The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-02-29
Monday Morning, February 20, 1864.
From the N. Y. Ereaing Post.
An Address from the Confederate Con-


An Address from the Confederate Con-
gfess.
Nothing but feeling of utter despair could
have induced the rebel Congress to put forth
the address to the people OF the Confederate
States which we find in a copy OF the Rich
mond Wing of Feb. 20th, now before US. 1t
is so reckless in its assertions of history so
bitter and falsely abusive of the North, so ve-
hement 10 its appeals TO all the prejudices,
the passions and the fears of the people, that
it could have proceeded alone from convic-
tion that the South was getting weary OF the
war and of the cause oft. Men who have agood
causeto support, who aresatisfied with The prin-
Piles on which they act, who are sure OF the
public to which they address themselves, do
not fly into such fit of passion whenever
they speak, as TO fill their mind with hope
less muddle of blunders and blind their very
eyes to the existence around them.
This address processes to be calm review
OF the history OF the contest between the North
and South, but scarcely fact is correctly
stated in regard to that controversy, while ii
is in reality another attempt "to fire the south
ern heart by the grossest exaggeration OF
northern offences, aud the most wiliul misrep-
resentation of northern character. 1t cannot
even present, with entire truthfulness. the
main issue of the contest, without an accom-
paniment of ialsehood. Alleging the causes
that induced the South to separate, it says;
Compelled by long series OF oppressive and ty-
rannica acts, eliminating at last in the selection of
President aud Vice President by party confessed
ly sectional aud hostile TO the South and her nsiiIa.
tons. these States withdrew from the former Iion
and formed new Confederate 5lianee, as an iRac-
ef lab capital. This step taken reluctant
antly, by constrant and after the exhaustion of
cry measure that was likely to secure from inter-
ference with our property equality in the Union, or
exemption from submission 10 an alien G0rersnseRf
Here it is acknowledged that the defence
and protection OF slavery was the single mo-
tive of the revolt ia confesson 10 which We
direct the attention of our copperhead and
English readers), and yet the truth Is mutlled
in talk about "a long series OF oppressive and
tyrannical acts"-acts which cannot be enum-
Grated because they were never done. All the
sectional hostility that ever existed has grown
out of slavery, and the election of Mr.. Lin
coin, as the South well knew, was not an as
sault upon slavery within the States, but
motion In arrest of its extension to the terri
tories.
1t is next proclaimed that after these wrongs
had been perpetrated the South wished TO
withdraw from the Union in perfect peace,
contemplated no war, and was utterly sur
prised TO find the federal government deter
mined TO maintain its rights.
Commencing our new national life under such
would be permitted without m0estatl0n 10 cultivate
the OF peace and ylndicate chosen arena,
and with the selected type Of social characteristics,
claims to civilization. Ii was thought, too by
many that war would not be resorted 10 by an
bghtened country, except on the direst
cessIty. That bpeople, protesting to be animated
BY Christian sentiment and who had regarded our
peculiar Institution blot and blur upon the iar
escutcbeon of their common Christianity should
make war upon the South for doing what they had
perfect right TO 40, aud for relieving them OF the
incubus winch. they proiessed rested npon them by
the associa ion, was deemed almost beyond belief by
many of our wscst minds. These rcasena-
Bile anticpations were doomed TO disappointment.
The red gsars Of ba tfe shaded ar Sumter, dfssi-
pated al hopss Of peace, and NE tro qnrcrnmeats
scsre drrayed ,n hostility against each other. ne
charge fhs t1ar aon TIE Y. s."
Shades of Rhett and Yancey, We who for
thirty years had labored TO "fre the southern
heart" to the due pitch; oh, Floyd and Thomp-
son and Cobb, who used Buchanan's admins
tration to get ready for the battle: oh, FORSYTH
and Lowell, who were promised thirty thou
sand soldiers to help you from this city alone !;
what shall ye say to these most meek, moder-
ate, peace-loving and truly Christian brothers
1t would appear from their narrative, which
has all the sweetness and unction of n dis
course by Aminadab Sleek. that the North
has always been savage, always aggressive. al
ways wariiSe, andalways impervious tot the sng-
gestions of reason, while the soft and gentle
South-unresisting as babe toward its OPP
pressors-tender as a woman to those who
wroDged it--turning to the second cheek with
true Christian patience to the rude creatures
who smote the first, and only anxious to be
let alone, that Ii might cultivate the serene
and useful arts Of peace-has been driven 10
arms with the Observation-Disclosures and only
when further endurance. already too long pro-
tracted, became impossible. The saints that
red glare ut Fort Sumter was not lighted by
nj hut hx-t In
The war having been forced upon the South
the next point relates TO the composition of
the respective armies. 1t is an old story re-
peated: how the Southern host were raised
from the people-men of heroic courage. sub
lime, patriotic devotion, and an intelligent
sense of the needs of disciplne-while ours
were masses OF "hireliDgs, paupeIS, criminals
and emigrants." As representation of the
two armies is two stale and pneriie device
for remark but it has a use, and that is, as
the basis of more astounding representation.
The Southern troops being men OF homer and
conscience, and their officers gentlemen, have
deported themselves during the war with a
high sense OF personal responsibility, with
the incest regard to the decencies Of civilized
warfare, and scrupulous defence to the right
of non-combatants. On the other hand, The
Yankees being mere flends or hyenas, could
do no more than betray their nature in all
their conduct.
The passage is long in which our misdeeds
are described to the people of the Confederate
States, but we feel bound to cite il as an
evidence of the kind of stories that are told
item:
Not content With rejecting all proposals for
peaceful settlement of the controversy, a clu.I war
of invasion was commenced, which, IN its proJre:s
has been marked by such brutality AID dis egsrd of
the rules Of civilized warfare, as sand out in nm
exampied barbarity in the history of modern wars
Accompanied by every act of cruelty aud rspinc.
the ,nduct of the enemy has been sifnie OF That
foroearance aud magnanimity which civilization
a0d Christianity have introduced 10 mitigate tho
aperiiies of war. The atrocities too iucTedib G
for NJ ra ion. Instead of regular war our resis.
tance Of the unholy efforts TO crush out nEtur al
existence is treated as rebellion and the settled
atcrnai NAL rules between beigersais are ignored
Instead of conducting the as betwlxt two mill
tary and political organizations IL is against
the Whole population. Houses are piaged aad
burned. Churches are defaccd. Towns are ian.
eacke1. Ci' thing of women and infan if stripped
f.om their persons. JewelIy and mem,ntoes OF this
dead are stolen. Mills aud implements of agricul.
fure are destroyed. Private salt works are broken
up. The introduction of madicioes 10 forh3daa,