The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-08-14
: A Proclamation by JEFF Davis

BALTIMORE, Aug. THE american OF
this evening has Richmond papers ct the
5h, which contain the following address
Of the President o! the Confederate States:
Alter more than two years of a warfare
scarcely equalled in the number, masni.
tude and fearful carnage Of its battles
a warfare in which your courage and for.
titude havelilluStraled your country. and
attracted not only gratitude at home, but
admiration abroad. Your enemies con.
tinue struggle 10 which our fna. triumph
must be inevitable. Uodnly slaled with
! their present success they foolishly imag.
inc that temporary ,everses can quell your
spirits, or shake your dete minalion, and
they are COW gathering heavy masses for
a general invasion. in the hope that, by n
desperate effort, success may at length be
resched.
You know too well. my coun,rymen,
what they mean by succor. Their ma.
lignant rage aims at nohing less than the
exr,tminarion Of yourselves. your wives
and your children. lhey seek to de.
stroy what they cannot pIunder They
propose as spoils OF victory, tha, your
homes shall be poruoned among wretches
whose a;rocious cruelty has stamped rnfs.
my upon their government. They intend
to inci;e servile insurrec,ion, and light the
6res OF ncendarisn wherever tbey can
reach vour homes. and they will debauch
an inferior race. heretofore doclle and con.
tented, by promising them the indulgence
OF 'heir vi|est passions. AS the price OF their
treachery. Conscious Of their inability
TO prevail by legitimate warfare, not daring
TO maks peace, lest they should be hurled
from IEeir seats Of power, the men who
now rule in Washington. refu.eieven to
confer or the subject of pntting an end to
the outrages which disgrace our age, or
listen 10 n suggestion for conducting the
war according 10 The ussges Of civiliz !.
ton. .--.
Fellow. citizens. no alternative is left
you but victory or subjugation. slavery,
and the ulIer ruin Of yourself. your fam
lilies and your country. The victory is
within your reach; you need but TO stretch !
forth yonr hands 10 graspit For this rea.
son all that is necessary is TINT those who .
are called to the field by every motive that
can nerve human hears. sbonld promptly
repair to the post OF duy--Shouid stand
10y the commanders now 10 front of the
foe, andvSns go strengthen the armies OF
The Confederacy as TO insure success
Davis then appeals to those who have
ahsenIed Themselves from their posts to
-eturn TO duty, and declares general par.
Ion and amnesty TO all officers and men
low absent without leave, who shall with.
'ut delay return to their posts, or within
wenty days after ;he publication of Tie
PROCLAMATION in the Stale whrre the alb.
'en,ees may be. This pardon extends TO
all who have been accused or convicted,
and are undergoing scuteuce ior absence
without leave or desertion. except lho,e
twice convicted of descrtion. He then
says. finally conjure ms country women,
wives and mothers. sisters and daughters
ot the Confederacy, to use tEeir all pow.
,rful influence in aid OF this call, and to
add one crowning sacrifice to those which
their patriotism has SO freely and con
siantly offered on their coun,rys altar,
and 10 care that none who owe service in
'hc field. shall be sheltered at home from
he disgrace Of having deserted their duty
o their families, their country and their
God. .' t-
lSigned) JEFFERSON DAVIS.
j.. BENJAMIN, S.c'y OF State.