Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-11-11

mond had resulted 10 success instead OF
failure !; if the vaiour Of the army under
the leadership of its accomplished commas
der had resisted IN vain the Overwhelming
masses which were. on the contrary. DIS
fcisivcly repulsea if we had been colnpeIl-
ed to evacua.e Richmond as well as Atlanta
the Confederacy would haye remained as
erect and dcaart IS ever. Nothing could
have been changed in the purpose Of its
Government, il the indomitable yalor Of its
troops, or in the unqucnchable spirit of its
people. The baffled and disappointed foe
would in vain have scanned the reports OF
your proceedings at so,re rev legislative
scat, 70. any indication that progress had
been made in lis gigantick task Of con-
qnering free people. The truth so patent
10 us must ere long be forced upon the res
iuc.ant Northern mind There arc no vital
oints on the preservation of which the
continued existence of the Confederacy
dcpends There is no military success Of
Ike enemy which can accomplish its des>
truslion. Not the fall of Richmond, no.
Wilmington, nor Charleston. nor Savannah,
nor Mobile, nor all combined, can save the
enemy from the constant and exhaustive
drain of blood and treasure which must
continue until lie shall discover that no
peace is attainaLle unless based on the res
cognition Of Our indefeasibls rights.
Before leaving this subject it is gratify-
ing to assure you that the military supplies
essentially requisite for public defence will
be found, as heretofore, adequate to our
needs; and tina. abundant crops have res
wardcd the labour IF the farmer, and rem
dercd abortivc the inhuman attempt of the
enemy to produce, by devastation, famine
among tn, people.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Ii Is not in my power to- announce any
change in thu conduct Of foreign powers.
No such action has been taken BY the
Christian nations OF Europe as might just
y have been expected from their history.
from the duties imposed BY international
law, and from the claims of humanity. Il
is charitable to attribute their conduct to 90
worse motive than Indifference to the CO :
sequences of a struggle which shakes only
the cpublican portion Of the American
continent: and not to ascribe to design q
course calculated to ensure the prolong tion
of hostilities.
No instance in history is remembered by
me in which nation pretending to exer-
else dominion over another, asserting its
Independence, has been the first to concede
the existence Of such independence. Nc
case can be recalled to my mind in which
neutral powers have failed to set the ex.
ample Of recognising the independence Of
a hation, when satisfied Of the inability Of
its enemy to subvert its Government; and
this, too, in cases where the previous rela.
ton between the contending parties had
been confessedly that Of mother country and
dependent colony; not, as in our case
that of co-equal States united BY Fedora
compact. 1t has ever been considered the
proper function aud duty Of neutral powers
to perform the Office Of judging whether in
point Of fact the nation asserting dominion
is able to make good its pretensions y
force OF arms. and if not. BY recognition Of
the resisting party, to discountenance the
further continuance Of the contest. And
tho reason why this duty is incumbent vn
neutral powers is plainly apparent when VIC
reflect that the pride and passion which
blind the judgment OF the parties to the
conflict cause the continuance of active war
fare and consequent useless slaughter
long after the inevitable result has become
apparent to all not engaged in the strug gle
SO long, therefore as neutral nations fail
by recognition of our independence to an
nounce that, in their judgment, the United
States are unable to reduce the Confederacy
to submission, their conduct will be accepted
by our enemies as tacit encouragement te
continue their efforts, and as an implied as
surance that belief is entertained by neu.
trail nations in the success of their designs.
| A direct stimulus, whether Intentional OF
not, is thus applied to securing a contin-
| nance Of the carnage and devastation which
desolate this continent, and which they pro-
fess deeply to deplore.
The disregard Of this just, humane, and
Christian public duty by the nations of Eu.
rope is the more remarkable from the fact
that authentic expression has long since
been given by the Governments Of both
France and England to the conviction that
the United States are unable to conquer the
Confedcraey. 1t is now more than two
years since the Government Of France an
nounced officially to the Cabinets of London
and st. Petersburg its own conclusion that
the United States were unable to achieve
any decisive military success. In the an
swers sent by those powers no intimaticn Of
q contrary opinion was G. conveyed; and it is
notorious that in speeches, both III and ont
Of Parliament, the members Of Her Bri-
tanick Majesty's Government have not hes
itated to express this conviction in unqual
lifted terms. The denial OF our right I'M
der these circumstances is SO obviously un.
just, and discriminates so unfairly in faysr
Of the United States, that neutrals have
sought to palliate the wrong Of which they
are conscious, by protesting t. consider, in
opposition to notorious truth and to the
known belief of both beligerents, that the
recognition Of our independence would be
va'ueless without their further Intervention
III the struggle; an Intervention Of which
we disclaim thu desire ard mistrust the ad,
vantage. We seek no favour, we wish nc
Intervention, we know ourselves fully COM
petcnt to maintain our own rights and in
dependence against the invaders Of nur