Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-20
ADDRESS OF CONGRESS
10 TEE PEOPLE OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES


vr,s, your Representatives desm /. a. occasion to
Give s5ne account Of their Stewardship 10 review
briefly what. under such eBbsrrasmonts and adverse
circumstances has been accomplished; 10 invite attn'
ton TO the prospect before and shs duties incuno'ns
on every ciiusn in this eriss aid to address sscn
words Of COUNSEL and sRsOuragtnSAt a. the times de-
mGnd.
Coppslled by long ssIiss OF oppressive ana yfaonI
cal sebi euInnaDg st last 10 the selection OF rrs'
dent and Wee President by party coatsHedlJ sac
tonsI aud kos,s to he Sou and her 1stuton' these
States Withdrew from the former UuiOn, aud formed
new Conf d,rats alliance, as independent Govern
sns bsEsd the proper relations OF l'bor and c'Pi'
tel Tais step wai tSksn reluctantly BY consran, aud
after She exhaustion Of SV:ry measure thas VISA E.J TO
sseure ~ from Bsrsssnss With pTopsFty, equality
10 The UaioD or exemption nom Eaom!Ssan to 81
alien governments. The Southern States claimed on
" ue unrsstrcsed enjoy mon; OF the rights guaranteed
by the Constitution. Ending, by painful and protrsos-
ed experience that this peristenty denied, we oe
tertniaed 10 separate from those enemies, Who had
NANTES ed the inclination s1d ability TO impoyesh aud
destroy u.s. We tel back upon the right for which the
colonies msinianed the Of the revolution aud which
our herOc foreatheis asserted 20 be clear and naen-
able The unsoimty and R9sl with which the sepaTA-
ton was undertaken and perfected fndl no parallel IN
history Tie people rose ." maze to assert their osr
lies Had pro,eos thtir msnsosd rights. There never
ss before such uniVersAilJ OF CONVICTION, among Ruy
people on any question involving SO serious and 60
thorough a changs oil political and international rela-
ous This grew Gus OF the cearness o; the pgat 50 10
act and the certainty Of the per Of tarth'r
With the North. The charge was so Wonderful 80 RAPID,
20 contrary to universal history thai many tal 10 sec
that all ss been done in the logical requence of pFins
p.eF Gu are tho hg5es. testimony 70 the wisdom OF
our athess and the best Illustration Of the cvrrecneIs
OF those principles Tais Government is child OF law
esesd OF ssdton, Of right instead OF vclence, OF 90
Liberation instead OF ineurreclon. La early life vas
tended by no anarchy, no rebellion, suspension Of
authority, no social dsordera laWless disturbances
Sovereignty was not for moment in abeyanoe The ut
most conservatism marked every proceeding and public
ac Tee object vas $50 do WhG5 was necessary and no
more ard % do that with the utmos. temperance and
prudeEcsn ST. Just, in his report to the Con venon Of
France in l7pS said "a people has bus one dangerous
eaemy, and thai In 0OTsrnusnL" We adopt No such
sbsuroty. Ia nearly every Inst,noo, the fr.I steps
Wsro taken legally, in accordance with vii and pro-
scribed direction OF tie constituted authorities of she
Eoed.d aos We we're not RENTED 10 brute force
natural law the nltncI u reason. Tao charters OF
freedom we're scrupuOusy preserved. Az in The Bog
iish Revelation OF 1883 sad cas- OF l7f6 there was
material alteration in Jbe l-Ws beyond what nsoss
ry TO redreIs Ehe abuses that provoked the struggle
No atsnps was made 10 build spsoidtss iLoiples
The Effort was s9nR1ed within the limits Of
historical and oOnItit1scnSl light The controversy
turned Oh he records and munimena OF the past. We
merely Fess cd innovation and tyranny and commended
for oar brth-tghts ard the coVenLnted principles OF
our race We have rad our Governors, General Az
semblies and COurts the same rscorp, The some
porao: D. 'Ihe sIas rules for property the sams sub
ordinations the same order the Law and in the
eistracy." When the sovereign States mes in council
thsy in truth and ABBA Ance, and in constitutional
light did not make, bu! prevented reVouios.
Conner eng our national life under such crSum-
stances We had right TO sIpsct Chat would be psr
mttsd yitheu! moesIRsiol, 90 cultivate The arts OF
peace; an vndieatS chosen and with the
elected type CT social oh.Taclsrst os oar Claims TO
ciyilEltiop l. was thought, too, by many taIt war
would not b. resoTLSd TO b. an enlightened county,
II sp. on the dres. necessity. Ta4t people, profss
sing % b9 animated b. Christian sentiment and who
had re ard car psculsr Institution bio; aud hlur
upoa tie .G sscuoheoa OF ter common OhHs;iADiy,
hould make var ufon The scu!h for doiDg EhAS
tney bad perfect tishG - 90, aud Tor relieving than
Of hs ueubls WHICH they proiOe6, res.st upon ;hsm
by SIC association dstasa slo.. beyond 05isf by
many OF our wSesE uGs. L. toped, tso thss the
obvious interest OF the tWo sect0n would estran the
d eusT of e1c;terenI and Iurn II III peaceful chan
nelG tbs thoIgh's of hoso Sho hSd sut recently beSa
N vested win power in Ihs Unitsd SGstes
Tbess rss,o G5s a. topS;ions were GO0mei to dsap-
u,intcent The req Gs OF basae, kiniled a. Samer
ioA;ed s opss Of pezca, aud tno H90 Governments
were srraY cd 10 cos.y g.inss escl bar W. shaTfs
the rsspoRsibilitg of thjS car P9n the VHi!sd state
Tnsy arc accountable Tor TIC b Qua AID and ruin
H. has c.us.d For sueh war no Wers nos prepared
Tn. rrsuo in mrlArJ resozloSs between our SCENES
and crrgeYsa tue advantages possessed 10 The
o,oaais, d rsonineFJ Of established sote nment;
20 et.uTnayy; the nucleus OF army; crsds aoI DAD
and III i.Atls ise ties mechanica! aud uisctung
n W,r DlAcsd tnem - Ihe Tan'sSo grould.p Ia Gus
taf.po, ". Esre ailncG: Ee4mks or solder without
-krv. ~ ND iii - IN a.
ace M he amIJ Of nztipDs, without sx:ernti COM
20 rec Whous Iotssn oseslt, with tie lad OF the
golj against as Wits We we're wtc4as insautIcSul-
inc liisz 10 Gupply Whs porss WSre rl0ckG
ded; We bad 10 grsppis via Elea: adScHaIy, defend
600 mites OF sJGst md a. inland iiontes Of equal
axtspt l. We had GuocSeds1 in pSsESlGiDg kDy sue
cesss or Ibs part OF our snsmy il would have been
miracle. What We tGys accomplished, vish pop1la-
dion 40 inferior in numbers aud vastly Cit pc-
port ems w. has sxoi!sd shs oniShC and sdni
Of The world.
The war in which We are engaged waa wjoksdly, and
against all our protests AMI most CfSrts 10 he
contrary fOFcsd upon NJ Sou h Carolina ssnt Z COM
mission to Washington sea,s eli qacs iona OF dispute
between nee and ths UJii.d So "a 0le OF the frat
acts OF the Provisional Governments WaI TO Gceredit
agents 10 visit Washington and uss all honorable
20 obtain satisfactory settlement Of al questions OF
dispute with thA. GOTarlmsat Both enjitl failed.
O,um gsoners we're deceived AMI rnise ed and olan-
desins cut vigorou, preparations male Tor yer.
In proportion TO our perseVsTaroo and anxiety have
been TIE o5snAoy AID arrogance in Ipsrngg os.s of
peace Il seemI we be indebted for nothing TO tue
virtues OF our onemeJ. We are obliged 80 his vices,
which have enured to,OuE strength We owe az much
10 his i0solsnce and blindness as to our vrecsut
TIE wager Ct bste having bSen ;eEdered it was az
cep,ed The eiscrliy " th Whiol our people hsw TO
arm,is worthy Of al praise. Tber deeds of heroic
daring patient endurance, ready submssoa to diseip
llne and numerous victories, in keeping with the
ervent patriosm hss promp ed their early volunteer
ing Ont, recently scores OF regiments have reenlsted
for the war, ts.tayilg their dslermlAon to fg1s until
their bertes we're achieved. Coupled With and can
ribung greatly TO this husssc ard0r, the lofty
courage, tho noomi able resolve the ss!dsnyig spirit
OF our noble women Who by their sboFs Of lore their
pat OF hope their uLfn hing oonsaucy, thelr
complaining submission to psiTshons OF the war, have
she'd an imnortll lusre upon their sex and county
Our army is no hreling soliiery. l. Gomez from
rannara -nriminLlI or .migrnk d. Is naa originnH