The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-01-23
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

TO he Senate and HOu.e Of Representatives. Of
he Confederate States:
At the date of your last adjournment
the preparations of the emery for further
hostilties had assumed 70 menacihg an
aspect as 10 excite in some minds appre-
tensions of our ability to meet them with
sufficient promptness to avoid serious re;
verses. These preparations were com
pleted shortly after YOUR departure from
the seat of government, and the armies oil
the United States made simultaneous adj
vance on our frontiers, on the western
rivers and on the Atlantic coast in masses
so great as 10 eyince their hope of over
bearing all resistance 10y mere weight OF
numbers. This hope, however. like those
previously entertained by our foes, has
vanished. In Virginia, their fourth AZ
tempt at invasion by armies whose assur-
ed success was confidently predicted, has
met with decisive repulse. Cur noble de-
Tenders, under the consummate lender
ship of their general, have again, at Fred
ercksburg, inflicted on the forces under
General Burnside the like disastrous over
throw as had been previously suffered by
the successive invading armies command
ed by Generals Mcdowell, Mcclellan and
Pope.
In the West obstinate battles have
been fought with varying fortunes, mark
ed by frightftll carnage on both sides, but
the enemy's hopes of decisive results have
again been bafiekl, while 40 Vicksburg
another formidable expedition, has been
repulsed with inconsiderable loss on our
side and severe damage to the assailing
forces. On the Atlantic coast the enemy
has beer unable to gain footing beyond
the protecting shelier OF his fleets, and
the city of Galveston has just been recov-
cred by our forces, which succeeded not
only in the capture of the garrison but OF
one of the enemy's vessels of war, which
was carried by boarding parties from mer-
chapt river steamers. Our fortified posi-
tons have every where been much
strengthened and improved, aiiording as
surance of our ability to meet, with sue
cess, the utmost efforts of our enemies,
in spite of the magnitude OF their prepa-
rations for attack.
A review Of our history during the two
years of our national existence affords am
pie cause for congratulation and demands
the most fervent expression of our thank
fulness to the Almighty Father who has
blessed our cause. We are justified in as
sorting, with a pride, surely not unbe-
coming, that the Confederate States have
added another to the lessons taught by
history for the instruction of man; that
they have afforded another example of
the impossibility of subjugating a people
determined to be free; and have demon
strated that no superiority of numbers or
available resources can overcome the re-
sstance offered by such valor in combat,
such copstancy under suffering and such
cheerful endurance of privation as have
been conspicuously displayed by this peo-
pie in the defence Of their rights and lib
critics. The anticipations with which we
entered into the contest have now ripen-
ed into conviction which is not only
shared with us by the common opinion
of neutral nations, but is evidently fore
ing itself upon our enemies themselves.
If we but mark the history of the present
year by resolute perseverance in the path
we have hitherto pursued; by vigorous
effort in the development of all our re-
sources for defence; and by the contin-
ued exhibition of the same unfaltering
courage in our soldiers and able conduct
in their leaders as have distinguished
the past, we have every reasonto expect
that this will be the closing year of the
war. The war; which in its inception,
was waged for forcing US back into the
Union, having failed to accomplish that
purpose, passed into a second stage in
which il was attempted to conquer and
rule these States as dependent provinces.
Defeated in this second design, our enc
mics have evidently entered upon anoth-
er, which can have no other purpose than
revenge and thirst for blood and plumber
of private property. But however impla-
cable they may be, they can have neither
the spirit nor the resources required for a
fourth year of a struggle uncheered by
any hope of success, kept alive solely for
the indulgence Of mercenary and wicked
passions, and demanding so exhaustive
an expenditure of blood and money as
has hitherto been imposed on their peo-
pie. The advent of peace will be hailed
with joy. Our desire for ithas never been
concealed. Our efforts to avoid the war
forced on US as il was, by the lust ofcon-
quest and the insane passions OF our foes,
are known to mankind. Butearnest as has
been our wish for peace and great as has
beer our sacrifices and sufierings during
the war, the determination of this people
has with each succeeding month become
more unalterably fixed, to endure any
sufferings and continue any sacrifices,
however prolonged, until their right to
self-government and the sovereignty and
independence of these States shall have
been triumphantly indicated and firmly
established.
In this connection, the occasion seems
not unsuitable for some references to the
relations between the Confederacy and
the neutralpo of Europe since the
separation of these States from the form.
er Union.
Four of the States now members of the
Conlederacy were recognized by name as
independent isoveIeignties in a treaty of
peace, concluded in the year 1888, with one
of the two great maritime powers of Wes-
tern Europe, and had been. prior to that
period, allies in war of the other. In the
year 1918 they iormsda Union with nine
other States under articles Of Confedera-
ton Dissatisfied with that Union, three
of them, Virginia, South Carolina and
Georgia, together with eight of the States
now members of the United States, Sc
coded lromit in 1889, and these eleven
seeding States formed second union,
although by the terms of the Articles of
Confederation express provision was made
that the first union should be perpetual
Their right to secede, Notwithstanding
this provision, was neither contested by
the States from which they separated,
nor made the subject Of discussion with
any third power. When ut u later peri
cd, North Carolina acceded to that sec.
ond union, and when, still later, the 9th.
err seven States, now members of this
Confederacy, became also members Of the
same Union, it was upon the recognized
footing Of equal and Independent sover.