Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1864-11-17
s* MESSAGE
OF
PRESIDENT DAVIS.

PRESIDENT DAVIS.
To the Senate and House OF Representa-
tiyss OF tie Confederate States Of Amer
ica:
It is with satisfaction that / welcome
rour presence at an earlier day than that
,,.nxl for yonr session, and with confidence
that invoke the aid OF your counsels at
a time of such public exigency. The cam
naiyn which was commenced almost sims
ultaneously with your session ,early III Ii ay
last and which was still in progress at your
adournment in the middle OF June, has not
vet reached its close It has been prose
cpted on scale and with an energy here
to}ora uneouated. When we revert to
the condition of onr country at the incep-
ton of the operations Of the present year,
70 the magnitude of the preparations made
by the enemy, the number OF bis forces,
/ the xcenmul alton of his warlke supplies,
and the prodlgality with which his vas.
resources have been lavished In the at
tempt to render success assured when
we contras, the numbers and means at our
disposal for resistance, and wheu we con.
template the results of a struggle appar-
sntly so un~qual, we cannot fan, while
rendering the full need Of deserved praise
to our generals and soldiers, to perceive
that 4 power higher than man has wllied
our deliverance, and gratefully TO recog
nixe the protection of kind Providence
in enabling us successfully to Withstand
the utmost efforts of the enemy for our
subi iugasion.
At the beginning of the year the State
of Texas was partially In possession OF The
ena.uy, and large portions OF Louisiana
and Arkansas lay apparently defenceless.
Of the Federal soldiers who invaded lex
as, none areaknown to remain except as
prisoners OF war In northwestern Louis
lana, q large and we'll appointed army, ard
ed by u powerful feet, was repeatedly de-
fested and deemed itself fortunate in tinaI-
~ escaping with loss of one-third a,s
numbers, 4 large part OF iis military trains
and many transports aud ganboats. The
enemy,s occupation of that Stateis reduced
to the nsrrow district commanded by the
gans OF his heet. Arkansas has been re-
covered with the exception of a few forti-
fed posts, while our forces nave penetrah-
ed int, central Missouri, affording to onr
oppressed brethren in that State All oppor-
tunity. of which many nave availed them
selves, ofstriking for liberation from the
tyranny TO which they have been subjects
ed. ssssss9 q a ts@ssass. ss ae.S
On the east of tie Mississippi, in spite
of some reverses, we have much cause for
generalization. The enemy hoped 10 eft
feet, during the present year, by concen-
tration Of his forces, the conquest which
he had previously failed to accomplish by
moro extended operations Compelled
therefore, to withdraw or seriously to
weaken the strength Of the armies of oc-
cupation at different points, he has afford :
ed US the opportunity OF recovering pos
session Of extensive districts ofzonr4 terri
tory. Nearly the whole eof1northwestern
Mississippi, of northern Alabama, and OF
Western Tennesses are again In eur pos
session and all attem2tsto to penetrate from
the Coast line into the interior Of the At
). lsntic and Gulf States have been baHed.
On the entire ocean and gulf coast Of Tie
oonfederacy, the whole success Of the zen.
eny, With the enormous naval resources
1t his command, has been limited to the
Capture OF the outer defencess of Mobile
s. ~ ~ s essssss So W 49,
.nwenow tarnfsta the resnltst accom-
pasaed BY the two greatarniss, 90 aconh