Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-30
Sf(tstellaneous.
ADDRESS OF JEFF. DAVIS.


In compliance with the request of Con-
gress, contained in the resolutions passed
on the fourth day of the present month,
invoke your attention to the present
condition and future prospects of our
country, and to the duties which patriot
ism imposes on us all during this great
struggle for our homes and our liberties.
These resolutions are in the following
language:
Here follow sundry resolutions passed
by the rebel Congress, requesting Mr..
Davis to issue an address.
Fully concurring in the views thus ex-
pressed by Congress, confidently appeal
to your love of country fer aid in carry
ing into effect the recommendation OF
your Senators and Representatives. We
have reached the close of the second year
of the war, and may point with just pride
to the history of our young Contederacy
Alone, unaded, we have met and over
thrown the most formidable combinations
Of naval and military ornaments that the
lust of conquest ever gathered together for
the conquest of a free people. We be-
gan this struggle without single gun
aaoat, while the resources of our enemy
enabled them to gather fleets which, ac-
cording to their official list, published in
August last, consisted of four hundred
and thirty seven vessels, measuring eight
hundred and forty thousand and eighty
six tons, and carrying three thousand and
twenty-siX guns, yet we have captured
sunk, and destroyed a number of these
vessels, including two large frigates and
one steam sloop of-war, while four oi
their captured steam gunboats are now in
our possession, adding to the strength Of
our little navy, which is rapidly gaining
in numbers and efficiency.
To oppose invading forces composed
of levies which have already exceele ed
thirteen hundred thousand men, we had
no resources but the unconquerable valor
of people determined to be free, and we
were so destitute Of military supplies that
| tens of thousands of our citizens were re-
luctantly refused admission into the ser.
vice from our inability to furnish them
arms, while for many months the. contin-
uation of some of our strongholds owed
their safety chiefly to careful conceal
ment OF the fact that we were without a
supply of powder for our cannon.
Your devotion and patriotism have tri,
umphed over all these obstacles, and call
ed into existence munitions of war, clio
thing, and the subsistence which hav,
enabled our soldiers to illustrate thei
valor on numerous battle fields, and tt
inflict crushing defeats on successive ar
mics, each Of which our arrogant foe fond
ly imagined to be invincible.
The contrast between our past ant
present condition is well calculated to in
spire full confidence in the triumph of on
arms. AT no previous period of the wal
have our forces been SO numerous, so wei
organized, and so thoroughly disciplined
armed, and equipped, as at present. Th'
season of high water, on which our enc
mics relied to enable their fleets Of gun
boats to penetrate our country and de
vastate our homes, is fast passing away
but our strongholds on the Mississippi
still bid defiance to the foe, and month
OF costly preparation for their reduction
have been spent in vain. Disaster ha
been the result of their every effort t.
storm Vicksburg and Port Hudson, al
well as every attack on our batteries ol
Red River, the Talahatchie, and othe
navigable streams. Within few weeks
the falling waters and increasing heats o
the summer will complete their discom
future, and compel their baffled and de
feated forces to an abandonment Of thei
expedition, on which was based thei
/. chief hspe of success in affecting our sub
jugation.
We must not forget, however, that tn
war is not yet ended and that we are still
confronted 10y powerful armies and threat
ened by numerous fleets, and that tn
government that controls those fleets an
armies is driven to most desperate ef
fort to effect the unholy purpose in whic
it has thus far been defeated. 1t will us
its utmost energy to avert the impending
doom so fully merited by the atrocities
has committed, the savage barbaritie
which it has encouraged, and the crown
ing attempt to excite a servile population
, to the massacre Of our wives, our daugh
ters, and our helpless children. Wit
such q contest before us, there is but on
danger which the poyernment of von