Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-17
Jeff. DAvis,S Address To the People
OF the southern COnfe deEacY.

New York, April 16.-Jeff. Davis has Issued
an address to the people OF the Southern Goa
federacy urging them to devote their sgricul
tural labor TO the production of food. He says
that though soldiers are on half ratious of
meat, there is plenty OF it in the Confeieracy,
but that the difficulty exists in its Transports.
ton, which is now about to be remedied The
address contains the following paragraphs:
To oppose the invading forces, composed of
levie, which have already exceeded one million
three hundred thousand men, we had recourse
only to the unconquerable valor Of people
determined TO be free, and were so destitute OF
military supplies that tens OF thousands of our
citzons were reluctantly refused admission into
the service from our inability to furnish arms,
while for many months continuation some OF
our stronghods owed their safety chiefly to
careful concealment OF the fact that we were
without supply of powder for our cannon.
Your devotion and patriotism have triumphed
over all these obstacles and called into exist
ence munitions OF war, clothing aud susten
ancs, which have enabled our soldiers to illus.
trate their Vaor on numerous battle fields, and
to inaict crushing defeat on successive armies,
each of which our arrogant foe iondly imsgintd
to be invincible. ..i...
The contrast between our past and present
condition Is we'll calculated to inspire fall con-
| hdence in the triumph of our arms. At no
previous period OF the war have our forces been
40 numerous, 80 well organized aud so thor
oughly disciplined, armed and equipped, as now.
The season of high water on which Onr enemies
relied TO enable their fleets of gunboats TO pen
etrate Into our country and devastate our
homes, 10 fast passing away, yet our strong.
holds on the Mississippi still bid defiance to the
ioe, and months OF costly preparations for their
reduction have been spent 10 vain. Disaster
has been the result OF their every effort to storm
Vicksburg and Fort Hudson, as well as every
attack on our batteries on Red river, Tala-
hatchie and other navigable streams. Within
few weeks the falling waters and increasing
heats OF summer will compel their bsff1 ed
and defeated forces 10 abandon expedi
tions on which wss based their chief
hope OF success in effecting our snbjuRa.
tion. we muss not forget, however, that
the war is not yet ended, and that we are
still confronted by powerful armies and threat
ened by numerous fleets, and that the Govern.
| ment that controls these fleets and armies is
| driven to most desperate effort to effect the
unholy purpose in which it has thus far zen de.
feated. IL will use it's utmost energy to avert
this impending doom, so fully mefited by the
atrocities ii has committed, the savage barbara
| ties which IL has encouraged, and the Gro oWniOg
| attempt to excite servile population to massa.
ere our wives, daughters and helpless Children
With such contest before us, there Ia but one
| danger which the Government OF your choice
| regards with apprehension, and to avert this
danger it looks to the never failing patriotism
which yon exhibited since the beginning OF the
/