, 1863-02-26
ADDRESS OF the REBEL CON-
GRESS,

New YoRx, Feb. Is.
The address Of the Rebel Congress to the
people of the Confederate States is published
1t is very lengthy. ltsays: .,
The cou1se OF the Federal Government has proy
Cd ,hat 7 + ud not desire peace, and woud not con
conclude. In proof Of this we refer to the repcaf
el rejection Of all terms OF Cancellation and com
promise IN their recent contemptuous refusal to re-
..atvu tic Vice President who was sent to naao.
scornnl rejection Of the oief Of neutral power m to
tie seadaet The Repa6
equality Of the States, and Lincoln was selected as
the tnstfnme9t to accomplish this object. The
policy, because The Constitution. which was Its
IoId, recognized and protected slavery and the
soyezeignty Of the States:
The Union must therefore be sacraced, and to
insure Its destruction was determined on, The
mass OF the Northern people were not priyy to,
and gympathized in NO such design. They loved
the pnjon and wished to preserva1t. To rally the
psoclaimea to be a restoration Of the Union, 81
Il that which implied the voluntary, assent Of
such agreement Eas an indispensable element
Il te absurd to pretend that GoTernment really
desirous OF restoring The Union would adopt such
measures IS he coafscation Of private property,
the emancipation Of tho slaves, efforts TO
inrite them to 1nsu1rection orctb1e abduction from
their homes, and compulsory enlistment in the
atmy-the division OF 2 State without its con-
AID that tenth under military rule should control
the VII Of the remaining nlne-tenths. The only
relation between the two sections under such pol
deperdent Il would hardly fair to assert that ali
Northern people participate In these designs on
thc county There exists apogsxfal political party
have, however, been able thus far, BY It's euor-
NOUS patronage and its laviah expenditures, to
aeduce, Or b it's 1egtons Of Hessian merceuaries>
and 10 establish an arbitrary despotism, It cannot
be possible that this state Of things can continue
The people ofthe United S:ates> accustomed to
physica1 epidemica, have their allotted periods,
and must sooner OF later DO exhausted and dlsap-
po5sb Facet 0Pe People s1srfs nfs
oars, Who have exhibited such capsbiIi.
lies and e3temporized such resources can
DC that vast 81 territory
obedient colony. Until some evidence is given Of
a change Of policy on the part Of the Government,
and some assurance Is received that efforts at ne.
Of the opinion that any direct overtuxes for peace
wonld compromise our. se1Etespect, be Nnitless Of
good, and Interpreted by the enemy as IN indlca-
We can only repeat the desire of the people for
peace and our readiness to accept terms consis-
tent WITH tho honor, and integrity, and indepen-
Of opr domestic institutions. We have no utter
native but to do our duty. We coutat for pro-
perty, homes, the honor Of our wives, the fature
3f or children the preservation Of or fair land
read both in the threats of our enemies and acts
of appressfon ne have alluded to. The situation
ieace. Instead Of harsh criticisms On NJ tbe % Goy
crnmcnt and our Generals, instead OF bewai1ing
Ihe faiiuze to accomplish impoasIbtlities, va
rewarded
portion In population. In military md naval Eo-
sources, and the deficiency Of skilled .abor IN the
II any people 10 the annals Of The world There Is
10 lust reason for hopeessness o. fear. Since the
outbreak Of the war, the South has lost the nomi-
aents q her Territory, but Fedefai oeeapany il not
conquest. The fires Of patriotism still bum m !
In the bressts Of those who subject
:eraRps to e0n psst mA'e9 psquife
he enemy ten years to ovetra4:: The enemy is
icbt, the financial cQnvulsion long postponed IS |
;ureIy coming. The short CROPS IN the United |
Ssates and abundant haryests n Europe viii hast
ions persons at the North discover in the usnrPa:
Jon OF their Government the certain overthrow Of |
heir liberties. a large number revolt from |
s9De 10 an end othsFs Meo'a ook sai atK
freedom by Abraham Lincoln and |
eel III taeH QRn pefepH8 tl6 bitterness OF the sl 4
iery winch three years Of war have failed to In
iitt On the South. Brave aud earnest men ut the |
Sorth have spoken out against the usurpation and |
:rueltf p11cticed. Tha success Of these men pver
be .ad,sal and despotie faction which now rules |
Ion and . cessation Of this bloody and nnnecessa-
>. .war. In conclusion we e1hort our fellow ciu- |
.ens to be Of good cheer and spare no labor nor |
sarriaces that may be necessary to enable us to |
win the campaign upon which We have just enter. |
3D.. We have passed through great trials OF afIlic
lion, but entering and humiliation are the school,
masters tEAt lead nations to eelrelIance aud 1nde