Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1863-12-17
Presidents Message.

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Message. ss
The President reviews the svsnts Of the past
year, remarking that while successes hare
act eqsaied expectations, we have nsvsrthelsss
checked the enemy every where in his advanes.
Our relations with Foreign nation. are dis
cussed a. considerable length. The President
reports that there has been no improvement in
them since h,s Message in JaLusry last, and
that the conduct OF European Ratons 10 less i'm
partial and in some ca.es has assumed sharao-
ter positively untrisndiy. Commissioners
were sent abroad for the purpose Of entering
into negotiations proper to fix the relative rights
and ooiigations of the C,nfedsrats aad United
States, naGer ,bs treatIss entered into with for.
e,gn nations prior to the separation which has
taken place, but this tender on our part has
been declined, hsnss, as we have been refused
the benefit Of those tIsatles, they have certain.
iy ceased to be binding, and 10 the opinion OF
the President our relations with European m.
tioas are now exclusively contr oiled by the gen
ers rules Of nations.
Legislation upon the subject of the Finances
i. earnestly rscon msaded. Although the mag
n;tude and duration OF the not at first
! anticipated, still the resources of the ooantry
are SO ample aad the spirit of the people 20
welded to the cause, that relief is in reach.
The financial policy of the government since
its forlnaton 10 discussed and the President
contends that whilst the provision Of the perma
nent Constitution in reference to direct taxation
cannot be carried into effect in the mode peia.
ted out, It is plain that it 10 the duty Of Con-
e.s to executs the general intent Of the Con.
stituton by making taxation uniform through
out the Confederate Ststss. Thls consideration
is greatly enforced by the reflection that any
attempt TO apportion tax amongst States,
some Of which are wholly or partly in the oc-
cupation Of hostile forcss would subvers the
whole intention Of the far rmsrs Of the Constitu~
tiop, and be productive of the most revolving
Injustice instead ot that just correlation between
taxation and representation which il was thsir
purpose 10 secure. With large portions OF
some Of the States occupied by the enemy, what
justice would there be- in imposing on the r..
.naindsI the whole amount OF taxation of the
State ia proportion TO its representation p
VIVA, else would it thus be in effect than to in.
crease the burden of those who are the heaviest
suffers by the war and make our own inability
tu protect them from Invasion, ~ We are re-
uuired To do by the Constitution, the groun3
for adding to their losses by an attempted ad
hsrsnce to the letter in violation of the spirit
Of that ins,rument2 No such purpose could
have been entertained, aud such result cen.
TEN plated by the farmers of the Constitution.
| w egh, will be added to those considerations
if we reflect that, although the Constitution pre-
yid~d that it snoxld 70 into operation with rep
, resentat,on temporarily distributed amongst
the States it expressly ordains, after providing
for cvnsus within three years, that this tenn
porary distribution of the representative pows
er 10 to endure osly until such an enumeration
shall have been made. Would sny enc argue
? tha. because ,he census canu0t be made within
: the prescribed period, the Government must
at the expiration Of that period perish for was'
. of representative body In any aspect ID
: hch the subject can DO viewed, am led tc
/, the conclusion already announced, and which il
J. understood to be iL accordance with the vote
!. taken in one or both Houses at the last session
8 [ shall, shsr sfors, until able ~ Psrsus
{ the preuise mode required by the Constitstisl
a tdeem it nay duty to approve any law isvyina
taxation, which you are houad to impose fol
the defence of the country, ia any particulsl
mode wh,ch shall distribute the burden uniforn
h Iy and impar TALLY on the whole property Of sh'
h people.
In your former legislation you have sought
j; to avoid an Increase Of the velams Of the nste
: in circuiatcn, by Offering Inducements for vol
|, unsary funding. Msasures adopted for thai
}, pose were but partially successful, and ths
evil has now reached such magoitsds - q
: admit no other remedy than . compulsory re-
ductiou of the currency to the amount requires
by the business of the c,uatry.- This rsdnetlel
should be accom- panied BY pledge that andel
. no sort Of circumstances w.ll that amount p
,, exeseded. No possible mode Of using tn'
!. credit of the gousfEment can b % dssastros'
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