The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-12-23
The Message of Jefferson
Davis is-f0=the Confederate
Congress-.

Davis -fo-tEae Confederate
Gongress-
This document makes over nine columns
of the finest type in tho New York Jour
palssof Friday. a large portion oft is
taken up With an argument showing that
foreigu nations have not been neutral, but
have really thrown their influence inzfa--
vor of the North. He suggests measure
of retaliation, as follows: -.
'EPfe other measure is not open to this
objection. The second article of the De-
claration Of Paris, whic.. provides that
the, neutral flag covers enemy's goods,
With the exception Of contra band of war,
was new concession belligercnts in
favor of neutrals, and not simply the en-
-unciation of an acknowledged pre- existing
rule, like tho fourth article which referred
to blockades. To this concession we
bound ourselves by the Convention with
Great Britain and France, which took
the shape of the resolutions adopted by
your predecessors, on the 18th of August,
1861. The consideration rendered US for
that concession has been withheld. We
have, therefore, the uudehiable right to
refuse longer to remain bound by COM
pact which the other party refuses to full.
fill But we should not forget that war
is but temporary, and that wa desire thai
ipeace shall be permanent. The future
Epolicy of the Confederacy must ever be tc
| uphold neutral.rights to their full extent
The principles of the Declaration Of Pari,
commend themselves to our Judgment a.
lporc, just, more humane, and more con
fsonant with modern civilization than thos,
belligerent pretensions which great nava
powers have heretofore sought to intro
duce into the maritime code.
Heafavors q compulsory reduction o
| the currency to an amount required b,
the business of the county. This is to b.
done by converting the amo1nt outstand
ing into stocks, constituting funded debt
The interest on this debt is to be prompt
fIy paid by taxation levied for that purpose
and in the end the principal is alse to b
paid - In relation to the late battle on th
tCA1ekaMauSa ne says.
1.-The mbined forces thus accumulate,
against us. in Tennessee, so greatly out
Numbered our army as to encourage tn
enemy to attack. After long an sever
battle in which great carnage was inhict
! ed on him, some of our troops inexplicabl
Abandoned positions of great strength an
| By disorderly retreat, compelled the com
tmander to withdraw the forces elsewher
successful, and finally to retire with hi
whole army to a position some twenty o
thirty miles to the rear. 1t is believe
that if the troops who yielded to the as
sault had fought with the valor whic
they had displayed on previous occasions
land which was manifested in this battl
/ on the other parts Of the line, the encm
would have been repulsed with very grea
slaughter, and our country would hav
escaped the misfortune, and the army tn
modification of the first defeat that has re
suited from misconduct by the troops"
/ He Is very severe upon the North fc
the manner in which has prosecuted th
war, and closes as follows:
s'But these considerations have bee
powerless to allay the unchristian hate {
those who, long accustomed to draw lare
profits frcm union with US, can not cor
troll the rage excited by the convictio
that they have, by their own folly, destroy
, ed the richestsources of their prosperit,
They refuse even to listen to proposal
for the only peace possible between us
a peace which, recognizing the impassabl
i gulf which divides US, may leave the tw
;. people separatlyto recover from the il
jurles inflicted on both by the causeles
war now waged against us. Having be
gun the war in direct violation of thei
i Constitution, which forbade the attemr
1 to coerce a State, they have been hardeae
by crime, untilsthey no longer attempt t
vail their purpose to destroy the institu
tionsaadz subvert the sovereignty and in
dependence iofthese States. We no.
hk know that the o,,l y reliable hope for peac
!, is the yigoryof our resistance, as the ccs
sation of their hostility is only to be Oh
pected from the pressure Of their necessi
/ tics. Hg9 nee9d 7ad-3t'.
4 IsdtsThe patriotism of the people has prov
4 ed equal to every sacrifice demanded b
their couutly's good. We have been uni
. ted as a people never were united unde
like circumstances before God has bles
sed US with success disproportionate t
\ our means, and, under His divine favo
4 our labors must be at last crowned wit
the reward due to men who have give
all they possessed to the righteous defer
sc oftheir inalienable rights, their homes
: and their affairs. r.5z3 aA '~f
inaDo1.p- i'JEFFERSON DAVIS.
"RIcHMoND, December Z, 1863"
: From Rutledge, Tennessee.