Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-11-12
.Jetf: Davis, Message.

The message of jeff. Davis to the reDei
Congress which assembled on the 18th, has
come to hand. He reviews the campaigns
of the Federal Generals, and deduces the
notable consolation that from our own
statement of facts, the Federal successes
have not been commensurate with the pow
er put forth and the sacrifices incurred, IN
regard to rebel success he Is extremely ret
icent. 1t is plain from. the attention ne
gives the subject of arming slaves, tnae re-
cruiting of the rebel army Is an extremely
urgent matter. Mr.. Davis opposes, In gen.
eral, the arming of negro slaves. He says
he cannot see the propriety or necessity OF
arming slaves, while so many white men
are out of the ranks, and would only drill
such negroes as are already employed In the
Ouartermaster's and Commissary Depart
ments, and fill the places of such by draft
of negroes from planters, and would only
emancipate such as shall have served effi-
ciently with the army. In regard to the
finances, he says the currency has become
so deprecated that Congress must provide
some remedy. The question of foreign rec
ognition or aid is discussed, and Davis in-
forms Congress that there is absolutely no
hope of any help from abroad.
lie gives foreign nations loud and lofty
scolding for lack of sympathy with the
struggling Confederacy, and comforts the
COnfederates with the assurance that the
rebellion must rely solely upon its own re-
sources.
COMMENTS ON THE MESSAGE.
The following is from the Richmond
Whiq of the 9th:
Two propositions are plainly deducible
from the Presidents message, which we
can not for a moment believe he would de-
liberately give his sanction to. First, that
the condition of freedom is so much better
than that of servitude, that it may be be-
slowed as reward. Second, that the Con-
federate Government has the right to ac-
quire possession OF slaves by purchase or
impressment, with compensation, and then
emancipate them without the consent Of
the States-the impressment being even
without the consent of their masters.
The first proposition is reputation Of
the opinion held by the whole South and
large portions of mankind in other coun-
tries, that servitude is hedivinely appoint
ed condition for the highest good of slaves,
and is that condition in which negroes may
attain the highest moral and intellectual
advancement of which they are capable,
and may enjoy most largely of such COM
forts and blessings of life as are suited to
them. OF this we have no doubt, and we
hold that it cruelty deprives the slaves of
the care and guardianship of the master.
If the slave must fight, he should fight for
the blessings he enjoys as slave, and not
for the miseries that attend him if freed.
The second proposition is still more start
ling. 1t is a concession that the Confeder-
ate Government has the power and right to
exterminate slavery by the simple process
of impressing or purchasing all slaves, and
then emancipating them. Lincoln has never
gone so far as this, for in his plan for COM
pensated emancipation, he expressly re-
ferred the question to the States, acknowl-
edging they only could determine it. 1t is
unnecessary to dwell on the subject. We
are perfectly sure the President could never
have designed to have given assent to so
monstrous proposition as this. The null
tiplicity and magnitude of the subjects that
claim his attention furnish sufficient excuse
for the inadvertence of expression and views
from which theories so out of place In
slaveholding community are deducible.
The message is partially reviewed by
The Sentinel which thinks its views are so
clearly and happily presented as to need no
calculations. The Sentinel demands wise
policy and administration of the railroad
system, and urges the building of a road
from Danville to Greensboro, and another
from Danville to Lynchburg, and asks for
a road direct from Richmond to Lynch
burg.
The Dispatch and Enquirer have nothing of
Importance concerning the message.
The EramtneT's views on the negro ques-
tion are similar to The Whig's. 1t says the
adoption of the plan would be concession
to AbOlitionism improper and absurd. In
regard to the Presidents proclamation to
detail all editors, The Examiner says the
Constitution guarantees freedom of the
press, and the President, who is sworn to
support that Constitution, proposes to sub
ject every editor to the caprice of Seddon
or Benjamin.