Newbern weekly progress., 1862-10-18
The Rebels and the Northwest.

TLe Offer Of the Free Navigation Of the
mississippi 10 the Northwest.
The following curious reports were presented to
the rebel House Of Representatives cn the 26th
ult.
MAJORITY REPORT.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs. to whom
was referred certain resolutions relating to the
true policy of the war aud recommending 10 the
President the issuance of proclamation touch.
ing the free norigatien Of The Mississippi and its
tribataries, and tho opening Of the market Of the
South to the inhabitants Of the northeastern states
upon certain terms and conditions, have had the
same under consideration, and now report back
said resolutions, with one or two slight amend.
ments, and recommend that they be adopted
The expediency Of conducting the war in
which We are engaged with all possible activity,
and Of carrying that war into tie enemy's coun
try, SO soon as The same shall be found practica-
BILE, is believed to De now universally admitted
by all enlightened men who have given their
attention to the subject 1t is evident that we
must rely alone upon our own energies for sue
cess in the struggle ef arms which is nov in
progress. In the present condition of affairs II
10 quite manifest that in order TO bring the san.
culinary struggle in which VIC are engaged to an
early termination, II will be necessary that every
portion Of our army should be kept in state Of
constant readiness for active exertion, and that
no opportunity should be neglected Of striking
the forces Of the enemy, wherever to be found
OIL Southern soil. with that boldDess and her ic
energy which are so certain to secure to our arms
the most signal success. ..! i
1t is equal manifest that the enemy will never
be willing to desis from the unjust and ferocious
o. which they are now waging until the evils
and Inconvenience thereof shall have been
brought home fully to themselves. When our
valiant and disciplined armies enhanced in num-
bsrs aud in strength. as II is hoped they will
shortly be) shall have once found their ,p0y to the
heart ef the ensmys country, and have inflicted Il
just retaliation upon those who have SO ruthless
| ly ravaged our territories, plaged our towns and
desolated our homes ii is to be reasonably ex
pected that even they will at last be able to
discern the rank injustice and brutal cruelty
for the perpetration Of which they have not been
heretofore subjected to anything like adequate
punishment. .. re .
Xour committee arc we'll satisfied that the issu.
ing Of some such proclamation by tho President
as that described in the resolutions referred to
them, at such time as he shall deem expedient,
could not but be Httended with the most sauiary
effects ltisau undoubted fact that the -gaysta.
ment al Washington. aided by unserupulous local
demagoguss in the Northwestern States, has sue
cecded to n considerable extent in deluding the
people Of that region into general belief that,
shoutd ns succeed in struggle for independence.
it is the intention Of the government and people
of the Confederate States 10 shut them ont from
the free navigation Of the Mississippi river and
it's great tributaries. and though the Provisional
Congress Of these States long ago emphatically
negatived this idea by we'll known acts of formal
legislation, yet your committee is assured that
the delusion on this subject still coniinues to tx
ist among the people at the Northwest, and that
the gross misapprehensiOn in regard to the in
tention and policy Of the Confederate States Of
America, thus eagendered and kept in ex.
istence by wicked and designing men, has
operated most effectively in prompting The
people Of the Northwestern States $50 closely con
nected with the South heretofore, both by geo
graphical and political tes) to contribute freely
both in men and money. to the prosecution OF q
war which, If successful on the part Of those
with whom it originated would be eventually as
disastrous in its effects TO the people of the
Northwestern States themselves as TO those OF the
Confederate States Of America, II is gratifying
to discover that high spirited and intelligent pub
lie men in seusrh of The Northwestern States hare o
late become ezcsedingiy artirc in Msr rnaeap0rs
{ discourage and suppress Mt frOcious rar spiri
heretotor. raging among heir fellow citizens, and
that their honest aud patriotic efforts have beer
already attended wtS the most marked success
Such proclamation as that recommended il
the resolutions referred to this committee, it il
confidently believed, would have a tendency
greatly to strengthen the efforts of the advocate
Of peace in the Northwestern States, be calculated
to bring those States quickly into ameable rela
t TONS with the States OF the South, iothdran then
Ultimately altogether from their present injurious 20
iitieai connection rah H., States Of The North aH'
East NTH nhich they h1re really so Iis in common
and thus enable US to dictate the terms of jus
and honorable peace from the great commercial en-
porim Of that region through mhose influence mDini
has Mis rick aud unnatural rar been thus tar ktp
inprogrrss = ...'
[ MINORITY REPORT.
The undersigned, minority Of the Committc
on Foreign Affairs, beg leave to dissent from th
report of the majority upon certain resolutions re
5 ferred to the committee, touching the issuing b.
the President Of a proclamation to the jnhabi
tants of the Norihw estern States. rendering +
them the free navigation Of the Mississippi rive