The Portland daily press., 1863-08-08
BY TELEGRAPH
TorHE
Portland Daily Press.

BALTIMORE, Aug. Z.

The American Of this evening has the fol-
lowing extracts from the Richmond papers of
the 9Th:
The address of the President to the soldiers
of the Confederate States
Alter more than two years OF warfare
scarcely equalled In the number, magnitude
and fearful courage of its battles, warfare in
winch your courage aud fortitude have illus
trated your country and attested not only
gratitude at home but admiration abroad.
Your enemies continue a struggle in which
our final triumph must be inevitable. Undu-
~ elated with their recent successes, they
imagine That temporary reverses can quell
your spirits, or shake your determination, and
they are now gathering heavy masses for a
gcneaal invasion, in the vain hope, by their
desperate efforts, may be reached. You know
loo well, my countrymen, what they mean by
success; their malignant rage aims to nothing
less than the determination of yourselves,
your wives and your children; they seek TO
destroy what they cannot plumber; they pro-
pose as spols OF victory, that your homes
shall be portioned among wretches, whose
atrocious cruelty has stamped infamy on their
government; they design to incite servile in
surrection and light the fires of incendiarism
wherever they can reach your homes, and
they deboucl an inferior race, heretofore do
Gle and contented, by promising them the in
diligence Of the vilest passions as the price of
their treachery. Conscious of their inability
to prevail by legitimate warfare, and not dar-
ing to make peace lest they should be hiosted
from their seats of honor. The men who
now rule at Washington, refuse even to confer
on the subject of putting an end TO the outra-
ges which disgrace our age, or listen to sug-
gestion Tor conducting the war according to
the usages OF civilization. Fellow citizens no
alternative is left you but victory or subjuga-
tion-slayery or the utter ruin of yourselves,
your families. aud your country. The victory
is within your reach. You need but stretch
forth your hands to grasp it,
For this and that is necessary Is that those
who are called to the field by every motive
that can move the humanheart should prompt
~ repair to the post Of duty, should stand by
their comrades now in front of the foe. and
thus SO strengthen tine armies of the Confed-
eracy to ensure success. The men now alb
sent from their post would, If present in the
held, suffice TO create numerical equality be-
tween our force and that of the invaders, and
when with any approach 10 such equality
have we failed to be victorious, believe that
but few of those absent are actuated BY un-
Willingness to serve their country; but shat
many have found it difficult to resist the temp
tation to visit their homes and loved ones from
whom they have been SO long separated; that
Others have leit for the temporary attention of
their affairs, with the intention of returning,
and then have shrked from the consequences
OF their violation OF duty that others again
have lett their posts from mere restlessness
and desire Of change. These and other eau
SEES, although less disgraceful than the desire
to avoid danger or escape from the sacrifices
required by patriotism. are nevertheless griev-
Gus faults, and place the cause OF our devoted
country and everything we hold dear in i'm
minent peril. / repeat that the men who
now owe duty to their country, who have been
called out and have not yet reported for duty,
or Who have absented themselves from their
posts, are sufficient in number to secure vic
tory in the struggle now impending. call
on you, then, my countrymen, to hasten to
join your camps in obedience TO the dictates
OF honor and duty, and sommon those who
have absented themselves without leave. or
who have remained absent beyond the period
allowed by their furloughs, to repair without
delay TO their respective commands.
do hereby declare that / grant general
pardon and amnesty to all officers and men
within the Coniederacy, now absent without
leave, who shall, with the least possible delay,
return TO their proper posts OF duty; but no
excuse will be received for any delay beyond
twenty days after the first publication OF this
proclamation Of this proclamation in the State
in which the absentee may be at the date of
the publication. This amnesty and pardon
shall extend to all who have been accused or
who have been connected and are undergoing
sentence for absence without leave or deser-
ton, excepting those who have been twice
convicted Of desertion.
Finally, conjnre my countrymcn, wives,
mothers, sisters and daughters of the Confed-
eracy, to use their all powerful influence In aid
OF this call to add one GROWING sacrifice 20
those which their patriotism has SO freely and
constantly offered on their country's alter. and
to take care that none who owe service in the
field shall be sheltered at home from the dis
grace of having deserted their duty to their
families, theta country and their God.
Given under my hand and seal of the Confcd-
crate States, at Richmond, this LIST day OF
August, in the year OF our Lord, 1863.
(Signed) JEFFERSON DAVIS.
By order of the President, J. p. Benjamin,
Secretary of State.