The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-08-28
Meeting sfthe Rebel COngress---5eG Da-
Vis' Message.

Vis' Message.
WAsHINGTON, August %, 1862.
The rebel Congress met in Richmond OF
the 18th inst, on which occasion Jeh Dawn
submitted his annual message. lie leauS VI
in his usual hyprocritical style, ana then al
ludes to the federal government as lot -
aesassins.n &c, ad an fnitnn. He speaks o.
and recommends reta!iatory measures &c
maat the laws recently passed By the feoers
oo,,arnmant. recommends the issue OF more
1nsbal treasury shinplasters, and ailudes 10 the
bn;Idino of rebel vessels at home and abroad.
The message betrays great signs OF weakness
in the rebel government, for ne nation that
| has mower in It's hands ever puts forth such ar
guments as to acquiesce in murder rapine, DC.
under the name of retaliation
After abiding to the sufferings of the people
and the galantry of troops, lie says:
"The vast army which threatened the capital
of the confedetacy has been defeated and driv-
en- from the lines of investment, and the enc
nv, repeatedly foiled III its efforts Tor its cap
ture, is now seeking to raise new armies on a
scale such as modern history does not record
to effect that subjugation of the South so often
unclaimed as on the eve of accomplishment.
| Davis then charges US with rapne, wanton,
/ destruction of private property, murder OF cap
tiyes, &c, and speaks of the contiscation bill
as atrocious. While the monied obligations OF
the confederate government are forged oy the
citizens of the United States, and at least two
generals of the United States are engaged IN
! excitinp servile Instruction, another has been
found Of instincts so brutal as to invite the vi
olence of his soldiery against the women OF
captured cities.
! He mentions Gen. Builder subsequently
Davis then SAYS: To inquiries made OF the
| Commander-in.chief of the armies OF the U. 3.
whether the atrocious conduct OF some OF their
military commandments meet the sanction OF the
| government, answers had been evaded on the
! pretext that the inquiry was insulting, ana no
method remains for the suppression OF these
enormities but such retaliative justice as 1t may
he found possible to execute. Retaliation IN
kind for many of them is impracticable, and L
have had occasion to remark in former mes
sage that under no excess of provocation could
our noble hearted defenders be driven to
wreak Vengence on unarmed men,or on women
| and children. But stern and exemplary pun
isbmeut can and must be melted out to the muir
derers and felons who, dsgracing the profess
sion of arms, seek to make of public war the
occasion for the commission of the most mon
struus crimes. Deeply as we regret the char
acter of the contest into which We are about to
be forced, we must accept it as an alternative
which recent manifestations give us little hope
eau be avoided. The evaporation of failure
has aroused the worst passions Of our enemies,
and large portion of their people, even Of
their clergymen, is now engaged in urging an
/ excited populace to the extreme OF terocity. and
nothing remains but to vindicate our rights
and to maintain our existence by employing
against our foe, every energy and every re-
source at our disposal"
Davis recommends further legislation to
make the conscriplion universal; also the is>
sue OF additional treasury notes also some legs
islation for contracting military transportation.
He says the very large increase of forces recent
ly called into the field by the president of the
! United States renders it necessary hereafter to
extend the provisions of the conscript law so
as to embrace persons between the ages of thir>
| ty five and torty~fve years. The Vigor and eff
| ficlency OF our present forces and their cOndi>
ton, and skill and ability which distinguish
their leaders, inspire the belief that no further
enrolment will be necessary ; but wise FORE
sight requires that if necessity should be sud-
denly developed during the recess of Congress,
requiring increased forces for our defence, means
should exist for calling such forces into the
| field without awaiting the assembling of the
| legislative department. of the government.
The rest of the message is unimportant.
In the rebel house of representatives, Foote
OF Tennessee, offered bill for retaliatory pur
poses 1t recites that the enemy refuse to trea
our partisan soldiers as prisoners, and have al
| so punished innocent private citizens for thei
acts. 1t provides that an officer who may have
ordered such atrocities be put to death if cap
tured. And equal numbers. officers to be pre-
fer ed, taken from the enemy,to suffer the tat
inflicted on our captured soldiers Or citizens. -
Al 0 a bill to punish negros in arms. 1t pro.
vides that federal armies inc ogruciously COM
posed of white and black shall not be held t.
the privileges of war, or to be taken prisoners
and such as may be captured the negroes shall
be returned to their masters or publicly so ,o
aud their commanders hung or shot as may b.
most convenient.
He also offered bill to retaliate for the seiz
ure Of citizens by the enemy. 1t provide
that of the prisoners held by us, humble
equal to that of the citizens seized shall be hell
a. hostages for their safety, and subjected II
like treatment. Any officer, civil or militia
ry concerned in their seizure shall be impris
oned during the war.
All the bills were referred to the militar,
committee.
Mr. Foote offered bill to provide for rails
ing an additional force of $50, 900. On his mo
ton it was laid on the table, land also an expor
duty of twenty per cent on cotton and tobacco
to aid in indemnifying losses of citizens by thu
enemy.