Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-12-26
Tn. Rebe, Congress message of JerDav.s.

The Rebel Congress-Messago of JeTDavis.
The Rebel Congress met at Richmond on
the eth inst Ten Senators we're present. with
Hunter Of Virginia in the chair. Mr.. Bocock
Of Virginia call ID the House to order and So
members answered TO their names In the Sem
ate bill was offered to fol bid the employment
OF substitutes in TIE army, and compelling those
who have employed substitutes to serve per-
sorally, the government re(nnding the money
paid for them. In the House The curreEcy de-
bate was orened, another vcxed question
The Message of President Davis was receiv.
ed and read in both Houses and IFS efIectrnust
have been very like lorg funeral oraiion 1t
fills eight columns of the New Y oik Times in
small type He opens with on expression Of
his desire to have the aid of Congressional
counsel on matters Of gra-e public interest,
and tells the members that there presence now
is more than "ordnarily welcome" He in
forms them in the second paragraph that grave
reverses hefell our arms soon after your depnr.
ture from Richmond and goes on verv despon
dinghy over the losses Of the strongh olds of
Vicksburg Port Hudson, and many other
points. Though Davis shows the courage of
desperation as he proceeds and puts ns hold
fnce upon the rebel prospects as possible, his
message admits that disaster has overtak the
Confederate arms, and that the 'invader'' has
not been expelled from the rebellious States.
He aIludes 10 the very frequent instances of
desertion from the rebel army. and conrcsses
that in two or three cases the rebel forces have
given way with an aacrty which Davis declares
to be wholly unaccountable. Bragg's last de-
featis particularly referred to, and is at,ribu-
ted to the misconduct OF the troops" Long.
streets Withdrawal from Knoxville is but slight
ly mentioned. Davis, however. offers G ongress
this consolation-"f we are forced to regret
losses in Tennessee and Arkansas, we are not
without ground for cougratulaton on success in
Louisiana and Texas n...- s. ...
Davis dispatches tie rebel war operations in
less than column, and then discourses still
more lugubriousy OF Foreign Relations. lie
says:
/ regret to inform you that there has been
no improvement 10 the state o our relations
with foreign countries since my message 10 Jan
uary last. On the contrary, there has been q
still greater divergence 10 the conduct of Euro.
pean nations from that practical impartiaty
which alone deserves the name of neutrality,
and their action, in some cases, has assumed a
character positively unfriendlv. 'ai-"t
The message dwells at length on the bad for
egn treatment Of the bogus Confederacy, and
declares "The marked partiality of Great Brit.
aE in favor Of our enemies is strongly eyinced
in their decisions regarding the blockade, as
well as in their marked difference in conduct on
the subject of the purchase of supplies by the
two beligerents. This difference has been con-
spicnous since the commencement of the war"
The wretched state of the public finances is
confessed and the message says "a prompt and
etticac'ns remedy for the present condition of
he currency is necessary to the successful per-
IA nan n q nc tna y
A nd right here jeff Davis slumbles over the
boasted cornerstone Of the Confederacy-hu-
man slavery. The inevitable negro is 10 his
path. He declares that an enormous debt has
bssn incurred, and "the popular aversion to
taxation" has defeated every attempt to pro-
vide for its payment. BY constitutional pro-
vision two-thrds Of all the property CT the
South, that which consists Of lands and slaves,
is virtually exempt from taxation, and the 9th
er third does not respond. Davis urges Con-
gress 10 some way to "whip the devil around
the stump" for he says "a law which should ex-
empt IRON the burden two thirds of the prop
ty of the country would be as unfair to the
owners Of the remaining third as 1t would be
inadequate to meet the requirements of the
public service" -~
The message further states that the tissues
of treasury notes have been increased until
the currency IN circulation amounts TO more
than six hundred millions Of dollars, or more
than three fold the amount required by the bu-
siness of the country" He then enumerates
a list of ruinous evils growing ont Of this state
of the currency, aud for remedy advises a
compulsory reduction Of the currency, by CON-
pelling its exchange for Confederate bonds
just as worthless. -t'.A
The pressing necessity Of increasing the rebel
army is brought prominently before Congress.
The sources of supply suggested are restor ng
to the army all who are improperly absent, put
ting an eud to substitution, modifying the ex-
emption law, conscriptng persons over 45 years
to certain duties. restricting details and placing
in the ranks such of the able bodied men, now
employed as wagoners, nurses cooks and other
employees, as are doing service for which ne
groes may be competent. The system Of i'm.
pressii 3 property for supplying the wants Of
the army is pronounced vicious" and is attrib-
uted to.the disordered condition of the cur
rency.' The remedy proposed is a "compulso-
ry" reduction Of the currency to such basis
as will enable purchases of supplies to be made
in the open market. This is also to answer for
the soldiers instead of increased pay. Such
are the rebel financial straits aud stratagems.
The message is brief on Navy matters on
the principle probably that "a short horse i
soon curried." 1t speaks Of the construction
Of vessels at Richmond. Wilmington, Charles
| A. a.