Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-08-12

ITO THE SOLDIERS or THE COkFED-
i ERATE sTATEs..After more than two years of .
warfare scarcely equalled in the number maSntuds and
fearful carnsgeof its battles; . warfare in which your
courage and fortude have usrsted your country and
attracted not only gratitude at home Lus admiration
abroad your enemies continue struggle in which our
final triumph must be inevitable Uuday esasd WITH shor
recent successes they imagine that temporary
que your spirit shake your determination and they
the vain hope that by desperate effort success may at
length be reached.
You know too WE'LL my countrymeu, what they mean by
the determination Of yourselves your wives ana children
They seek to destroy what they cannot plunder They
propose as the spos Of victory that your homes shall be
have stamped nfamy on their government They design
to incte serve nsurrecton and light the fires Of ,ncen.
diarsm whenever they can reach your homes and hey
debauch the inferior race hitherto doce and conrented
by promising indulgence of the vest passions as the price
of teachery Conscious of their inability to prevail by
legitimate warfare not daring to make peace est they
now rule in Washington refuse to confer on the sub
ect OF putting an end to which disgrace age
or to listen suggestion for conducting the war Accord
ing to the usages of civilization -
Fe0w-czens, alternative is left you but victory or
subugaton slavery and the utter ruin Of yourselves your
families and your country The victory is within your
reach You need but stretch forth your hands to prssn IT,
For this and all that is necessary that those ara
called TO the field by every motive that move the hu-
man heart should promptly repair to the post of duty
should stand by their comrades In front of the foe
aud thus strengthen the armies of the Confederacy as
to ensure The absent from their posts
would present in the field suffice to create numerical
equality between force and that Of the invaders aud
when with any approach to such equality have W. failed
to be vctoriouss believe that but few of those absets
are actuaed by unwlngnes their country: but
that many lave found it difficult to resist the temntaton
OF visit to their homes and the loved from whom
they have been so long separated others have left for
temporary attention their affairs with fhe intention of
returning and then have shuuk from the consequences of
their violation of duy that others again have lett their
posts from mere and desire of change each
quIetng the upbaidngs Of bis conscience by peruupv
himself that his individual services could have influence
on the general result
These and other athough far less dgrace u than
the desire to avoid danger escape from the sacrifices
required by parotism nevertheless grevous faults
aud place the Of our beloved country and of
thing we hold dear, in imminent peril. repeat that the
called out and have not yet reported for duty or have
absented themselves from their posts arc suf ient in
number to secure US victory in the struggle psud
ing.
call ydu then, my couutrymen to hasten to vour
camps in obedience to the dictates of honor and f duty
and summon those who have absented themselves without
leave who have remained absent beyond the period allow.
ed by their furioughs to repsr without delay to their
respective commands and do hereby declare thar grant
general pardon and amnesty to all officers and men with.
IN tne Confederacy now absent without leave who SHALL
with the least possible delay return to their proer posts
Of duty but will be received for sny delay be-
yend twenty days afe the first publication of this procls.
nation in the State in which the absentee may be at the
date OF the publication This amnesty and pardon shall
extend to all who have been accused who have been
snd undergoing sentence for absence without
leave or deserton excepting only those who have been
twice convicted of desertion.
Finally, conure my countrywomen-the wives moth
apoweru influence in aid of this CALL to add one crown.
ing sacrifice to those which their patriotism has so freely
and constantly offered on their eountrs altar and 10
sheltered at home from the disgrace Of having deserted
their duty to their families to their country and to their
God
s"se'a Given under my hand and the Seal of the Con-
SEAL federate States, at Richmond this st dsy of Iuv
ust in the year of Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty.three.
JEFFERSON DAVIS
By the President:
J.P. BENJAMIN .-,--.
Secretary Of State.
August 1858. a. 6&-w&swlt
The papers throughout the Confederate States are
requested TO copy this proclamation the earliest
and for twenty days thereafter and send their bills to he
D.