Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-12-02
Gov. Bonhars's Message.
E1.cu rir. H.a.srsrxr,
CorUnbl4, November 23,,.ls6s.
G:nl:men ofthe Senate; and

CoLUnE4, November 23,,ls6S.
G:Al:men oEtAe: Senate and
.Gous, Of Representatives,
Since your laAE ,auuai n%aeetinss thessneiDy
Las obtained po.sesei y Of Port Hpd.or, VickS
burg, Chattanooga and Aorri. island, not, how.
ever, without psyiag desiiyl'r his POSSESSIONS;
upda q second l:nes har~ ou1 troops evacuated
P.nn,yigania andsslaarytand, though, not de-
t4at,d. There il IN this, no cause for despon-
I.,cv. He is this day relatively weaker than
te sa, before these. eveo.s, his armies icing
widely .etisla!ed, AND lurtaerfrpm their bases
of supplies, whilst me Conteeeracy is relative
IL stronger. our armies possessing the tacill-
ties for more rapid concentration by interior
lines. and being nearer th cir basesof ppldies.
The great hattle of CEirkrtnsuga in which
aorne OF Cardinals 1oblest sous. bave failen,
has Illustrated, tie trutbsef this preposieios.
Beyond TIE points obtained s'he has made no
real rogresstoxar sathe%gttnunpf'ghfnsnt OF
Ri. pnrpese,-tbe subjusstion Of the South.
Our herYesls lsYs been beautiful, our country
healthy. and our people have been rendered.,
If possible, more. united and resolved, by the
yal.ealism of our foes. The siege of Charles
ton. now far advanced into its filth month. con-
Quoted witYa power aud range OF metal aud
des,ructiveness of prjectiles, hitherto I'M
known in warfare, and q malignlty that res
pec,s neither sex, age ur condition, has shown
10 our enemies that they will probably never
place their unhallowed teetnpan the soil O!
that brave cid city but. it%ttsy do, it will be
only nhen they have reduced it to . heap Of
ruins. Suntsr, held NTH a galiantry and .
icnacity shich vail iInu,ortalize its noble de-
t--....S g., -,,rr but !. r>t n ria,,f ",
:: its powers ofrosis.ancs. To the est of the
Mississippi, our truopsbsvs gsii,ed important
advantages. iu Ternesses, the enemyNa force
are besieged in Chattanooga and driven freA
Knoxville, and thesrlay OF tho foto,nac stane'
ready to give aim lsnotLer Fredericksburg re-
%reption. il bsnoasss u4: however, not to re-
Ia: our efforts. Untirins energy a,id' persever.
s,ce are essential to success. A bitter and
willy foe watches or svsry movement, prepar-
ed to take every advantage. Our people have
counted the cost, and have dr,crteined upon
:.dsrendeuce or. ansihilstien; 1t is o,"s to
l.ays nothing undone to secure the object OF
4!,;. Ye.o}n:ion. Never wai the remark more
z,p!icabls. that the price OF liberty 10 ete:nal
zii!iilance. TLe State Legislatures hare no
aniniportant part TO play il this great drama.
They can aid the Confederate government, b!
s,sisling IN clothing tae troops, in repsiiins
the raids of our enem!ea, ana in feeding the
families of our soldiers in ariis. In all inca
sur,s which you, n your %@isdoln, may adopt;
looking to the successful issue Of this great
struggle, you may. gentlemen, rSiy upon my
hearty. desperation:
TIE supplying of slave labor f"r coast de
fences has proved perplexnag. Our energetic
State agent, v nose report is herewith trans
nitteG, hiss done all in his power TO enforce
Ycur acts OIL this sui jec;. But the system
has not furnished al th.lsbor which the press
Ing emergencies at Charleston required. The
Confederate General lett the necessity of i'm
pressing, in September last, additional labor
10 secure the safety Of The city. This action,
/ did net, under the circumstances, hesitate
~ approve. 1t would seem that no system
imposing penalties, is likely to secure eqaa!i
~, and success. The patriotic send their
sl.ves others viii pay, it the foe ia not ton
heavy. or take the chauces Of escape through
the Courts. Much Complaint is made ri the
acknowledgements and trestmehJ of the negroes;
OF their detention 10 violation OF the conir"c:
aud the lay, and thatso many c.:izers iLrn'sh
no labor at all. The first complaint, am
sorr; t.. believe. there is ion ~;datinnfT; hut
the remedy for the evil is %dlthcalt, aud mus
necessarily rest with the Confederate author
;tiss. The second, | have b'e1 gwen to un-
d.rs,a,d arises from lheinabillty OF the Stale
authorities TO fireplace the labor at the cl,d OF
the month. Tue third, is TIE result Of a rad.
zeal defect in the system Itself. Ii LABOR IS
Sill TO be furnished, aud | have noiatimatio,,
that it will not be needed, $50 png os tho
coast is invaded, and there Is need Of it, i;
yu.St. to be furnished the plan which viii
secure the greatest equality, in my. Judgment
is 70 authorize the Governor or State Agent.
or the Confederate General commanding the
dcpartneut, if it is preferred, to impress
enough the Commissioners of Roads, Tor Two
],no.tn,' service, the equal proportion OF every
sl.yei,older, owning more THAI, one road htnd
Nv acuuairlance, for some years past, with
1br oraan:zs.ioa OF these B oards leads me To
hcj;evs that they would !a:r!y and impar:ia!k
discharge the duty, and furnish the labor
nrompt.y. An extension Of the time of ser
vice i recommended, to lessen thc expense OF
transportation, and because every change re
nui, es a new ORGANIZATION, which takes, %lloarr,
ihe better pert Of the first week. Besides, 1t
:, rot the time the bands are kept. Of which
planters complsin, if they are advertised Of
j.. it is their detention, contrary to the under
standing AID their previous arrangements.
Owing TO the disorgauizs'yon of the State
militia. by tie enforeesasnto Of the Conscrlpt
Acts OF Congress up 10 the age of iarty-6ve,
it will require much time to rcorsanizs it, SO
&, to make it 1T all effective. Upon this sub
feet, ! ask yonr a attention to the'Roport OF tie
Adja,art and Inspector General. In the
present condition Of things, a permanent fIrc',
taken by volunteering or BY draft, proporiio =,
ally froa escl. nui:i.ary division Of the State,
Ueuld be much moro eIee:ira. The miioia,
Tor protection agains.raids, caunotb be brought
90 prolnptly,in into tue deid; would not besa.
effective; aud suddenly called out by req
mants, wou!dtake the entire agricultural white
labor of tho particular regiments from ho'ps'
perhaps ct harvest, perhaps at seed-tiale. On
This subject, / beg leave to embody an oxract
from the recent message of@tis patriotic Ex.
~ecutivs Of Georgia.
Snaskias of his two Regiments Of State