Washington telegraph., 1863-09-09
The president's Address.
TO THE SOLDIERS OF THE CcNFEDA.
RATE STATES.

RATE STATES.
After two years Of warfare scarcely sqasa-
led in the number, magnitude, and fearful csr-
mage Of its battles q warfare in which your
courage and fortitude have illustrated yoar
country and attracted mot only gratitude q
home, but admiration abroad, your enemies
continue q struggle in which our final triumph
must be-inevitable. Unduly elated with thsif
recent successes, they imagine that temporary
reverses can quell your spirit or shake yeur
determination and they are now gathering
heavy masses for general Invasion, in ths
vain hope that by . desperate effsrt success
may at length be reached.
| You know too well, my corntrymen, what
| they mean by success. Their malignant rage
| aims at nothing less than the determination Of
yourselves, your wives and children They
seek to destroy what they cannot plundsr.
They propose as the spoils Of victory that your
homes shall be partitioned among the wretchss
whose atrocious cruelties have stamped infany
on their government. They design to incits
servile insurrection and lgh. the fires Of in
cendIarism whenever they can reach your
homes, and they debauch the inferior race,
hitherto dOcile and contented. by promisiug
indulgence of the vilest passions as the price
Of their treaehery- Conscious Of their ina.
bility to prevail by Legitimate warfare, not
daring TO make peace les; they should be hurled
from their seats Of power, the men who now
| rule in Washington refuse even 70 confer on
the subject Of putting an end TO outrages which
disgrace our age, or to listen to q suggestion
for conducting the war acccrdiI to the ussges
| of civilization.
Fellow-citizens, no alternative is left you but
victory, or spbjugation, slavery and the utter
ruin Of yourselves. your families and your
country. The victory is within your reach.
| - ar.b H.,
IL. For this and ali that is necessary 10 that
those who are called TO the field by every
motive that can move the human heart, should
promptly repair TO the post Of duty, should
stand by their comrades now in trout Of the
foe, and thus 20 strengthen the armies Of the
Confederary as to ensure success The men
now absent from their posts would IL present
in the field suffice 10 create numerical equality
between oui force and that Of the invaders
and when with any approach to such equality
have we failed TO be victorious! l believe that
but few of those absent are actuated by un-
uiIlippne.s 10 serve their country; but that
many have found il difficult TO resist the temp
,,,;on Of a visit TO their homes and the loved
ones from whom they have been 80 long sepa-
II ra,ed. HAT others have left for temporary at
i ,en.;op 10 their affairs with the intention OF
returnin- and then have shrunk from the con-
seapences or their violation Of duty; that others
! araio have left their posts from me,e restless
ness and desire Of change, each quieting the
nphraidinrs Of his conscience by persuading
himself that his individual services could have
no influence on the general result.
These and other causes, (although far less
discraceful than the desire to avoid danger,
or 10 e.cape from tie sacrifices required by
patriotism IN are, nevertheless. gIievous faults,
and place the cause of our beloved country,
and Of everything we hold dear, in imminent
| neril repeat that the men who now owe
duty "a their country. who have been called
out and have not yet reported for duty, OF whs
nave absented themselves from their posts, are
| xprfci.nt in number 30 secure ue victory in the
struggle now impending
| call on you, then. my countrymen, to hasten
10 your camps, in obedience TO the dictates Of
honor aud Of duty and summon those who have
| sbseuted themselves without leave. who have
remained absent beyond the period allowed by
their furlouch.. to repair without delay TO their
respectivc commands and do hereby declare
that gran; a general pardon and amnesty TO
NIL officers and men within the Confederacy,
now absent without leave, who shall. with the
least possible delay, return to their proper
posts Of duty, but excuse will be received
for any delay beyond twenty days after the
first publication Of this proclamation in tb.
State in which the absentee may be at the -
Of the publication. This amnesty and pare
shall extend to all VINO have been convic.
and sre undergoing sentence for absence
without leave or desertion, excepting only
those who have been twice convicted Of de-
| sertion.
Finally, | conjure my countrywomen-ths
wives mothers, sisters and daughters Of the
Confederacy-to use their all-poverful innu-
ence in aid of this call. TO add one GROWING
sacrifice TO those which their patriotism has
SO freely and constantly offered on their coun-
try's altar. and to take care that none who
owe service in the field shall be sheltered ai
home from the disgrace Of having deserted
their duty 70 their families, to their country,
and 10 their God.
Given under my hand and the sea
lsEAL Of the Confederate States. at Rich
49, mond, this lst day Of August, in th'
year OF our Lord one thousand eight hundreS
and sixty-three.
JEFFERSON DAVIS
by the President: