The national Republican., 1862-08-26
MESSAGE OF JEFF. DAVIS.
HIs THREATS OF RETALIATION.
Few ssssis. Of shs Rebel Congress.

mond on the 18th instant, when JEFF. Davis de-
livscsd his annual message, which We give 10
full below:
To ne Senate AND House Of Representatives
Of the Confederate States
II 10 again our fortune 10 meet for devisine
measures necessary tO the public welfare,
whilst our country 10 involved In n dssolatipg
os: s *. n.S , :%sS 20. 3, S,y,:., .s
tude of the Government, and the sympathy
thus evoked has been heightened BY the pa
triotio devotion with which these suhering4
have been borns. The EalIantry aad good
oondsc! Of oar oar sroops, always claiming The
luetrxted On hard-fought fields, marked by
exhibition Of individual prowess which oan
0nd but few parallels In ancient or modern
history. Our army has not fAltered In any Of
the various trials TO which II has been sub.
Jeo,sd, and the great body Of the people have
continued to manifest . zeal and unanimity
which not only cheer the battle stained soldier
but gives assurance TO the friends Of oonstitu.
tional liberty OF our Anal triumph In the peid
inS struggle against despolio nsurpation.
Of the Confederaoy has been defeated and
driven from tho lines cf investment, and the
enemy, repeatedly foiled In his e6Srh for its
capture, Ia now seeking n raise new armies
on scale such ~ modern history doss not re-
cord, to effect that suhjuga,ion Of the South 30
often proclaimed - bn the eve Of accomplish
ment.
The psrndy which dlsressrds rish,s secured
by compact. the madness which trampled on
ooliga!ions made ssored BY every con:iderx-
lightly .aogsndersd By defeat. These passions
have changed the character Of the hostilitiss
waged by our enemies, who are becoming
daily less regardfui Of the usages of civilized
war and the dictates Of humanity. Rspine and
wanton destruction Of private property. war
upon non combatants, murder Of osptives,
bloody threats TO avense the death Of An In
vading sodiery by the slaughter OF unarmed
citizens, orders Of banishment against peaceful
farmers OF gagged In the cultivation Of the soil,
are some OF the means used BY our ruthless
invaders TO enforce the submission a y free
people TO foreign sway. ConnscAtion bills Of u
character no RtrOCous NJ TO insure, II exc
cuted, the utter ruin Of the entire population
OF these States, are passed by their Congress
and approved BY their Executive. The mon
eyed obligations Of the Confederate Govern
ment are forged by citizerm Of the United
States. and publicly advertised for sale In their
cilies with n uotOriety that suificiently attesis
the knowledge Of their Government, and it's
completely In the crime 10 further evinced by
the fact that the soldiers Of the invading armies
are oundsupplied with large quantities oftheso
forged notes rs means OF despOiling the cOun.
try people, by fraud, out OF such portions OF
their property Ms armed violence may fail to
reach. Two. at least, Of the generals Of ths
Government, In exciting servilo insurreCtion
and In arming and training slaves for warfare
against their masters, citizens Of the CUnfed.
eracy. Another hxs been found Of instincts ao
brutal az 10 invite the violence Of his soldiery
| against the women Of n captured city.
Yet, the rebuke OF civilized man has failed
to evoke from the authorities Of the United
States one mark Of disapprobation OF his sots
| nor Ia there any reason 10 suppose that the
conduct Of Beniamin +. Butler has failed II
1 from hia (1OvAr MT thu au n nd
applause with which II Ia known TO have beer
greeted by public meetings and portions OF the
press 81 the United states. To inquiries made
II the c0mmandsr.i .ohtefo OF the armies Of ths
United 8 ates whether the atrocious conduG
"f some Of their military commandants met tht
sanction Of that Government. answer has bee'
| evaded on the pretext that the inquiry WAS In
Sulting, and no method remains for the sup
preston Of these enormities but such rstri
butive justice NJ 1t may be found possible Il
| execute.
Retaliation In kind, for many Of them, Ia i'm
practicable, for have had occasion 10 remarl
In former message, that under no excess O
provocStion could our noblc.hearted defender
be drivon To wreak vengence on unsrme
men, on women or on children. But stern MI
exemplary punishment Can and must bs meto
out TO the murdorers and felons, who, dsgrxC
ing the profession Of arms, seek to make q
public war the occasion for the commission Q
the most mOnRtrOus crimes.
Deeply as we regret the character Of the cor
test into vhich wo are about TO be forced, W
must accept II rs an alternative which reoeu
manifestations give us little hope can b
The evaporation Of failure has aroused III
worst passions Of our enemies; u large portiu
"f their people, even OF their clergy men, no'
engage In urging An excited populaCe to III
extreme OF ferocity; and no'hing remains bt
TO vindcate our rights and TO maintain our Q,
istence BY employing against our foe ever
energy and every resource at our dispo.al.
append for your information copy of Il,
papers exhibiting the action ofths governmsr
up to the present time, for the repression
the Outragss committed on our people. Othe
hereafter.
In inviting your attention 10 the legslatio
: which the necessities Of our condition requir,
those connected with the prosecution OF th
war command almost undivided attention.
The acts passed xt our last session intende
to secure the public defence by general enrol
, ment, and 10 repder uniform the rules govern
ing troops In the service, have led to some VI
| expected criticism that Ia much TO be regrette,
, The efficiency of the law has been thus SOM
, what impaired, though It is not believed thi
! 10 any OF the States the popular mind has will
1 held lis sanction from either the necessity {
q prepriety OF your legislation. II IL only by hA
I mohi0us xs we'll ~ Jealous action that 90,
srnment as new M ours, ushsred Into exi
tenoe on the very eve Of = great war. and vi
provided with the material necessary for cor
ducting hOstiliies On so vast scale, can full
It's dutss. Upon you, who are fully informe
OF the actsand purposes Of the GOvernmen
and thOrOugly imbued with tho feelings Rr
: sentiments Of the people, must reliance
D placed to secure this great object. You ca
!. best devise the means for establishing that O.
tire cooperation Of the State and Confsdera
/. Governments which IL essential to the vel
being OF both ut all times, but which is no
, Indispensable to their very existence.
y Aud II any legislation shall seem TO you ~
prOpriate for adjusting differences OF OpiniO
Il will be my pleasure M well as duty to O
. | operate In any measure that may be devise
for reGoncilng II just oare for the public d
n | fence with II proper Difference for the mo
d | ncrupnlous susceptibili,ies OF the State n
!, | thOritiss.
% The report Of the Secretary Of the Trsasul
partment. II will be seen with satisfaGti,
remains unimpAired, and that this credit
fully justined by the comparatively am
amount Of accumulated debt, notwithstandi
A The magnitude Of our military operations. IT
. legislation OF the last session provided for 4
' purchase Of supplies with the bonds Of 4
government, but the preference Of the peoT
i for treasury notes has been so marked that I
y legislature 10 recommended to authorize an
d | crease in the issue Of treasury notes, which [
public service seems to REQUIRE. No grave
convenience need be apprehended from Il
Increased issue, rs the provision Of law
which these notes are convertible into eight p
, cent. bonds, forms an efficient and perman:
~ safeguard against any serious depreciation
n the currency. Your attention ID also invit
to the means proposed by the Secretary