Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-12-17
] SOUTHERN NEWS

| SOUTHERN NEWS .s;l :ia
Letcher's Message to the Richmon.
Legislature Recommendation De,
clared Impossible e Trouble Por.
tended about Substfiutes-Tr Trent
Inent OF Our Prisoners-The Mill
tary Situation and Pros poets.
Richmond papers, comprising dates a
late as December 9th, furnish the follow
ing interesting extracts = q atstASsfai
VIRGINIA = LEGISLATURE MESSAGE
! ~ n OF GOV. LETCHER. 81 .,il,a
& From the Richmond Dispatch, Dec.s O.. gzata
Gov. Letcher's message was read in tn,
I to publish the whole of it, we make thu
following synopsis of its contents:
! ~, THE WAR n" t''.t .-'1' t'
This war has now been in progress near.
ly three years. Whatever of respect, ol
confidence, or affection existed at the com
mencement Of lonr troubles, has been, eff
fectuallS crushed and forever destroyed
There is not even the shadow Of apossi.
bility that respect can be revived, or con-
fidence restored, or affection renewed.-
The chain that bound US together has
been broken, and can never be reunited--A-
wise and patriotic forefathers has fallen
into ruins, and it can never be recon-
structed. The Union they formed, the
Government they established, have had
their allotted time, and are now numbered d
with the things that are gone. A people
imbued With sound principles and anima-
ted by a proper spirit, who hate US with
the intensity Witch the Northern people
have exhibited and who know that we de-
testSthem, would not desire longer al
.liance. Honor. justice. propriety-esery
consideration that should influence good
and patriotic men, show the necessity of
our eternal separation: ~ Z. =
1t is said we have some men among us
who are the advocates of what they call
IAN honorabi lie peace, which, when properly
Interpreted, means nothing more nor less
than submission. IL is pleasant to know
That the number of such men is small; but
whether large or small, spurn them as you
would the viper. Men who preach peace
under present circumstances are false to
us and to the Confederacy. 1t is time to-
speak of an honorable peace when Lincoln
shall have withdrawn his armies from our
soil. rt 5dzEa. ~ i5tssd Fl .Tl.-r
1 Nh So far we have accomplished
all, nay, more than we could have reason
ably anticipated have laul army iu
the field well appointed and well equipped,
unsurpassed 10 spirit, unequalled in devo-
,tion to the cause, Injured 10 service, dis.
ciplined, true and courageous. Our peo.
pie, old aud young, male and female,g are
of one mind in their hatred of the Yankees
and in their determination to separate
from them, Can such q people be brought
under a tyrants power, aud be forced to
submit TO a tyrautis exactions2) Can such,
III people be conquered and subjugated2
Neyeri -l a3,s. 81 as t4.4.lF 1EEt % iaiT,
= EXEMPTIONS FROM SERVICE, ~ ~
Men who had 10 right to ask or expect
exemption from active service in the field
are found comfortably ensconsed in the
commissary or auartermaster's department,
or in the lying-iu hospitals, prepared by
the uitre and mining bureau, which has
scattered its operations overthe whole face
of the. State. All these places could be
filed, with Infinitely more advantage and
profit to the Confederacy, by men of age,
experience and matured Judgment, who
are beyond the military age and unfit for
service. Young men, in too many instances
th.. they should be in their appropriate
places in the field. The fact that these
men are Kept in such positions, for which
they possess no superior qualifications over
hundreds of others exempt from military
duty by reason lof9age or phy ysicap disabit-
Iity-operate prejudicially to the, public
interest, and sows the seeds of dissension
and strife, which will sooner or later pro.
duce harvest of mischief. These may
tbe regarded by some as unimportant mat
ters, but still they are worthy of consider
lition, and ii is to be hoped will be speedily
changed and corrected. The public interes,
demands this. and what the public interest
demands no representative of The people
should be afraid to execute. oVa 30 rags
IAPREssNgSTs. tiI 'ii -
The manner in which the impressmeni
system has been. conducted has produced
ca,culable mischief. The agents selected
| have too frequently been men who possess.
| ed neither manners nor business quail i6ca.
tions, and the result has been that theJ
have caused inithe minds of emultitudes o
| we'll l-meanlng men great dissatistactior
with the Confederate Government If men
Of age, experience and practical Judgment
were selected TO fill these positions,s tht
euds which the Government has in view
would be accomplished, aud1no prejudie,
I IN the public mind would be created. -
! Youpg and inexperienced hands, lbave tot
often been charged with the executiohho
this branch OF business, and from all !
4 have learned l am satisfied that they hay,
4 not unfrequently been sent out withoutlth,
necessary written Instruction, and sth'
4 manner in which their duties have beer
/ performed has created the utmost dissat
\ isfaction. Legislation is required for thj
protection Of the people against. the limpo
sitions practiced by impressment officer
and persons claiming to be such, and
trust it will be had at this session. ~ sd
i nfusIoa ASD REcoSsrauorIoH. aits<.
Il Reunion and reconstruction are but Asy
4 nopyms fer submission. The man Iwh
: ala ssgs 81 . dDiz4i+FUj is-E5-tIa 3dt ,zzaaD
yt,fssT aat - ,ss5tf:5 taiiGIAsa q tsIlass nsil