The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-06-21
MANIFESTO OF THE CONFEDERATE
CONGRESS-


nrineinles and purposes of the Confederate States
in relation to the existing war with the United
States. o.
Whereas, it is due to the great cause of humani
tv and civilization, and especially to the heroic
sacrifices of their gallant army in the field, that no
means, consistent with proper selfrespect and
the approved usuges of nations, should be omitted
by the Confederate States to enlighten the public
opinion of the world with regard to the true char
acter of the struggle in which they are engaged,
and the dispositions, principles and purposes by
which they arc actuated; therefore,
Resolved, by the Congress of the Confederate
States of America, That the following manifesto
be issued in their name and by their authority,
and that the President be requested to cause
copies thereof to be transmitted to our commission
ers abroad, to the end that the same may be. laid
before foreign governments.
MANIFESTO
tOfshe Congress of the Confederate States Of
.Amersca, Relative to the Existing scar arih the
Limited STATES.
The Congress of the Confederate States of
America, acknewledg their responsibility to the
opinion Of the civilized world, to the great law of
Christian philanthropy, and to the Supreme Ruler
of the universe, for the part, they have been COM
PEELED to bear in the sad Spectacle Of and
carnage which this continent has, for the last
three years, exhibited to the eyes of afflicted HUI
mainly, deems the present fitting occasion to
declare the principles the sentiments and the pur-
poses by which they have been and are still actua-
ted.
They have ever deeply deplored the necessity
which constrained them to take up arms in defence
of their rights and of the free institutions derived
from their ancestors; and there is nothing they
moro ardently desire than peace, whatsoever their
enemy, by eeasing from the unhallowed war waged
upon them, shall permit them to enjoy in peace
of
and of those cherished institutions. The series Of
successes with which it has pleased Almighty
God in so signal manner, 70 bless our arms on
almost every point of our invaded borders since
the opening of the present campaign, enables us
to profess this desire of peace in the interests of
civilization and humanity, without danger of hay
ing our motives misinterpreted, or of the decara-
ton being ascribed to any unmanly sentiment or
any disrust of our ability fully to maintain our
cause.
The repeated and disastrous checks, foreshadow-
ing ultimate discontinue, which their gigantic
army, directed against the capital Of the Confede
racy has already met with, are but continuation
of the same providential successes for We do
not refer to these successes in any spirit of vain
;boasting but in humble acknowledgment Of that
Almighty protection which has voachsafed and
granted them.
The world must now see that eight millions of
people, inhabting so extensive territory, with
such varied resources apd such numerous facilities
for defence as the benignant bounty of nature has
bestowed upon US, and animated with one spirit to
encounter every privaton and sacrifice of ease, OF
health, of property, OF life itself, rather than be
degraded from the condition of free and independ-
eent States into which they were born, never be
conquered. Will not adversaries themselves
begin to feel that humanity has bled long enough;
Chat tears and blood and treasure enough have
been expended in bootess undertaking, covering
their own land, no less than ours, with pail of
mourning, and exposing them, far more than our
selRes, to the catastrophe Of financial exhaustion
and bankruptcy, not to speak Ct the loss Of their
liberties by the despotism engendered in an ag-
gressive warfare upon the liberties of another and
kindred people? Will they be willing, by a lon
ger perseverance in 4 wanton and hopeless contest
to make this continent, which they so long boas-
ted to be the chosen abode of liberty and self
government, of peace and higher civilization
the theatre of the most causeless and prodgal efu
sion of blood which the world has ever seen, of a
virtual relapse into the barbarism Of the ruder
ages, and Of the destruction of constitutional free
dom bJ the iaWnessness of usurped power?
These questions which our adversaries will
decide for themselves. We desire to stand acuuit-
ted before the tribunal of the world, as we'll as in
the eyes of omnscent justice of any responsible
ty for the origin prolongaton ola war as con.
trary to the spirit of the age to the traditions
anu acknowledged maXlmS OF the political system
of America
On this continent, whatever opinions may have
prevailed elsewhere, it has ever been held and
acknowledged by all parties that government to
be lawful, must be founded on the consent of the
governed We were forced to dissolve our federal
connection with our former associates by their
aggressons on the fundamental principles of our
compact Of union with them; and in doing so we
exercised right consecrated-in the great charter
of American hberty-the right of free people,
when a government proves destructive of the ends
for which it was established, to recur to original
principles and to institute new guards for their
security. The separate independence of the
States, as sovereign and coequal members of the
Federal Union, had never been surrendered; and
the pretension of applying to independent COM
munit;es, so constituted and organized the ordna-
ry rules for coercing and reducing rebellious
well as an outrage on the principles of public law
The war made upon the Confederate States was
therefore, wholly one of aggression. On our side,
IL has been strictly defensive. Born freemen and |
the descendants of gallant ancestry, We had no
option but to stand up in defence of our invaded
fuesdes, of our desecraed affairs, of our violated
liberties and birthright, and of the prcscriptive
institutions which guard and protect them We
have not interfered, do we wish in any manner
whatever to interfere with the internal peace and
prosperity of the States arrayed in hostility against
'us, orwith the freest development of their desti
mics in any form - action or line of policy they
may think proper to adopt for themselves. All
We ASK is like immunity for ourselves, and to be
left in the undistnrbed en;oymo,t e .Lo,o -.