Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-03-16
Confederate Congress.

TO the production OF provisions in the coun it
try. The enemy have no hope Of .chipping r.
the South into submission, but their strong ?
card now IS, to stGrre US into terms. To this e
end they are destroy ing implements Of huS- |,
bandry in Tennessee, Kentucky and other il
States where they have possession, and re- :
fusing to allow any hut Lincolnites to Guilt /,
vate their farms.s Let every one read the =
following, and then resolve to plant more $
corn, peas, potatoes and such things han 7
they ever did, and nothing else |
Mr.. Maxwell of Florida. Introduced into
the Senate the following preamble and reso
lutions
Whereas, n strong impression prevails
throughout the country, that the war now
being waged against the people Of the Con-
federate States may terminate during the
present year; and whereas this impression
is leading many patriotic citizens to engage
largely In the production of cotton and to-
bacco, which they would not 9TH rwise do
and whereas, in the opinion of Congress it
is of the utmost importance not only with a
view to the proper subsistence Of our armies
but for the interest and welfare of ali the
people, that the. Agricultural labor of the
country should be employed chiefly in the
production of a supply of food to meet eve
Ty contingency. therefore, |
- Resolved by the Consr of the Con
fd tie States Of America, That it is the
del 'erate judgment of Congress that. the
peoLl1 of these States, while hoping for
peace, should look to prolonged war as the
only condition profered by the enemy, sh Jrt
Of subjugation and every preparation ne
cessary to encounter such a war should be
persisted in; and that the amplest supply Of
provisions for armies and people, should be
Tho FIRST object of all agriculturists there
/ t is earnestly recommended that the
people, instead of planting cotton and tobac-
CO shall direct their agricultural labor main
ly to the production Of such crops as will
insure an efficiency of food to all classes and
for every emergency, thereby with true pat
riotism, subordinating the hope of gain to
the certain good of the country.
I'd. Resolved, That the President is here
by requested to issue a proclamation to the
people of these States, urging upon taem
the necessity. of guarding against the great
perils of a short crop of provisions, and set
ting forth such reasons therefor as his judg.
ment may dictate.
Mr.. Maxwell in a few remarks, spoke OF
the great danger to the Confederacy from a
scarcity of provisions, and urged that much
good would be effected by q proclamation Of
the President in pursuance of the resolutions.
I10 MAS " Il llC utllOC VI ilO Ilhu'
there were hopesof peace by the interventioE
offoreign powers. Everywhere on the horizon
he could see nothing but war and prepare
tons for war.
Mr.. Yancey highly approved the resolu-
tons and hoped the yeas and nays would b'
taken on their adoption, because the weigh
of the unanimous vote Of the Senate nigh
have a beneficial influence upon the coun,
try. He believed that our enemies wer
more hopeful of the war now than they wer
six months ago, and one chief cause of thi
revival of hope was the condition of on
country because Of the scarcity of provis
ions. There were but slim hopes of foreig'
intervention while the yankees held so muc
of our territory. Il should be kept befor
the people that our enemies were conducting
the war upon the plan of starving US out
They were laying waste the country wher
ever they got possession, destroying the ag
ricultural implements, burning the barns an
destroying the stock. Should our armies !
the spi ing campaign succeed in driving til
enemy from any of our territory, that coun
try, having been utterly devastated, will al
nothing to our supply of provisions. On h
own plantation he had ordered that not onl
no cotton should be planted, but that lane
hitherto allowed 10 lie waste should be p'
in crops which would afford subsistence Il
men or beasts. He was glad to be able
say that the disposition in Alabama to plal
cotton, even in defiance of the law of tht
State, which had manifested itself when Il
signs pointed to a speedy peace, was no
giving way before the prospect OF a loI
To Paonnt lettarS informed him that Il