Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-12-11
5enli- 4ferkIq Stan1urA.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To the Senate and RouSs of Representatives.
oT tba Gon fsder1ts States

the important events that have marked the interval
since your adjournment, and my desire to have the
aid of your counsel other matters of grave public
interest, render your presence at this time more
than ordinarily welcome Indeed, but for serious
obstacles to convoking you in extraordinary session.
and the necessity for my own temporary absence
from the seat of government would have invited
you to an earlier meeting than that fixed at the date
of your adjournment
Grave reverses befell our arms after your
departure FROM Richmond. Early in July, our
strongholds at Fisksburg and Port Hudson, togeth-
er with their entire garriSons, cap tulated to the
combined land and naval forces of the enemy. The
important interior position Of jackson next fell into
their temporary possession. Our unsuccessful as
sault on the post at Helena, followed at later
period by the invasion of Arkansas and the retreat
Of our army from Little Rock, gave to the enemy
the control Of the important valley in which it is
situated.
The resoute spirit of the people soon rose supe-
rior to the temporary dependency naturally result
ing from these reverseS. The gallant troops so ably
commanded in the States beyond the Mississippi, in
ficted repeated defeats on the invading armies III
Louisiana and on the coast of Texas. DetachmentS
of troops and active bodies of Iartsans Kept up so
effective on the Mississippi river as practically
to destroy its value avenue of commerce.
The determined and successful defence Of Charles
ton against the joint land and naval operations OF
the enemy afforded an inspiring example of cur abil-
ty to repel the attacks of the iron clad fleet on
which they chiefly rely; while on the northern FROM
tier our success was still more marked.
The able commander who conducted the cam
paign in Virginia determined meet the thLeaten-
ed advance on Richmond, for which the enemy had
made long and costly preparations by forcing their
armies to cross the Potomac and fight in defence of
their own capital and homes. Transferring the bat
tie field to their soil, he succeeded in compel
ling their rapid retreat from Virginia, and in the
hard fought battle Of Gettysburg inflicted such Sc
verify Of punishment disabled then from early
renewal OF the campaign as originally projected
Unfortunately, the communications on which
general relied for receiving his supplies of munitions,
were interrupted by extraordinary foods, which SO
swelled the Potomac as to render impossible the
fordS by which his advance had been made, and he
was thus forced to a withdrawal, which was con-
Quoted with deliberation, after securing large trans
Of captured supplies, and with constant and IN
accepted tender of battle On more than one occa-
sion the enemy has since made demonstrations of a
purpose to advance, invariably followed by precip-
tate retreat to entrenched lines on the approach Of
our forces.
The effective check thus opposed to the advance
IF the invaders at all points, such as to afford
hope of their early expulsion from portions of the
territory previously Occupied by them, when the
country painfully surprised by the intelligence
that the officer in command of Cumberland Gap had
surrendered that important and easily deCeHSible
lass without firing Of shot, upon the summons Of
u force still believed to have been inadequate to Its
reduction, and when reinforcements were within
supporting distance and had been ordered to his aid.
The entire garrison, including the commander being
still held prisoners by the enemy, am unable to
suggest any explanation of this disaster, which laid
open East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia to
hostile operations, and broke the line of commun
cation between the seat of government and Middle
Tennessee
This easy success of the enemy was followed by
an advance of General RoSecrans into Georgia, and
our army evacuated Chattanooga and avalled itself
Of the opportunity thus afforded of winning on the
field of Chickamauga one of the most brilliant and
decisive victories of the war. This signal defeat of
General Rosecrans was followed by his retreat into
chattanooga, where his imperilled position had the
nmedate effect OF relieving the pressure of the in
, lsion at other points forcing the concentration
f':r his relief of large bodies of troops Withdrawn
rom the armies in the Mississippi Valley and in
Northern Virginia. The combined forces thus &C.
lmulated against US in Tennessee so greatly out
numbered our army as to encourage the enemy to
attack. After long and severe battle in which
great carnage was inflicted on him, some Of our
troops ineXplicably abandoned position of great
trength and by disorderly retreat compelled the
,.ommander to withdraw the forces elsewhere sue
ossful, and finally to retire with his whole army
10 positions twenty or thirty miles to the rear
1t is believed that if the troops yielded to the
ssault had fought with the valSr which they had
displayed on previous occasions, and which was
manifested in this battle on the other parts of the
line, the enemy would have been repulSed with very
great slaughter and our country would have
escaped the misfortune, and the army the NORTH
cation of the first defeat that has resulted from mis-
conduct by the troops. In the meantime, the army
Of General Burnside driven from all its field po
>tions in Eastern Tennessee, and forced to retreat
into its entertainments at Knoxville where for
b me weeks, it was threatened with capture by the
forces under General LoDgstreet.. No information
las reached of the final result of the operations
IT our commander, though intelligence has arrived
Gt his withdrawal'fro that place.
While therefore, success in driving the enc
Iy from soil has not equalled the expectations
confidently entertained at the commencement OF the
.mpagn, his progress has been checked If we
forced to regret losses in Tennessee and Arkan
rs, We not without ground for congratuation
en- success in Louisiana and Texas. On the sea
coast he is exhausted by vain efforts to capture our
ports while on the northern frontier he has in turn
ct the pressure and breads the renewal of INVASION
The indomitable courage and perseverance of the
PEOPLE in the defence of their homes have been no
bly, attested by the unanimity with which the Leg
islatures of Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia
lave recently given expression to the popular sem
fiment; and like manifestations may be anticipated
from all the States. Whatever obstinacy may be
displayed by the enemy, in his desperate sacri-
fees of money, life, and liberty in the hope of
auslaving US, the experience of mankind has too
ronclusivey shown the superior endurance of those
who fight for home liberty and independence to per-
hit any doubt Of tue result.
FINANCES
The state of the public finances is such as to de.
rand your earliest and most earnest attention.
Iced hardly sag that prompt and efficacious
sdy for the present condition Of the currency is
necessary to the successful performance of the
functions of government Fortunately, the re-
of our country ample, and the spirit
If our people devoted to its cause, that they are
is thus entirely within our reach, if we have the
wisdom to legslate in such a manner as to render
available the means at our disposal
At the commencement of the war, we were far
from anticipating the magnitude and duration oil
the strugglein which we were engaged. The most
sagacious foresight could not have predicted that
the passions of the Northern people would lead
kIiniIu To. &C I:E. =