The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1863-09-02
To the People of Louisiana, Texas

e At the invitation of the Lieutenant ener,
y commanding the Trans Mississippi Department
t. we assembled at this place, with several of you
Judges Confederate senators and other distn
guished citizens, to confer with him on the meas
e ures to be taken for the defence of our common
e cause. Those measures we do not paFticularise
as they had best be disclosed by the execution O
e them and by the benefits they must produce Com
Y ing to a thorough understanding with him, the
members OF the conference unanimously sustain
f the vigorous and decided policy he proposes tC
pursue.
!, We will not attempt to disguise the change
in our position by the fall of our strongholds on
the Mississippi river. Interrupting communica-
ton between the two sections of the Confed-
eracy, 1t throws each mainly on its own resources
But the apprehensons of evil from this inter-
ruption have been greatly exaggerated. The
warning given by the fall of New Orleans has not
been UNDECIDED, and the interval since that event
has been used to develop the great resources of
this department. We now are self-dependent,
but also self-sustainining. With our own manu-
factories of cannon, arms, powder, and other
munitions of war, with mines opened and facto-
ries established, with cotton as basis for fnan-
cial measures, and with abundance of food, we
are able to conduct vigorous defence and seize
occasions for offensive operations against the
| enemy. The immense extent of our territory,
the uncertainty of navigation on our rivers, the
EMBELLISHMENTS OF the regions through which
our interior is approached, the difficulties of
| transportation on our roads, present immense
| obstacles to the advance of large armies Of the
enemy, with their CumbrouS trains of luxurious
supplies; small bodies will ANONYMOUSLY fail in
the attempt at our subjugation. To crush even
his largest armies, We relyfon the energy and
skill OF our military commanders, the zeal and
activity OF cur civil authorities, the discipline
and courage of our armies, and the vigorous,
selt-sacrhclng patriotism of our whole people,
There is everything to inyite us to renewed efforts
nothing to justify dependency
We are fortunate III the military chief of this
department. In the prime of life, of large ex-
perience, active, intelligent, and with the pres
tlge OF uniform success in his undertakings, he'll
IS guided by profound respect for law and The
constitutional rights of the citizen. Reposing
full trust III him, we cordially commend him to
your entire confidence and support. In view of
the existing state of our affairs, he has been
clothed with more than usual powers by the
President, to be exercised within the bounds of
the constitution and the law Those Just and
legal powers he may have to exert, promptly |
and boldly, to their fullest extent, for the com
SOOu1 III 81 uOlII VIII ItCcING Tie ZedI
Gus support of every patriot. The entire mill |
tary force and means in this department should
be literally used for our protection whenever
necessary. Some measures may Inconvenience
particular individuals, but we rely on their
patriotism and good sense to produce a cheerful
endurance of the hardShipS to be expected in IA
war for our very existence as a nation.
10 organise and combine, without delay, the
individual efforts OF our citizens, to sustain our
cause, we have formed unoffically,a Committee
OF Public Safety, to be composed of the Execu-
flVes, tor the time being, of the States in this
department. and have selected the Governor of
Missouri as present chairman thereof. By com
mlttees of correspondence and voluntary associa-
lions, IN every parish and county, we hope to
unite all our patriotic citizens in vigorous sup
port of the Confederate and State authorities in
the defence of our families and homes Let
every one rally to the call and promptly perfect
an organization which will fire the southern heart
with renewed enthusiasm ii r3ughout this whole
let a patriotic press and clergy stmu-
late TO eXerton. Under the searching eye of a
whole people aroused to ceaSeess vigilance the /
plots OF secret foes will wither in the bud By t
the wholesome influence, gentle and peaceful but
imposing, OF an organised, all pervading patriotic
public opinion, the respondent will be inspired Y
I
energy the rapacious extotioner learn liberalitv
he selfish trimmer abandon his degrading neu.
ralty, and the vile traitor be cowed into the in
action of despair. @
We address you in the calm language of firm a
confidence in the final triumph of our cause, i
nothing of our peris, exaggerating q
lothing Of our hopes. Ourpowerful and naughty
oes propose not only to coerce us into submits 0
ION but to despol Us of our whole property and \
u9Ject US to every species of ignominy Base t.
$ he who would not continue to contend for our h
lights even when all shall be lost but honor The a
apitalist must be liberal Of his means, the spe-
ulator torego his gains, the straggler hasten to fl
lis regiment, every bodied man hold himself is
n readiness for military service; our women, the
Tory OF our race, tend the loom and even follow fl
he pillow; our boys guard the homes their fathers r;
re defending on the frontier and Western skill ST
nd valor will prepare San Jacinto defeat for II
very invading army that poutes the soil of this tt
apartment. Unsurpassed in courage, intelligence G
nd energy, you have only to arise in your
hight and the enemy will speedily be driven tC
ack. BE true to yourselves, to your past history,
your hopes of the future and bafled foe will CT
lady seek the peace which we war to obtain
The enemy may dismiss all hopes that the 81
estern section OF the Confederacy will seek any
estiny separate from that of our sisters east of
re Mississippi. Attached to the Confederacy e.
y community of race, institutions and interests
aptised in the blood we and they have poured G.
ut together, we desire no new political connec- re
on. Let our eastern Coniederates do their duty:
ese States and our Indian allies will do theirs: NJ
I'D when our joint efforts shall have secured our al
'mmon safety, the remembrance of the danger la
ON temporary cessation of intercourse will US
lly strengthen the ties which bind US together.
In the darkest hours of our history, the pro-
ction extended to US by Almighty God has been
manifest as even to be acknowledged by can HI
d foes. Their victories have been to them as di;