Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-03-03
Address Of the Confederate Com
gress 10 the People OF the
southern states!

New YoRK, February 25.--The address
OF the rebel Congress to the people OF the
Confederate States is published. Ii is very
lengthy Ii says: The course of the Fed
cral Government has proved that il did not
desire peace, and would not consent to it on
any terms that we could possibly conclude.
in proof of this we refer to the repeated re-
lection of all terms of cancellation and COM
promise to their recent contemptuous re-
tusal to receive the Vice President, who was
sent to negotiate for softening the aspertics
of war; and their scornful rejection of the
offer for neutral power to mediate between
the contending parties. The motive of such
strange conduct is obvious: the Republican
party was founded to destroy slavery and
the equality of the States, and Lincoln was
selected as the instrument to accomplish this
object.
ton of this policy, because the Constitu-
ton which was its bond, recognized and
protected slavery and the sovereignty of the
States. The Union must, therefore, be
sacrificed, and to insure its destruction was
determined on. The masses of the North
ern people were not privy to and sympath-
zers in no such design, They loved the Tn
ion and wished to preserve it. To rally the
people to the support Of the war, its object
was proclaimed to be restoration of the
! Union, as if that which implied voluntary
assent of which agreement was an indispen-
sable element and condition, could be pre-
served by coercion.
1t is absurd to pretent that Government
really dcsirous of restoring the Union,
would adopt such measures as the confisca-
ton of private property, the emancipation
Of slaves, systamatlzed efforts to invite them
to instruction, forcible abduction from their
homes, and compulsory enlistment in the
ARMY, the division Of sovereign State
without it's consent and proclamation that
one tenth of the population of State,
and that tenth under military rule, should
r control the wilof the remaining nne-tenths.
| The relation between the two sections under
G such policy, il: that of conquerer and con,
quered, superior and dependent 1t would
hardly be fair to assert that all the North.
: ern people participate in these designs. Or
G the contray, there exists a powerful pollti
, cal party, who openly condemns them. The
Administration have, however, been able
thus far, by its enormous patronage ant
Il its lavish expenditures, to reduce, or by it!
), legions of Hessian mercnarics, to overaw(
the masses, to control the elections, and t,
establish an arbitrary despotism. 1t cal
!, not be possible that this state of things cal
d continue.
The people of the United States, accus
toned to freedom, can not consent to be I'll
= incd and enslaved in order to ruin and en-
slave us. Moral, like physical epidemics
o have their allotted periods, and must soonc
IS or later be exhausted and disappear. Whel
@ reason burns our enemies will probably re
s fleet, that a people like ours, who have ex
hibitcd such capabilities and eXtemporize'
such resources, can ever be subdued; that
r. vast expanse of territory, with such a pop
= ulaton, can not be goverened as an obedi
, ent colony.
Until some evidence is given of chang
II of policy on the part of the Government
II some assurance is received that efforts a
r. negotiation will not be spurncd, the Con
Il gress are of opinion that any direct over
c lures for peace would compromise our sell
y ! respect, be truitless of good, and interpret
!. ed by the enemy as an indication of weak
, ness. We can only repeat the desire of tn
y people for peace, and our readiness to &C
y cept terms consistent with the honor, intcg
!o rity and independence of the States, an
Is compatible with the safety of our domesti
y institutions, We have no alternative bu
'r to do our duty We combat for property
III homes, the honor of ouE wives, the futur
u u of our children, the preservation of our fai
"a land from pollution, to avoid Il doom whic
W we can read both in the threats Of our enc
~ ~ mics and the acts Of oppression we have a
" luded to,
re The situation is grave, but furnishes n
~ lust excuse for dependency. Instead {
T. harsh criticisms ON the Government and OF
/; Generals, instead of bewailing the failui
rvH rather be grateful for the results that hay
III rewarded our labors. Remembering the di
''i proportion in population, in military an
10 naval resources, and the deficiencies of skill
W ed labor in the South, or accomplishment
'o have surpassed those of any people in til
Ut annals of the world. There is no lust reasC
'e for hopelessness or fear.
Since the outbreak of the war the Sout
III has lost the nominal possession Of the Mi
II siSsippi River and fragments Of her territ
~ ry but Federal occupancy is not conqucs
The fires Of patriotism still burn unquencI
ts able in the breasts of those who are subic
'l- to foreign domination. We yet have in o,
oii uninterrupted control territory, which a
IL cording to past progress, willrcquire the e
80 envy ten years TO overcome. The enemy
en- en- debt -- the financial convulsion longpost
" not free from difficulties. With an enormol
III III oned is surelycoming,
an The short grain crops in the Unit
states ana the aDunuant harvest Ill Euru
= will hasten what was otherwise inevitabl
W. Wiu Many saeacious persons at the North d
7 cover III the usurpations Of their Cover
pg ment the certain overthrow of their lib6
eu ties A large number revolt from the u
~ ~ Just war, and would gladly bring it to an en-
oi others look with alarm on the complete su
version of constitutional freedom by Abb
ham Lincoln, and feel in their own pcrso
i the bitterness of the slavery which thr
years of war have failed to infiict upon t
nc South. Brave an earnest mon at the Nor
of have spoken out against the usurpation n
les cruelty daily practiced. The success
70, these men over the radical and despotic ia
its tion which now rules the North, may op
rm the way to peaceful negotiation, and C,
1t sation of this bloody and unnecessary WI
ed In conclusion, we exhort our fellow-ci
es zens to be of good cheer, and spare no lal
nb- nor sacrifices that may be necessary to er
lu- BILE us to win the campaign upon which
asst have lust entered. We have pass
not through great trials of affiiction but suff
aps ing and humiliation are the schoolmast
res that lead nations to selfreliance and I'M
has pendence, We beg that the supplies a
leir resources of the country, which are amp
nal may be sold to the Government, to supp,
but and equip its armies. Let all the spirit
out faction and past party differences be torg
gly ten in the presence of our cruel foe,
Sity
W Cen. S1CkIeS