Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-01
jeff Davis l1r fel.s.asIa5Ig1e,., q
BALTi1toRB. Feb On


TO de sSsnute aud Hottse Of Re1tesenLatfr
\ Of the Cogfeasrdts StatsS::
lF In obedience to the OonStitntions anf
provision requiring the, President from tim,
TO time, to give to Congress information. q
the state of the Confederacy; ahd recon.
mend to their consideration such measures
as he shall Judge necessary and expedient,
~ have to communicate that since my mes
sage at last session Of proyisional Congress
events have demonstrated that The Gov
eminent had attempted more than il had
the power successfully to achieve. Hence
In the effort to protect by our arms the
whole territory of.the Confederate States,
seaboard and inland, We have been so exs
posed as recently to encounter serious dis.
AsieEs. 49, Asss
When tue Coufederacy was formed the
states comprising il were in peculiar char.
aster OF their pursuits and now placed
confidence in their former associates, to a
great extent destitute of the means OF the,
prosecution of the war on SO gigantic a
scale as that which 1t has attained. Tbe.
workshops and artists were mainly to be
found in the Northern States, and one Of
the first duties which deYolyed upon this
Government, was to establish the neceS.
sary manufactures, and In the meantime 10
obtain by purchase from abroad as farlal
practicable whatever was needed .No3eF-
tort has been spared to effect both these
ends, and though results have not eouaH.7
ed our hopes, 1t Is believed that an iIn6af-
tlal Judgment will upon,full investigation
award TO the various departments Of tie
government credit for having done All
which human power and foresight enabled
them to accomplish. The;yalor and ieyoz
.il os tne people have not only sustained
tue enorts OF the government, bat have
gone far to support its deficiencies.
me active state of military. prepare.
lions among nations of Europe in April,
the date when our agents first went abroad
lnterposed unavoidable delays IN procure!
ment of arms, and the want Of a navy has
greatly impaired our efforts to import
military suPPliesofall sorts. I5had hoped
tor several days to receive official reporSs
IN relation to our discomfiturea at Roanoke
Island and fall of Fort Donelson. They
nave not yet reached me and am there
fore unable to communicate to Won such
INFORMATION of past events aud the conse.
'quences resulting from them as would
enable me TO mako recommendations found
ed upon the changed condition, which they
have produced. Enough is known of the
surrender ct Roanoke Island TO make Us
feel that was deeply humiltating. How
ever imperfect may have been the prepare
nons for defence the hope is still enter
tslned that our reported losses at Fort
DOneIson have been greatly exaggerated.
tnasmuch as am not only unwilling I5nt
unable to believe that large army Of our
people have surrendered without making q 1
desperate effort to cut their way through
the invading forces, whatever may have
been their numbers, and to endeaYor TO
make junction with other divisions of
the army. But in the absence of that
exact information, which can only be af. !
torded by oticinl report, it would be pre-.
mature to pass judgment, and my own is
reserved asl trust yours will be until that
information is read. In the meantime
strenuous efforts Lave been made TO throw
forward achievements to our armies as
positions threatened; and cannot doubt
out that the bitter disappointment We have
.oorne may renerve our people to still
greater e1ertiOns; will speedily secure 4
result more accordant with our inst az.
pectations and as favorable to our cause Ms
those which marked the earlier periodsof
the war. : 8 sSsslsi
de then refers to the reports Of The NAVY
and War Departments. The difficulties
which have arisen from the short enlist-
ment system. This was caused by The
opinion entertained by the people, that the
war would be settled soon, while it has
now become probable that it will continue
through series of years He estimates
tue strength of tile Army al present to four
hundred regiments ofIniantry, with a pro-
PoFtionate force of Cavalry aud Artillery.
He says the process, of rs.enlistment and |
tnrloughs in progress for the last month
has SO far disorganiEed and weakened his
forces as to impair their ability 10 sue.
cesstul defence, but believe that this con-t
dttion5 of affairs Ia. substantially 1tian end
He discusses the difficulties eacoGntered |
IN Il, attempting to establisha navy, &C.
Then ssipg on to the financial condition
OF his government, he says the rgport of.I
the Secretary of Treasury will exhibit the
gratifying fact that5we have no floating
debt that the credit Of the government Is
nn'mpaired, aud that the total expenditure
OF the government for year, has been fni
round numbers, S IT0, O00, 900. less than one
third OF the sum wasted tby The enemy In
his vain effort 10 conquer USELESS than
tue value OF single article OF export, the
cotton crop of the year. Ss q.
The rest Of the message is unimpUrtant.
=---es- lies .-----.---
Poisoning Troops.
ST.. Louis, FEB. 2s.-Gsn. Halleck. in a
general order, states that Official informa.
ton has been received that the rebels in
Mud Town, Ark, poisoned the
provisions they were obliged TO abandon.
and thattorty-two officers and men were,
poisoned by eating the same He snys.