The Semi-weekly Shreveport news. [volume] (Shreveport [La.]) 1862-1864, 1862-02-28

proud people. They therefore deter.
mined TO sever its bonds and estab-
fish new Confederacy for themselves.
The experiment. instituted by our
revolutionary fathers Of voluntary
union Of sovereign States for pur
poses specified in solemn compact had
been perverted by those who, feeling
they had the power, and forgetting
the right, We're determined to respect
no law but their own will. The Gov
ernment had ceased to answer the
ends for which it was ordained and
established. TO save ourselves from
revolution, which in its silent but
rapid progress, was about to place us
under a despotism of numbers, and to
preserve in the spirit as well as the
form the system of Government we
believed to be peculiarly fitted to our
condition, and full of promise for man
kind, we determined to make Il new
association composed Of States homo
geneous ininterest. policy and feeling.
True to our traditions Of peace and
our love of Justice, we sent commits
sioncrs to the United States to pro-
prose a fair and amicable settlement
OF all questions of public debt or
property which might be disputed,
but the Government at Washington,
denying our right to selt-government,
refused even to listen to any proposal
tor Il peaceful separation. Nothing
was then left us but to prepare tor war.
The first year of our history has been
the most cventful in the annals OF this
continent. \ new Government has
been established over an area exceed
ing 100000 square miles, and the
great principles upon which we have
been willing to hazard every thing
dear to man, have made conquests for
us which could never have been
achieved by the sword
Our Confedcracy has Srswn. from
six to thirteen States, aud Maryland
already united to us by hallowed
memories aud material interests, will,
l believe, when able to speak, with
united voice connect her destiny with
the South. Our people have rallied
with unexamplcd unanimity to the
support OF, the great principles Of con
stitutional government, with firm
resolve to perpctuate by arms the
rights they could not peacefully Sc
cure, against Il million, which it is es-
t;mated is the standing hostile army
and waging Il war along frontier of
thousands of miles, battles have been
fought and sieges conducted, and al
though the contest has not ended aud
did tor the moment 20 against us, the
final result in our favor is not doubt
full. The period is near at hand when
our foes must yield under the immense
load Of debt incurrcd-a debt which,
in their effort to subjugate us. has al
ready attained such fearful diinen
sions as will subject them to burthens
which must continue to Cypress them
for generations to come.
We, too, have had our trials and
difficulties, and that we are escape
t them in the future is not to be hoped.
1t was to beeXpected, when we enter
ed Oh this wart it would expose our
) people to. nEalIy sacrifices, and cost
; them much both in money and blood.
, But we knew the value Of the object
for which we have struggled, and UNI
derstood the nature OF the object for
5 which we engaged, and that nothing
could be so bad as the future, and
: any sacrifices will be cheap as the
: price OF success in such a contest. But
? the picture has its lights as well as,its
shades. This great strife has ava
5 kened in the people the highest emo
!. tons and qualities of the human soul
: 1t is cultivating feelings of patriotism
: virtue and courage, and instances OF
n self-sacrifce and generous devotion
S to the noble cause for which We arr
e contending are rife throughout the
S land, Never has Il people evinced sc