The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-08-18
no THE SOLDIERS OF THE COMPEL
ERATF STATES.

After more than two years OF warfare scarceiy
eoualled in the number magnitude, and fearful
carnage of its battles; warfare In Whlch your
oonraoe and fortitude have illustrated your country
.rd attracted not only gratitude at home, but ad
,niration abroad your enemies continue struggle
! in which our final triumph must be inevitable. I'm
dulv elated with their recent successes, they i'm
aoine that temporary reverses can dull your spirit
or shake your determination, and they are now
gathering heavy masses for general invasion In the
vain hope that by desperate effort, success may at
length be reached.
You know too well, my countrymen, what they
mean by success. Their malignant rage aims at
nothing less than the determination of yourselves
your wives and children. They seek to destroy
what they cannot plumber. They propose as the
spells of victory, that your homes shall be part-
Toned among the wretches whose atrOciOus cruel
ties have stamped nfamy on their Government.
They design to incte servc insurrection and hight
the fires of incendiarism wherever they can reach
your homes, and they debaucA the inferior race
hitherto docile and contented, by promising Indul-
gence of the vest passions, the price Of treach-
erv Conscious of their inability to prevail by
legitimate warfare, not daring to make peace lest
they should be hurled from their seats OF power, the
men who now rule in Washington refuse even to
confer on the subject of putting end to outrages
which disgrace age, or to listen to suggestion
for conducting the war according to the usages OF
civilization.
Fellow citizens, alternative is left you but VIC
tory or subiugaton. 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 grasp.it For this end,
all that is necessary is that those who are called to
the field by every motive that can move the human
heart. should promptly repair to the post of duty,
should stand by their comrades now in front of the
foe, and thus stregthen the armies Of the Con-
federacy as to ensure success. The men now alb
sent from their posts would if present in the field
suffice TO create numerical equality between our
force and that of the nvaders-and when with any
approach to such equality have we failed to be VIC
torious! believe that but few of those absent are
aetuaed by unwiliBgneSs to their country but
that many have found it difficult resist the empta-
ton of visit to their homes and the loved ones
from whom they Eave been so long separated; that
others have left for temporary attention to their
affairs with the intention of returning, and then
have shrunk from the consequences of their viola
ton of Duty shat Others again have left their posts
from mere rest,essness and desire of change, each
quoting the upbraidings of his conscience by per-
suading himself that his individual services could
have no influence the general result
These and other (although far less dis
graceful than the desire to avoid danger, to
escape from the sacrifices required by patriotism)
are, nevertheless, gresoiis faults, and place the
cause of beloved country, and of everything we
hold dear, in imminent peril. | repeat that the men
who now owe duty to their country, who have been
called out and have not yet reported for duty, Ga
who have a6sented themselves from their posts,
sufficient in number to secure victory in the
struggle now impending.
I call on you then my countrymen, to hasten to
your camps, In obedience to the dictates OF honor
and of duty. and summon those WHO have absented
themselves without leave, CT who have remained alb
sent beyond the period allowed by their furloughs
to repair without delay to their respective COM
mands. and do hereby declare that grant gen
eral pardon and amnesty to all officers and men
within the Confederacy, now absent without leave,
who shall, with the least possible delay, return to
their proper posts of duty; but excuse will be re-
received for any delay beyond twenty days after the
first publication of this proclamation in the State in
which the absentee may be at the date of the publ
cation. This amnesty and pardon shall extend to
all who have been accused, who have been con-
victed and undergoing sentence for absence
without leave desertion, excepting only those
who have been twice convicted of desertion.
Finally, coniure my countrywomen, the wives.
mothers. sisters and daughters of the Confederacy
to use their ali powerful influence in aid of this
CALL to add growing sacrifice to those which
their patriotism has freely and constantly offered
on their countrys altar, and to take that none
who owe service in the field shall be sheltered at
home from the disgrace of having deserted their
duty to their families to their country and to their
God
Given under my hand, and the Seal of the Con-
federate States, at Richmond this LIST day of Au-
gust, in the year of our Lord thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
CONSCRIPT OFFICE, !