Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-22
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.
Senate and House of Representatives


Of the Confederate States:
At the date OF Jour last adjournment the preparations
of the enemy for further hostities bad assumed so me
nacing aspect to excite in some miDds apprehen.
sion OF ability TO meet them with sufficient prompt
to avoid serious reVeTses These preparations
completed shortly after your departure from the seat
government and the armies of the United States made
Simultaneous advance on our frontiers, the western
rivers and the Atlantic coast in masses so great
toevDce their hope Overbearng all resistance bv mere
weight OF plumbers. This hope however like those pre-.
viOusy en'eraiued by foes, has vanished In Vir-
gina, their fourth attempt invasion by armies whose
assured success couflnty predicted has met with
decisive rerulse Our noble blenders under the con-
summate leadership of their general, have again. at
Federicksbu Inflicted the forces under General
Burnside the like disastrous overthrow as bad been pre-
ViOusy suffered by the Successive invading armies COM
mat de1 Oy Generals Mcdowell, Mcclellan and Pope.
In the West Ob3inie battles have been fought with
varying fortunes, MAJ KID by ghLful carnage on both
Sides tut the +n'mys hopes OF decisive results have
again been oaa d. while VIcksburg another formi-
dAbe expedition has been repulsed with inconsdera BILE
loss side AID severe damage the assang forces
Ga the Atlantic the enemy has been unable to gain
ooeng beyond the protecting shelter of bis fleets and
the city u Galveston has just been recovered by our
iorces, which Eucceed only the capture of the
garrison but OF of the enemy vessels OF war; which
was carried by boarding parties from merchant river
Our orti6 positions have every where been
much srt gthe1ed aud improved efJrding assurance
OF our abIIIy 10 meet wi slcc S. The utmost Efforts
partitions ttr attack.
A OF our history during the two years of our
national tx seuce fl Jrds ample for coGgraua
ton aud otmanos the 81 teTvent expression of our
thai kuntss to the Almighty Father who has blessed
our cause We are Justlf,d 10 asserting with pride
surely lot unbecomug tbat these Confederate States
have added aOother the lessons taught by history Tor
the DsrUc ION OF man that they have aJrdld another
example OF lh9 impOss by of suhjugatrng peope de-
ternlu,d to be tree AID have demonstrated that DO
superiority OF numbers available resour es can over
come the resistance offered by such vaCr in combat
such constaucy under suffering, and such cheerful eUdu
aDce oil prlVauon have been cODspicnousy displayed
by this people IN the defence of their rights and ber
ties The antcpstions with which we entered into the
contest have rpened into conviction which is not
only shared with by the common opinion of neutral
natlons but Is evidently forcing itself upon our enemies
themselves Ii but mark the history of the present
year OF resoue perseverance in the path we have hber
TO pursued by vgoouS effort in the development of all
our resources Tor deeEce and by the continued exbi-
blioD oil the same uDtaterUg courage 10 our soldiers
and able conduct in their leaders as have distinguished
the past have every reason to expect that this will
be the closing year of the T. war; which in its
inception Waged for forcing back into the Union
having tailed to accomplish that purpose, passed in
10 second stage in which it attempted to conquer
and rule these States dependent provinces. Defeated
this second design our enemies have evidently enter
ed upon another which have no other purpose than
revenge and thirst for blood and plumber of private pro-
perry But however Implacable they NAV be- they can
have neither the spirit the urcas reouired for
fourth year of struggle ;hesred by any hone of suc
cess kept ALIVE solely tor the indugeo CO of mercenarv
ADD wicked passions and dem Indng so exhaustive an
Expenditure OF blood aud money has hitherto been
imposed On their people. The advent of peace will be
hailed with joy Oar efforts to avoid the war forced On