, 1865-03-07
SOUTHERN NEWS.
GOV. BROWNS MESSAGE.
Expected Battle South Of Peters,
bars---Gcn. ]. E. JoAnston's
First General Order.
MEETING or TuE GEORGIA A1EG1s1ATURB-KEs-
SAGE Or COZ. .DRoWN-yIGoRoU8 pHypyUI-

! NETTING OF 1aE GEORGIA A1EGIsLAVpRB-EE5-
SAGE or GOT. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES pHyuNuI-
ALTON or TIE ADMINISTRATIONS.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Feb. as1 .
me drotgia Legislature met on the 18th
11nst. when Gov: Brown sent in character
issg hssn mes1aGe, ol which brief abstract has
The message Of GOV. Brown commeuces
| WIN defense q the State against the st.
tacks Of the press for permitting Sberman to
march unmolcsted through the State. BE
says che was abandoned to her fate and ne-.
gtseSs3tea gss3a ~ the Confederate authorities; and
for lhe defense of other states, and were de-
pied the privilege Of striking san honest
blow" for the protection of their homes,
Georgia was compelled to rely only on n few
Oh ola naa men and boys. BE- claims that the gold
en opportunity was lost for oycrthroHine
Sherman. Had he been resisted from ia
| start, forced to fight and exhaust his apamu-
nft1on, bis surrender would havo been Ger
TAN. He recommends the estab]Ishmsnt Of
| nililtta system, to be in no case turned over
20 re Confederate government, hut retaIned
only fourteen hundred exempts in the State.
and most Of these are over age. He RECON-,
mends the passage Of q law authorizing the
tmpressment Of provisions in tho hands Of
persons 7sa,, a., under bond to the Confederate
surplus 10 the indtgeut families Of SOL
d1ers He complains that the Confederate
agents can lock up the corn-cribs and smoke.
houses against the State purchasing arents.
Referring to Tue penitentiary, he says that
more than half the convicts released to fight
have since deserted. He recommends the pas-
sage Of law prescribing the penalty Of tlaath
On conviction Of robbery, horse stealing or
burglary. He opposes the arming Of slayes,
believing them to be more valuable as aeri.
cultural laborers than they could be us SOL
dNfs; they 90 not wish to 60 into the army,
aud the principal restraint now upon them Il
the fear that II they leave the enemy Win
make them fight. Compel them to take m
arms, and they will desert by thousands.
Whatever may be our opinion Of their nor
NAL condition or interests, We cannot expect
Ing to continue the enslayement Of their
wives and children, and 1t Is not reasonable
to demand it Of them. Whenever ne eetab-
lfsh the act that they are military people wo
destroy the theory that they are unfit to be
slavery. He complained Of the usurpation Of
the Confederate Congress in lcvying dispro-
portiona'e tayntion, and says that much Of
the most objectionable legtalation Is Imposed
upon-the country BY the votes Of men who
act without responsibility to constituency out
Of the army. 'He takes the government to task
for great variety Of alleged abuses, such IS
illegal impressments, arrest of citizens with
out authority by provost guards, the PASSPORT
system, and the partlality of the government
sitIons which keep tbem Ont of The arav
While poor men and boys are forced ,nfn
The ranks. He nnimudFfrts- -scvaralV m Aha
eenern1ship Of the PresIdent. and t1acrs Tia
military career during the war. Our govern !
mcnt is now military dcspotism, drifting |
into anarchy, and If the present policy is per
sisted in, it must terminate in reconstruc-
ton, with or without subjngation. Governor
Brown states tnat he Is utterly opposed to |
both, but If he favored either, he would give
his earnest support to the Presidents policy, |
aa the sIlrest mode Of diminishing our armies,
e1hausting our resources, breaking the spirit
Of our people, and diving them IL despair to
seek refuge from worse tyranny By placing |
themselves under government they Ioathe
and detest. For the cure OF existing cylls he
recommends the repeal Of the conscrlption
net, md the retuIn to the constitutional
mode Of raising troops by requisitiona upon
the State the observance Of good faith With
the soldiers By paying them promptly; the !
Abandonment Of tmpfessmtnts and secret ses- |
sious, and no more representations Without |
constituency; and, finally, taking from the !
President hia power Us comman1er-in.c chief,
He calls for . convention Of the States to |
amend the Constitution, and closes in the |
following language: My destiny Is linked !
"ath ny country. Il Te succeed, arn tree
u 80. .,,o, ~ ~ .a5 i, oosaluac5 anu WEAKNESS OF
aiI T1,s ,;,3,t - 49, ~ taaasp ta a"a.ks u
f.. sbir, a. 1s.ho9 9r;te she lenPesI no"n
heI,n s,9an 70 is s'ear;',, "aa ~ masSsi tae
rn,nonotroaoss ~ Sabosse5 ~ sae 5"nuipool' our
restra{n lin or H. c1aw ru,,o, snl an1 % ne mnst
aGa H. ILL., ILL., = toc sssH tnust snk together,
aua ue uaiieo ~ nletf'e'aole rum
PROSPECT OF BATTLE SOUTH or PHTKns.
BURG.
Frem the Richmond Examiner, Feb. Isl
y, IneTe IS = general opinion that ss soon as
enemy VII commence heavy Increment on
3nr right, y the vicinity Of Petersburg.
1nefe u no oonbt that his cavalry and the
nam eoaF oi tne infantry have been moved
5osa1a halchers nun, and that but feeble
1orce u 1eit 70 CONFRONT our lines east of
11elelsD11lg. - Is reported by deserters from
o.n1 G1ants anes mat taere Is but one corps (the
gun le1t 1et"een the Weldon road aud the
tA1ppoMatao1faIef. 3his heavy massing on