Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-02-23
A,pDn,uno Enqu1rer.
MONDAY MORNING, FEB. g, 1864.
rUE ADDRESS OF rHs CONGRESS.
RYTYLER Il ALLEGRE.

~uE ADDRESS OF THE COMPRESS.
The frat Congress Of the Confederate States
closed It's labors with the excellent and elo-
os n; a:iress which we have already laid be-
sors cur readers. AS State papor, review
inc sad explaining the history of the origin
and progress Of the WAT, it is most excellent in
;,s tone, facts and language. lndulg'ng IN
uO speculative reasoning, but oonhning itself
% an array Of facts aud circumstances too re"
cent to admit Of question, Gnd too patent to
admit Of denial, the address appeals to the
,hor, past for the full and complete justifea-
ton Of all that the Confederate authorities
hacs done.
if he purposes and objects Of men arc to be
;s,racd from their acts, the design and de-
:e;ni,a'i to bring about war ia too plain
u marked in the course and conduct of the
3lack Republican party, to admit OF denial or
ar,uueur. And since tho -perpetuat1on OF
their newly acquired power was dependent
entirely upon the destruction Of the Demo-
,,atic vo;e Of the Southern States, we see the
-,,t,ve however low aud moan it may be, for
toe uno,n,pramising spirit ev;uced BY the ko-
oqbli,an leaders in the opening acts OF this
,,z;ckel drama I: was necessary 70 the con-
,;rus7so O: that party in power, that tie
s,,;hern States should be driven to some act
# opsn hostility. 70 accomplish this purpose,
,be utmost deception and dupicity was prao-
,icei during the harmless and bseodless Siege
Of Sumter: and to arouse the pride and passion
Of the people of the United States they fo'''d
an attach upon that fort By al attempt to rein
force its garrison. Rejecting every overture
Of peace war alone would satisfy the Wa'h-
inr,on Government because war only would
F.c.ua!iy divide and destroy the Democrats
par,r. Such deliberate ruin of great and
powerful ra:ion, by means Of Il useless, bloody
sui cruel war, for the infamous end OF party
sssrsrdzerent has not its parallel in all the
wick-lae.s and folly of human Government.
Liaco!n i, not to be held responsible for this
~ar. Hatory will assign him his proper place,
cha: 0: mere instrument, in the hands OF
bssor srd meaner men. Too weak and lmbess
s;le Of himself, TO have concelTed, much loss
accomplished, the ends Of his party, he was
the plan: :ool by which others manipulated
aal worked this immense war. The mana.
ge-s of the party had in Lincoln Just the kind
Of pai ial head needed and required for their
objects and ends. In him Sas the Legitimate
Executive authority, and through him they
usurpod, under the plea of military necessity,
| all the power required for the suppression of
liberty among their own people, and to secure
themselves from the annoying surveillance of
hostile party, seeking their overthrow.
It was more necessary to the full accom-
plishment Of tbeiS objects and purposes that
! ;here should be no Fallandichams in the
: United States, than that Jefferson Davis
should DO driven from Virginia. 1t was moro
necessary that Mcclellan should be uusuccess-
full than that Leo should be dsfeated. When
2)secrsn5 had reached point of dangerous
! popularity, hc was permitted to be done to
death by Gragg, rather than run the risk OF
his being rival candidate this Fall. The
war is necessary 20 their continuance in pow
sr, but they will see that its successes raise
up no formidable compatitos for their places
Renee we are ''indebted for nothing to the
"sirtuss of our enemy we are obliged to his
'ricss, which have enurcd to cur strength
We owe as much to his insolencs and blind
ness as t, our precautions;" perhaps, W
owe more to the corruption, venality and dis
honesty OF the men managing and conducts
ing this war, than even to our own glorious
ahs7emepts. When the liberties Of the peo-
pie Of the United States are completely over
sheovo, when Black Republcanism reigns
With unquestioned supremacy and authority
throughout those States, when Democrats shall
csaa. to aspire to- place and power, and when
all authority, all place, MI plumber IS thor
Oushly secured to the managers of the kePne'
lcan party, this war will cease, and our lndes
pendence be acknowledged. 1t Is wegsd
assins; us for personal sggrandizemsns aud
party supremacy 1t enables its managers
under the plea of suppressing the rebellion
o' enforcing the law, of restoring the "oid
iag" 20 subsidizs tho avarisious, to corrupt
The Si.;uou5, to ;atim:date the weak, to draw
within the rank Of their organization the
needy voter, and. by repeated party successes,
% break the spirit and destroy the organiza'
non Of the Dernoerstic party. Hence, though
they fight US. they conquer their own people ::
'aey overrun our territory, busthey subjugate
'heI: own States. We shall be free, but tho
o'nocsats there will be the slaves.
But this is their matter, not ours--ana icav:
agt for their reflection, what is our duty !?
An unwilling party to tho war, we have no
p'ser Of peace, except that potent agency
sA'eh the victorious sword eonfers, Our
Pf''' defenders are the only psacsmaksrs in