Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-16

Extracts from Governor Letcher's Mes
saEe-He is beIIIcose as overflow IL
ought TO be done.
THE wAR.
It's said we have some men smong Us
who are the advocates Of what they call an
honorable peace, which, when properly in
terpreted, means nothing more nor less
than submission. Il is pleasant 10 know
that the number Of such men is small but
whether large or small, spurn them asyou
would the viper. Men who preach peace
under present circumstances are false to
us and to the Confederscy. It is time
enough 10 speak Of an honorable peace
when Lincoln shall have Withdrawn his
armies from our soil.
e So far we have accomplished
al, nay, more than we could have reason
ably anticipated. We have an army In
the field well appointed and well equipped,
unsurpassed in spirit, unequalled in de-
votion to the cause, Injured to service, dis
ciplined, true and courageous. Our peo-
pie, old and young, male and female, are
Of one mind in their hatred Of the Yankees
and in their determination to separate
from them. Can such people be brought
under tyrants power, and be forced to
submit to a tyrsnt's exsctions2 Can suoh
people be conquered and subjugatedf
NeTerl
EXEMPTIONS IRON SERVICE.
Men who have no right to ask or expect
exemption from active service in the field
are found comfortably snsconsed in the
commissary or quartermaster's depart
ments. or in the lying-in hospitals, pre-
pared by the nitre and mining bureau,
which has scattered its operations over the
/ whole face Of the State. All these places
could be filed, with infinitely more sdvan-
tsRe and profit to the Confedsracy, by men
of age, experience and mRtured judgment,
Who are beyond the military age and unfit
for service, Young men, in too many in
stances, hold such positions, and Justice
demands that they should be in their sP-
propriate places in the field.
REuHIoz AND RECONSTRUCTION.
Reunion and reconstruction are but
synonyms for submission. The man who
can assent to reunion or reoonstruction is
un worthy to enjoy the blessings Of liberty
and free principles, and deserves to suffer
the horrors Of subjugstion st the hands Of
our vandal enemies. They have already
proclaimed the purpose to strip US Of al
our slave property; and as far as this pur-
pose could be accomplished by them they
have removed it, in common with every
other species of property. They have des-
troyed our dwellings, devastated oul
lands, and svowed their purpose to starv'
us into submission. They have omitted nc
opportunity TO wreak their vengeance upor
unofending women and innocent children
As friends and advocates Of liberty, in
dependence, and the principles Of fre'
government, our Judgments, our feeling
all the nobler impulses Of our nature-
rebel against the ides Of union and recon
str1etion. Every blow struck by our enc
nv since this cruel War began has onl.
intensified the more deeply our hatred to
wards them, and has widened and deepene
the gulf between US and them. We ar
| now separated, and the public sentimen
of Virginia and the States Of the Confede
rsoy is that we shall remain IS we srG
II we are to form a union with any pee
ple, let it be with some nation Of high
toned honor and elevated principles.
The indications sdnOnish US that thi
. war may continue for some time to CONT
and that we shall be compelled 10 eDdur
much. 1t behooves us, therefore, to be pa
tient firm, and energetic, self-sacrihcin
and determined, and TO omit nothing ca
} culsted to aid in securing success. Tn
ocossion, the cause, and the hopes sn
expectations which success inspires, OF
peal to all to redouble their exertions an
energies.
SUBSTITUTES.
, TvLov {b;s nav oaumennad I was nT
posed 70 the substitute system. and m
ttUu 10 my WTsn5B anu WE'VE, II was Gdo[
ted by the Stste and Confederate suthori
| tina Gnhaiitrtas hnra haan tnndarnd an