fort To protect by our arms the whole territory OF
the Confederate States. seabOard and inland,
have been exposed as recently to encounter Sc
riOus disasters.
When the COnfederacy was formed the States
comprising it in peculiar character OF their
pursuits and misplaced confidence in their former
associates, To great extent destitute of the means
of the prosecution of the war on so gigantic a
scale as that which il has attained The work
shops and artists mainly TO be found in the
Northern States, and one of the first duties which
devOlved upon this Government was To establish
the necessary manufactures and in the mean
THE To obtain by purchase from abroad rs far as
practicable whatever was needed No effort has
been spared To effect both these ends, and though
results have not equaled our hopes it is believed
that an impartial judgment will upon full nves
tigation award to the various departments OF the
Government credit for having done all which In.
man power and foresight enabled them to- accom-
plish The valor and devotion of the people have
not only sustained the efforts of the Government
but have gone far to support It's deficiencies.
The active state of military preparations among
nations of Europe in April. the date when our
agents first went abroad. interposed unavoidable
DELAYS in procurement of arms, and the want of
u navy has greatly impaired our efforts To import
military supplies of all sorts | had hoped tor
several days to receive official reports in relation
to our di>comietures at Roanoke Island aud fall
OF Fort DOuelSon. They have not vet reached
me and am therefore unable TO communicate
To YOU such information of past events and the
consequences resulting from them as would en-
able me Ia make recommendations founded uuon
the changed condition, which they have procured
Enough d, known of the surrender AT Roanoke
Island To make vs. feel that il was deeply humil-
iatng However imperfect may have been the
Preparations for defense the hope l. still enter
tainel that our reported losses at Fort Donelson
have been greatly exaggerated. iuasmuch as am
not only unwilling but unable believe that "A
large army OF our peOfle have surrendered with
out making desperate effort TO cut their WAY
through the invading forces. whatever may have
been their number, ami 20 endeavOr 10 make a
junction with other divisions of the army But
in the absence of that exnct information. which
only be afforded by official report il would be
premature 20 pass judgment. and my own Is re
serN Ell. u tru>t Yours will be until that iufo-
nation l. read la the meantime strenuous
efforts have been made 10 throw fOrw ard reinforce
meuts 10 our armies AZ positions Threatened; and
can Lot doubt but the bitter disappointment We
have borne may renerye people 10 still great
or eNertiouS; will speedily secure result more
accountant with our Just expeditions and as favor
fN nfIT Kkff ma treaH fha
earlier period OF the war.
He then refers TO the reports Of the NAVY and
War Departments The difficulties which have
arisen from the short enlistment system This
was caused by the opinion entertained by the PEG
pie that the would be settled soon, while il
has how become probable that il will continue
through series of wears he estimates the
strength Of the army At present u be four hun
dred regiments of infantry. with a proportionate
force of cavalry and artillery. He says the pro
cess of re enlistment and fur!oughs IN progress
for the last month has - far disorganized and
weakened his forces a. to impair their ability for
successful defense. but believes that this comb
ton of Affairs j. substantially at an end.
He discusses the difficulties encountered in at
tempting to establish a navy. &c Then passing
on to tae financial condition of his government.
he SAYS the report OF the Secretary OF the Urea
sury will exhibit the gratifying fact that We have
no floating debt that the credit of the Govern
ment J. unimpaired. and that the total eXpendi-
lures OF the Government for year has been in
round numbers Sl70,000 600. less than one third
OF the sum wasted by the enemy in his vain ef
tort 20 conquer us--less than the value Of a sin
Gle article Of export. the cotton crop of the year