, 1862-08-25
MEETING OF TAE REBEL
CONGRESS.
RETALIAT0RT MEASURES PRO-
POSED.
A Few Conscr1ptIon Law Rfc-
commended.
Important Bills Introduced.

Important Bills Introduced. !
:WAan1SGToN. August %, 1862.
The rebel Congress met in Richmond on the |
18th inst, on which occasion JEFF. DaYis SUBJ |
Iitted bis annual message He leads off in
ms usual hypocritica1 style, and then a1lndes |
SINS" &c, ad Jd,,itunz. he speaks Of and |
recommends reta1iatorg measures to meet the |
laws recently passed By the federal govern
ment; recommends the issue OF more rebel |
treasury shinp1asters, and aI1udes to the build
Ing Of rebel vessels at home and abroad. The |
the rebel government, for no nation that has |
power IN its hands ever puts forth such argu- |
ments az to acguiesce il murder, rapsne, Sc,
under the name Of retaliation.
After a11udlng to the suffesings OF the peo- |
st The vast army which Threatened the capi- |
tal of the eonfederacy has been defeated and |
driven from the lines Of investment and the |
enemy, repeatedly foiled In its Efforts for its !
capture, is now seeking to raise new armies |
on scale such as modern history |
ton OF the South 50 often p7o-
claimed az on the eve Of accomplishments
Davis then charges us with rapine, Wantop
destruction Of private property, murder Of
captires, &c, and speaks OF the condsc ltiou
bill as atrocious. While the mouied oo1iga~
forged By the citizens Of the United States,
ald at least two generals of tbs United
States are engaged in exciting seryile insur~
rectlon, another has been found Of instincts
So brutal as to invite the violence Of his SOL
dleIy against the women OF captured cities.
He mentions Gen Butler Subsequently.
Davis then says: To inquiries made Of tie
commander-in-chief OF the armies of the U. 8.
whether the atIoclons conduct Of some of
their military conmandants meet the sane
tlon OF the government, answers had been
evaeed on the pretext that the inquiry was
insulting, and no method remaiu6 fur the
suppression of these enormities but such re-
taliatiTe justice as it may be found possible
to execute. Retaliation in kind for many Of
them is impracticable, and have had OCCASION
to remark in former message, that under
no excess OF provocation could our noble
hearted defenders be driven to wreak ven
geance on unarmed men, or On women and
children. But stern and exemplary. punish
1nent can and must be meted out to the rnur-
dc1ers and telonE who, disgracing the profess
sion OF ar1ns, seek to make Of public war the
occasion for the eonmi5saon OF the most
m0nstrous crimes. Deeply as We reg1et the
character Of the cont.st into which we ara
about to be forced, we must accept it as an
alternative which recent manifestations give
us little hcpe can be avoided. The eSaspera-
Ton OF tal1ure has aroused the worst passions
Of our enemies, and large portion Of their
people, even Of their cleEgTmen, is now en-
gagtd in urging an excited popu'ace to the ex-
tTeme Of ferocity, and nothing re II iins but to
vlndlcate our rights and to maintain our exis-
tence by employing against our toe, every
energy and every recourse at our disposal"
Davis recommends further legislation to
make the eopscription universal also the is
sue OF additional treasury notes; also, some
legislation Tor contracting military transpor-
ta1ion. He says the very large increase of
forces recently called into the field By
the president Of the United States renders
it necessary heteaftert to extend the provisions
OF the conscrpt Law SO as to embrace peFs ms
between the ages Of thirty fire and forty-fiye
years. The ylgor and efficiency Of our pres
ent forces and their condition, aud skill and
ability which distinguish their 1e ders, inspire
the belief that no turther enrolment will be
necessary; but wise foresight requires that
if q necessity should be suddenly developed,
during the recess Of Congress, requiring in-
creased forces Tor our defense, means should
exist for calling such forces into the field With
out awaiting the assembling Of the legislative
department of the government.
lhe rest Of tie message is uuimportant.
In the rebel House Of Representatives,
Foote OF Iennc6sc, offered q bill for retaliatorg
purposes. It recites that the emmy refuse to
treat our partisan soldiers as prisoners, aud
iAsC da1O pAutEUEA 4AIOEGuL tI4ftitt E1ILHu6
for their acts. 1t provides that an officer who
may hare ordered euch atrocities be put to
| death If captured. An equal number OF psis-
| oners, officers to be preferred, taken from the
enemy, to suffer the fate inflicted on our ap-
1ured soldiers OF citizens Also bill to pun
armies incongruous1y composed Of white and
black shall not be held to the privileges oi
war or to be take prisoners. OF such as may
| be captured the negroes shall be returned to
| their masters OF publicly sold, and their com
! nlarderx hung or shot us may be most conve.
| .nient.
He also offered bill to retaliatc for tue
seizure OF Ct fzens By the enemy. 1t provides
| that Of the pri>orers held by US, . numb Il
equal to thu: Of the Citizens seized shall be
to Like treatment. ANY officer, civil or mill,
tary concerned ia their seizure sha1l te i'm oris.
oLsd during the war.
All the bills were referred to the military
committee.
Nh. Foote offered bill to provide for lis
Ing an additional force Of e50 ,0Do On h:.
own motion it was laid ou the taole, also al
Export duty Of twenty per cent on cotton ant
tobacco to aid in indemnit}irg losses Of citi
zcns by the enemy.
Ohio IuIon Nominations
The uuion Convention met at Csluoabu
Thursday. We learn that the attendance IA
very full-nea11y 500 delegates Deiug present
L'eut. Gov. Stanton was president, with tat
usual force OF vice presidents and secretaries
The fol 10 sirg nominations for State officer
were made:
Judge OF Supreme Court-F. 7. BacEus, o
| Cleveland.
sscretary of state-Wm. S. Kennon, 0
Belmont county.
Attorney General-Chauncy N. Oils, O
Cn1uE1bns.
School Commissioncr-W. D. Ecnkle, 9
C}ark county.
Board Of Public Works.. B. Gregory
{ncumbent,)
We learn that an excellent feeling prevaiie
throughout the Convention, aud that til
. / ncmira.ions were received With very gerer1
! approval With the exception Of Mt. Heuklt
Of whom we have no knowledge, We cA
speak in entire confidence of tue mea chose
they hrc eminently fitted for the position
, | assigned them.-G Gtepeland Herald.