Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-11-18
~ TUE PREssDEET.s MESSAGE.

~ ~ THE PRESiDEKT'S MESSAGE.
We aid before our readers in our
iast issue the message Of President
Davis.
From it ne have a most encoura-
cling statement Of ats sira efilvse por-
lions Of our States held hy the enemy
have nearly all been reclaimed ar the
tenure Of the enemy npols FF:em lss'oa
weakened. Ous finances are in nincll
better condition than many had sup
s,osed and with the addition Of the
seemingly practicable snggrstiaas Of
The Secretary Of the Treasury it is
hoped may still farther be greatly inn.
proved. And the arnliag ct slaves in
defence Of our lisarsses is not deemed
essential at T'fcsept. The various s,,g-
gestions OF the Message meet with the
approval Of the people with the ex-'
ceg;ion Of the recommendation Of the
repeal Of all class exemptions. This
is condemned as unwise not only b5
the people but the r en- in the field -
The last Congress modified the ex-
cmption bill SO as to apply to Ireach>
ers, Teachers, Printers, Physicians and
Druggists, which classes were deemed
essentially necessary for the public
good. There has been much ecelbi-
ty of feeling shown against the Kxecu-
tive on account Of this recommends
ton, but we are among those who be-
lieve that President Davis is eminent
ly patriot, that he would do any
thing consistent with reason and right
for the advancement of the interests of
his country, but that the suggestion
on this subject was elected by the pc
rusal Of the exemption bill as it stood
before it was modified by the last Con-
gress, the vast array Of classes men
toned therein being sufficient to cause
the request for the repeals.of all ex-
emptions as a patriotic duty on his
part. But Tanners, Sboemakers, Tel
esraph operators, Workmcn in mines,
Blacksmiths, Millers, and in fact all
save the classes named above have been
subject to DETAIL and not EXEMPTED
since the framing of the new exemp-
ton bill By the last Congress. We
doubt not that when the President
calls to mind that only few classes,
deemed essentially necessary, we're ex-
empted, instead Of the array mention
ed in his message that he will be rs
ayerse to a change of the law as the
people, the press or the army.
We do not for a moment believe
that were Editors, Preachers &c, de-
tailed that President Davis would ex-
ercise any authority to muzzle the
Press or the Pulpit. For it must be
clearly understood by him that the
free, entspoken sentiments of the Press
have contributed largely to make us the
united people we are, that where the
administration has been wrongfully
assaulted ten friends have been made
for one enemy and that the concordant
.utterances Of the Press have kept up
the continued cheerful and determined
spirit Of our people. This at least is
understood by our enemies, for in their
inyasions they make it an universal
practice 10 destroy this great confed-
crate agency, by denlolishing all prin-
ting establishments in their reach. This
has been especially the case in our Val
ley, but our enemies have been foiled in
their attempts, for nearly all have arisen
Phoenix like from their ashes and still
lend their sufficient aid to their Gov
ernnent. The great moral power Of
the press is universally conceded but
what a falling off therefrorn would
there be were the representatives of
of free speech and thought compelled
to seek, with supplicatcry appeal, for
details from the powers that be-How-
ever free in the expression Of thoughts
yet it would all he considered as wink
ed at by Government for effect, and the,
moral effect of the Confederate Press
be forever gone.
We think it is patent that those who
are at present exempted are essentially
necessary for the public good and that
DETAILS not EXEMPTIONS are the sub
;ects of fraua,
We agree with 8 cetemporasy Of
Iynchburg that it is idle to believe
that an enlightened Congress will in
terfele with the liberties Of the Press
OF Pal pit and with anotherof Richmond
that it is better to | well enough
alone as ,he chances are greatly in IA
yor Of making matters worse.
WAR NEWS
From our Inca below Richmond
and Petersburg, we learn that moth