Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-01-15
LUWT LNtGSt DLsPuLIHeS
A QUORUM IN CONGRESS.
Sunopsfs "a P%resiaent 30, .Igessage.

RICHMOND, January H-CongFess met to-day, at
I2M The Presidents message was read and appropri-
ately referred. It is principally devoted to the eoasid-
Grafton Of our foreign relations, but in the outset, in
abiding to the efforts of our enemy to t~ubiugate Us the
President says that our noble defenders, under the lead
ersbip of thea generals, have again, at Fredericksburg,
Inflicted en- the 70 ces Of General Burnside the ike DIS
astrous overthrow as had been previously suffered Dy
the successive invading armies commanded by General
Mcclellan and Pope. Our enemies had been bah1ed in
the West and at Vieksburg another formidable expedi.
ton had been repulsed with uncomfortable loss on our
side.
A reviewed. our history during the two years Of cur
national existence, afforded ample cause for e~ongratu-
%Iations, and demanded the most fervent expression of
our thankfulness to the Almighty Father, who has
blessed our cause. We were justified in asserting that
these Confederate States have afforded another example
of the impossibifty Of subjugstng a people determined
to be free, and have demonstrated that 10 superiority Of
numbers, or of available resources, can overcome the
resistance offered by such valor in combat such con
stauey in suffering, and such cheerful endurance Of pri-
walton as have been eonspieuOusly displayed by this
people in the defense Of their rights AID liberties and if
we be as rsso'ute in the future as We have been in The
past, this would be the closing year Of the war, formCeh
As peace was desired, the people we're determined to
battle until the sovereignty and. independence Of the
Confederacy was established
After explaining the relation existing between the
States under the old Confederation, their subsequent
secession and formation into a new union, and the forms-
ton Of their government, known as the Confederate
States, the President goes on TO speak Of our foreign
relations. He says that had Great Britain and France
used the powers TO which, as the most interested, the
leadership was given, promptly recognized US none can
doubt that the moral effect would have been to dispel
the delusion under which the United States have per-
sisted in their efforts to accomplish our subjugation. To
the continued hesitation Of the same powers, in render
Ing this act of simple justice, was still due the e%ontinu.
ance Of the ealamities which mankind suffers from the
interruption of is peaceful pursuits both in the old and
the new world
After reviewing the question Of pyivateerfng, the Pres.
ident says that the records of our State departments
contain the i iienee Of tie repeated and formal remon-
strsnces made by this government to the neutral pow
ers Of Europe, against the recognition of the blockade,
which had been shown to have been broken hundreds Of
times, which the enemy aud themselves had admitted to
have been Intellectual in the most forcible manner by
repeated complaints Of the sale to us Of goods contrs-
band of war, ard which they acknowledged their ma
bill y to render effective still Europe had submitted,
in almost unbroken silence to all the wrongs the United
States have chosen to inhict on their commerce, and the
Cabinet of Great Britain admitted itself it had not con
formed to the principles laid down by the Congress Of
Paris, but had made a change too important and preiu.
dicial to the interests of the Confederacy to be over
looked, aud consequently, the President had solemnly
protested, after a vain attempt to obtain any satisfactory
explanation from the British government
The fourth propos tion of the Congress Of Paris de.
clared that the blockade must be maintained by a force
sufficient really to prevent access to the coast Of the
enemy, but the British Secretsry Of State had construed
the American blockade to hs Sufficient because it was
daily notified that a number Of ships were stationed at
dife rent ports sufficient really to prevent access to it
or to create an evident danger Of entering it, or leaving
it but the President had no complaint 10 make on the
ground CT a declaration Of neutrality. The complaint
was that the neutrality had been rather nominal than
real, and that recognized neutral rights had been alter.
natsly asserted aud waived IN such manner as to bear
with great severity on us, and to confer signal adgsn-
tages on our enemy.
Be had hitherto r~es.rsicsd from calling the attention
Of Coz ,ess to tn 5 condition Of our foreign relations
for various reasons, he chief os which was that Il
might be construed isto an appeal fer aid. Now it
could nos be mi'conTtrued. Still it would net be proper
10 close his remarke on this subject wi b ut advsrting
10 the tact hat The correspondence between England,
France sod Russia, rscsn ly publisbe7i indicated a
gratifying sppTecia ion by those governments Of the
tue Interests Of mankind as involved in the war on
t4ls continent.
After referring to the renewed exampIes'of atroci-
ties on the part of the enemy. and tho recent procIama-
Of Lincoln, which he say vii have, among others
effect of calming the fears Of those who apprehend-
ed shat the war might end in the reconstruction Of ahe
old Union, the President proceeds to discuss the question
Of finance. It is his conviction that the people Of the
confoderacy would freely meet exaehons on q scale
adequate to the support of their government and the
passage of some enactment to carry on a SIN further
policy Of the law of last session, for funding the out
treasury notes ny the fixing Of a limitation not
ater thar the lst Of July next, to the delay allowed
or funding the notes issued prior to the LIST Of Deeem
1867.
This would, in the opinion Of the Secretary Of the
rreasu, y, have the effect of with lrawing from eireula
nearly the entire sum Issued, previous to the last
date.
The President specially recommends some revision Of
be exemption Jaw Of last session, SO as tolesve e. home
sufficient local police. without making any ~diserimina-
between the different classes Of citizens Various
,mpiaints had reached him Of the Inconsistencies Of lis
crking i
Attention was also called . the. report Of he Score j