, 1863-12-16
THE MESSAGE OF JEFF. DkVlS
SERIOUS RETERSES aCBN0jYt,-
EDGED.
jeff. Seeks to Retaliate but Don't
See loT.
NI nes1oe1>andtaraa.

Nil Despe1arrdxaa1a.
REvERsEs,
The message Of Jefferson Davis Is lengthy
document, so lengthy in fact that we found
It impossible to publish it in our last issue,
It opens without the customary gratitude to
Divine Providence for the blessings of the
past year, but at once commences with a ,la-
ment over revct5es: Vlcksbure md Port
Hudson had capitu1ated. The unsuccessful
assault upon Helena followed, .tand the re-
treat Of our army from Little Rock gave to
tie enemy the control of the important val.
ley in which 1t is situated" The Co1fede-
rate surrender at Cumberland Gap is made
the signal for bitter wall, and still more
bitter attack upon the rebel troops:
The entire garrison, including the commander,
being etl held as prisoners BY the enemy, / nm
which laid open Eastern tennessee and nd so1tbern M
Virginia 10 hostile operations, aud broke the line
Of reorganization between the eeat Of government
enemy was followed by IN advance Of Gen. Rose. e
tanooga md ayaiicd itself Of tic opportunity thus
one Of The most brilliant and decisive victories of
the war: This signal defeat Of Gencrnl Rosecraus
was followed BY his retreat into Chattanooga.
effect Of relieving the pressure Of tho invasion nt
other points, forcing the concentration Tor bis re-
lief Of large bodies Of troops Withdrawn AZ II Ton
crn Virginia. The combined forces thus acnumn. M
lated cgafnst ia In Tennessee SO greatly oufnnn,+
be1sd on army as to encourage ne enemy to a.
great carnage was inflicted on him, some Of our
troops incsplicably abandoned positions Of rrcat
strength, md BY . disorderly retreat compelled
successful, and finally to retro with his Who'll,
army to position some twenty or thirty miles to
tue EeaT: L is believed that II the troops Who
which they had displayed on. previous OCCASIONS
and which was manifested In this battle on thcs
other parts Of the 1ince, the enemy would have
country would have escaped the SisIoTtnne and uu5
The a1ny the modification Of the trst defeat thai
has resustsd rom ON misconduct by the troops. II
driven from nll Its field positions In Eastern Ten.
ncssee, and forced to Ietreat into its intrcnch-
mcnts at kno3vllle. where ior seae weeks it was
eta1 longetrcct: No information has reached me
ofthe ,l.al result Of the operations OF our corr
Withdrawal from that place.
FeRr1GS RELATIONS.
rebel President secs little hope for the recog-
pit;on, but on the other land thinks that the
action of European nations .slas In some
cases assumed character positively un-
friendly" After reviewing the relations of
Great Britain with the North and South, he
says:
II eny doubt remained Of the motives bv which
the British Ministry have been ac,natel In ,heIr
distinct arowa.s and explanations contained il
The published speech recently made By her Macs-
y'sscc1etary TOR Foreign Affairs. Ia comment
ing on Tie lemonsttaaces Of this Government
agaires the conntcnance given to an fnefectual
BLOCKADE, he following language y ussd:-'n Is
blockade Of 1900 mics of American coast, II is
quite true VIC did 20. and the prcsnmnb.e cause OF
complaint is qpm,ts m trns that although The block
these shipe were sent into the United Statvs uaSy
in hurry, apd are illiltted for the purpose, and
did no 1 5seR gR s9 e9;sp s9;petss Se. sa as
This uEequiy0cal confession OF violation. both i
of agreement with ns and international law ia de-
Tended on grounds the validity Of which we sub.
nit with confidence to the candid Indictment Of
mankind.
He complains bitterly OF the action of
Great Britain, md very ungracious1y handles
words in arguing that the Southern States
are slave States because when colonies they
we're made slayeholding by the direct power
Of Great Britain:
tits due to Yon and to our country that this
fill statement should be made OF the Just grounds
which exist for dissatisfaction with the conduct
ofthe British Government. / am well aware that
we are unfortunately without adequate remedy for
the Injustice under which We have suffered at the
hands Of powerful nation. ut juncture when
our entire resources on are absorbed IL the defense
m enemy possessed Of greatly tppfSior numbers
and material resources. Claiming no 1ayor, desir-
ing no aid, conscious Of our own ability to de.
fend our ownrghte, against the utmost Efforts OF
infuIiate foe, we Ind thought It not e1trayacapt
to expect that assistance would be withheld ffom
onr enemies, and that 1he condaet Of foreign rs
between the belligesents. It was Supposed that
apsoiessed neutrality wenld be so conducted IS
to gs5 anS hGlreR n 81 the Bah
enemies, how "thc Impartial observance Of nea-
tral obligations b Her A1ajesty's Government has
Of Inc more powerful oi The two contendins M a par
ties.'' The British Government mar deem this |
var favorable occasion for establishing, by the
cedeut which shall justify the future exercise Of
those extreme be!ligerent pretensions that their
naval power renders 90 Formidable, The opporru.
nifty for obtniniug the tacit assent of European |
governments to line Of conduct which Ignores |
the obligations Of the declarations OF Paris, and
treats that It. instrument rather as Theoretical e.
may be considered BY the British Minlat5 as jus
tifying them In seeking great advantage for their
not permit without protest, tie Insertion iat IN
teruational law or morals regard as impartial
neutrality conduct arawed to be exceedingly |
advantageous" +. one Of the bcliigc1cnts.
FRANCE. I
The relations of France are more briefly |
stated:
1t is not In my power TO apprisc you to what e1-
60 unreseryedly a1owed BY that OF Great Britain, |
no Published correspondence Of the French Gov
ernment OF the subject having been received, No
made by lis Imperial Majest5 against lie M prohiSi
tion to trade with us, imposed Oh French citizens
to
fn nttempt was made on his part to secure the as
sent Of the BritlEh Government to a course of
lawand with tie demands Of justice towards us.
And dIsmisscs the subject as follows;
In connection with the subject Of our relations
with foreign countries, It Is deemed opportnnc to
communicate my Views In reference to the trent
les made by The Government Of the United States
cate f. 9n .epaEon and which
on foreign powers when the separation took ef.
feet It WEE partly with view to entcrin. into
ment las made Necessary, ihat re felt It OR dnt
to send commissioners abroad for the purpose 81 |
entering into the ncGotiations proper to d1 the
those treaties. As this tender on our part has
been declined, MS foreign nations have refused Us
the benefit Of the treaties 10 which we were par
ties, they certainly have ceased to be binding On
Hs, and, In my opinion, our relations with E1ro-
penn nations are. therefore, now controlled exclu-
si1ely by the general rules Of sthe law Of natione
Il Is n5ope5 to ad D. mat shess reaEss arc
eIe9 governments, and have no reference to the
rights Of individuale.
rHAScE.
The portion Of the Message devoted to FL
nances is very lengthy, but may be summed
up in the following:
enforced B. the % 1eaecaon tfat any attempt @ to an
portion taxes among States, some Of which are
wholly or partially in the occupation OF. hostile
forces. would Eubvert the whole intention Of the
the most revolving injustice, instead Of that Just
correlation: between taxation and Representation
which 1t was their purpose to secuEe. With large
emy, what Justice would there be IN imposing on
the remainder the whole amount Of the taxntion OF
the entire State in proportion to Its rcprcsen-
tatfon: What else would this be in effect
the heaviest sufferers by the war, and to make our
own inability to protect them from invasion, as
We are required to do by the constitution, the l.
ground for adding to theIE losses b az attempted
of that instrument: No such purpose coald have
been entertained, and no such result contemplated
By the framers Of the constitution. 1t may add !
Eeisht to !hess consdeIaons Te rsnsc III,
60 into operation With q: representation Tempo
rarily distributed among the States, 1t expressly
ordnins after providing for census within three
years. that thus temporary distrbution Of repre-
alton ehall be 1nade.'' Would any one argue that,
6ecansc the census cannot be Msde within tho
liked period, the government must, at tho exptra-
tion or that period perish for want Of represet-
IL |