Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-11
JEFF. DAyIs,s MESSAGE.

mond on Monday last, and on that day he sent
IN his message.
DAVIS opens up with the startling declara.
ton that the campaign Of 1864 has been ia vora.
BILE to the Confederacy. They have recovered
ground in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi
&c. In Louisiana he says the dominion OF the
United States is reduced to the country com.
manded by the fleet, and in Arkansas to ga few
fortified posts" But he omits to mention the
important consideration that what is so held
by the fleet and the fortified posts is Of such
Importance as to give the United States the
virtual command OF the whole territory, so that
whenever it shall be the policy of the National
Government to move troops into Arkansas and
western Louisiana, they will be able to repos-
little matter in the military way Mr. Davis
finds 1t convenient to leave out of his account.
In reclting his successes, he also makes men.
ton of Prices invasion Of Central Missouri, to
enable the people OF that State to strike a blow
for s'their liberation" Well, they did strike
that blow for s'liberation," bat it was "libera.
ton from the tender mercies OF Prices as
sassIrs and robbers, and the effect of the
''blow" was to hurl Price headlong from Mis-.
sour, with the loss of all his artillery and
wagon trains, and with his liberatng army
disoI ganized into fugitive rabble.
Davis discusses Atlanta. He says the cap.
ture OF that place by the Union army has had
no ad verse confluence on the spirit or the cour-
age" u the Confederacy. What he may mean
10 say; but the capture Of Atlanta had the ef-
feet to create wider spread discomfort at the
South, and elicit numerous letters looking to
term ination OF the war and recons truction OF
the Union from statesmen of the highest DO.
sttion in the "Confederacy." This feeling
spread from Georgia to South Carolina on the
one side, and to Alabama en- the other, and to
counteract it a convention Of the Governors of
the States was necessary, and was held at Au.
eusta. 1t had the effect in Alabama to prevent
the Legislature from voting single dollar, or
State. 1t likewise compelled Davis himself to
n axe pilgrimage to Georgia to correct it's
Influence" where he admitted the loss Of At.
lanta to be deplorabie event, and where 1t
ahec'rd his temper to such an extent that he
fell 10 cursing like very drab,' pIous as he
pretn to be. It also had sufficient infiu.
enc 70 cause Gov. Brown to call the Georgia
mi!I.'. from the service Of Hood in utter dis.
gus, II these are not adverse influences on
the nlrlt and courage Of the Confederacy, Jeff,
mus have very peculiar notion Of adyer.
sity.
H. hen goes on to say that "Sherman has
beer ompeIled to withdraw on the line of his
ao' tce," and he INDUCES in a nice bit OF
g' 'il alton over this purely imaginary result.
MS time they are probably somewh hat bet.
te' formed at Richmond Of the direction in
v ii"u Sherman has "withdrawn," and what
go Ting commentary will his present " here.
al be upon this piece of faIsehood in the
ing disposed of these unpleasant subjects,
ID - then turns TO his unhappy "foreign
re- ons." Here he relieves himself by venting
arl at Christendom in general and per.
4 80 England in particular.
n ne rebel finances, Davis, after remarking
th" ere is nothing discouraging in the state
OF u.~ecuniosity in which rebeldom is plunged
w Ia the eyes, Immediately goes off into a
La H. tation over the worthless condition of the
c. 'tncy. He says that the chief difficulty lies
H. ne "want of faith In its ultimate redemp-
TIL Davis proposes to correct this popular
Inn city by ''pledging the faith" Of the Con.
fe' Iacy against any further "taxation'' Of
nc (. This is only another way OF calling for
ledge against reputation; for the late
'r"x' of thirty. three per cent OF their treasury
net in circulation was reputation 10 that
ext Ut
lie urges universal CONSUMPTION, and saws:
"The exemption from military duty now &C.
corded by law to all persons engaged in certain
specified pursuits or professions, is shown by
experience to be unwise: nor is it believed to
be defsnsible ia theory. The defense of home,
nome, family, and country is universally rec.
ognized as the paramount political duty Of
every member OF society; and in a form of gov
er nment like ours, where each citizen enioys
an equality of rights and privileges. nothing
can be more invidious than an unequal distri.
button OF duties and obligations"
In regard TO the proposed arming of slaves,
Davis processes to be against the measure, for
reasons that he sets forth, hut really because
the bare mention of 1t has already called forth
9 storm OF opposition from all quarters OF the
gress modified proposition. He suggests that
forty thousand slaves should be taken as
pioneers and engineer laborers; that it will be
~ tine n 9S TN saess ior
therefore, buy these slaves, and having thus
AGO uired right Of "propertY" in them, shonld
then consider them as "persons." and oner
them their liberty as a rev ard for their ddsli.
~. 1t Is queried whether they shall be set free
at the commencement OF their military service
as an inducement to be faithful. or whether
they shall be held in slavery until the end, and
then emancipated as a reward. He inclines to
But this proposition will tall in the rebel
Congress, where the slaveholding interest il
largely in the ascendant. 1t has already raised
4 storm Of opposition. It is held to be a worse
form Of ..aboiition," and more fragrant viola
ion Of State rights than nythine ever PROMISED
by President Lincoln: The Richmond WING
has already pounced upon this part of the
message with savage severity.
On the question Of peace JEFF is Iugubrious.
He says:
.'The disposition Of this Government for a
peaceful solution OF the issues which the enc. l
nv has referred TO the abitrament Of arms has
been too often manifested. ana is too well
Known. TO need new assurances. But while 1t
e frue that individuals and parties In tbs
United Safes have indicated desire to subst-
ute reason for force, and by negotiation TO stop
he further sAcridce OF human life, and 20 ar.
'est the calamities which now siaict both coun!