Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1864-03-10
ApDR Ess O r CONGRESS
To the People of the Confederate States.

ARDR ESS OF CONIE&ESS
TO the People of the Confederate States.
In closing the labors of the First Per-
manent Congress, your Representatives
deem it fit occasion to give some ac'
count ot their stewardship; to review
briefly what, under such embarrassments
and adverse circumstances, has been ac-
oomplshed; to invite attention to the pros
pect before us and the duties incumbent
on every citizen in this crisis and to ad-
dress such words Of counsel and enconr-
aeement as the times demand.
Compelled by 4 long series of oppres-
sive and tyranicaf acts, eliminating at last
in the selection of President and Vice.
President by party confessedly sectional
and hostile TO the South and her institu-
tons, these States withdrew from the for
mer Union, and formed nsw Confeder-
ate alliance, as an Independent Govern
uent, based on the proper relations OF Ia
Dor and capital. This step was taken. re-
luctantly, by constraint, ano after the ex-
llaustion Of every measure that was likely
ITO secure us from interference with our
property, equality in the Union, or exemp-
ton from submission to an alien Govern
:nent The Southern States claimed only
guaranteed by the Constitution. Finding
by painful and protracted expert
ence, that this was persistently denied,
We determined to separate from those ene-
mics who had manifested the inclination
and ability to impoverish and destroy us,
NE fell back upon the'right for which the
colonies maintained the war of the revo-
ntion, and which our heroic forefathers
asserted to be clear and inalienable. The
uuain>ity and zeal with which the separa-
tioli was undertaken and perfected, hnds
no parallel in history. TIE people rose
xs,a r,asse to assert theif liberties and pro-
tect their menaced rights. There never
was before such universally OF conviction,
among any people, OH any question 1n-
yolving SO serious and go thorough
change OF political and international rela-
tons. The grew out OF the clearness of
the right SO to act, and the certainty of the
perifs of father association with the North.
The change was SO wonderful, SO rapid, 81
contrary TO universal history, that many
fail to see that all has been done in tlleAlo
gical sequence of principles, which are the
highest testimony to the wisdom OF our
fathers, and the best illustration of the cor
rectness of those principles. This Govern
nent is q child Of law instead Of sedition,
of right instead of violence, of deliberation
instead OF insurrection. Its early life was
attended by no anarchy, no rebellion, no
suppression of authority ,aro social sdisor
ders, no lawless disturbances. Sovereignty
was not for cne moment In abeyanee.--
The utmost conservation marked every
proceeding and public act. The object
was tsto do what was necessary and no
more; and to do that with the utmost
temperence and prudence" St. just in
his repert to the Convention of France, in
1898, said ]: "a people has but one dan.
gerons enemy, and that is government. =
We adopted no snch absuriity. In near7
ly every instance, the first steps were TAX
en- legally, in accordance with the will
and prescribed direction. Of the constituted
authorities OF the seeding States We
were not remitted to brute force or natur-
al law, or the instincts Of reason. The
charters Of freedom were scrupnlously pre-
served. AS in the Eng ishs Revolution OF
1888, and ours Of 1 1776, there wasno ma
terisl alteration in the laws beyond what
was neeessary to feeressefhe aabuses that
provoked the strugglege No attempt was
made to build ou epeoUldt4ue principles
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