Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-20
ADDRESS OF CONGRESS TO THE PEOPLE
cor TIE CONFEDERATE STATES.

been Iudely disappointed The enemy, alter drawing Us
into conference abruptly Terminated II by insisting up
on te ms hich they knew could never accept
Our absolute surrender and submission 10 the viii oil The
conqueror the only conditions youehsaed by our ar
ropant toe We are told that If will lay down our
arms and place liVes liberty property and domestic
institutions the teet Of President Lincoln, that he viii
be mercifu to us Upon his elemeney We must rely 70
save Us from universal eOnhscatOn and determination
les these the conditions upon which the people ol
the sovereign states composing this Conederacy may De
allowed 10 do-what 10 return into The Union from
which they solemnly and deliberately withdrew them
selves because their interest ana then honor requed IT,
ANA their fepugnance which four years O renorseies
aud cruel war have served but " intensity
10 tod who controls aud O1ernles ths eOuses VI men
Inc naughty nsolence VI enemies, which they hoped
would timdaie and break the spirit OF ouIPeope Is
producing the very contrary effect From every part Of
the country there comes W IN response hsnou' Vi mh
yed indig nation anu defiance!
poOle enthusiasm terminates cur gallant army who
have bee battling 50 long for freedom aud independence
"a a. an he united Let there be no parties Or lac
unns among us Let rise 20 the height Of the great
CASTOR Let all be willing 10 spend and be sPeat IN
r cause OF our country. Let contribute, freely all
tIat Ne have Il need be- 70 carry the war unli our
ial triumph is secured. Let Us take iraternai counsel
together ant calmly consider our condition and prospects
-ch snr1ey We believe muss tend to re-assue and en-
courage the least sangulne We nave u Is trse Ie
entity met with serious disasters. Our lorttude Is being
yerly Tried Ne have suffered mech, ana must be pre-
,,d 10 suer the cause for which VIC are slrug
ing Is the cause wOTth'the sac 1nce 10 answer cor
. AZ We must constantly Keep uind the end lor which
m aye cuneajing What * our object IL this war! Tile
OF our independence, through Whch diOie
ae be seyied tbs sovereignty Ol the States anu te
, nj of Scl-gOVeIhment nal i the alternative Our
pugatiUn people Is II possible 10 uyel-eslimae
~ boDrs OF thS terrible alternative! Can the imagi
ton oyercOlor the picture whch would be presented IA
. event OF our failure II We tHll, not Ouy political
lston but SOcia! humiliation must he our WTetched
,t Nc would not Only be political Vassals, but social
rs IN eaemy, that has shown himself destitute oi the
ijoay s1rsistes oil human nature, and whose worst
. uas are rluleTed. and eniiahed against US would
,ui, Tie absolute control Of our political and soeia
-.tlls.s In vain woGtd proud though Nanqushed
o,!. ijos yea t0r that mercy Shcl he conquered ne
We tron generous foe. Those STATE ldghlp winch
p have been taugt prize so dearly Is The greatest
,rnrks OF tuGstuUuai Liberty, ana which, from the
Hest perod OF sorry, have so jealousy guard
ed would be annhated. The Confederate states would DC
d AZ, oEgucird p-Oylncss by the despouc Government
-, N a>hingtun 1nay wQuli be Kept Ia subJugaton ~
ne stern haIid OF military power. Us lehetia and LON
AID, have been hell by Austria-as Poland Is held ny
A. ttuS,ian Car Not only would We be deprived or
~ po!iucal franchise dear 10 lreemen but socially We
ouu he degraded 10 the level Of slaves IT. indeed
ut refinement of malice IN our enemies dld not IN
doe them eeyate the negro slave above ms former
las.r Not only would the property and estates o.
ln lshed rebels be conhscGted bat they would %
vi,i.d nd distributed among African bOndsmen.
lat ~ hy pursue the hideoGs picture further southern
manhood TeyO ~ the bare idea oil the spectacle pre-
.u;ed Can you think Of II uRmoyed! Can properly
AN lie itSeli-Le dear 10 you a. % allow you TO
,egh them lOT one moment against degtadahOh 50 ap
etol,a0st misery 50 profound We ~ not aud can
t believe H. 1t the proud memories aud traditions OF
m t great do not nerve you 10 eternal re-
,t.ucc ~ such c0nSulImatiOu- the example 81
r aref,tlefs Who urestled Tor ttemdependence they
.Sfueithed during seven long years OF suffering
ter than W have endured-et not the precious blOou
st has been already shed BY bayest and best IN
e present struggle cry out 10 US nom our yet reeking
a al yaiH FIuiuessly indeed have these sons anu
,thers--ms1yIs Of LIpeTty-6ied and died ii We fall
no.. the path which ihey have illamlned before
as
n the revolution of 10 our armies aud our people suf
.d lar more than We have done Our cities then were
most all in tue hands Of the British and We were en-.
reI cut OF from all supplies from abroad while
,ciltes Tor producing then were Infinitely less than
ney now Greene tells Us that the battle OF Euiaw
un by men who had scarcely shoes 10 their feet or
stts 10 their backs. They protected. their Shoulders
ann being CALLED by the bands their cross belts BY
inches OF moss TUFTS OF gIUSs detachment march
3D. o.. Grceues assistance passes through region so
,ett by both armies that they compelled TO sub.
--tog green peaches their only diet. There WAS
lr.iy any SAT- for fifteen mouths and when obta;ned
had Ia he used sparngly mixed with hickory ashes
- need but aiuie to the terrible winter which Wash.
,l.n r.ssed al Valley Forge with army unpaid half.
tr ed half-naked and shoeless 10 convince US that
uoh az own brave soldiers are now enduring their
tbeTs for like cause endured tar more. Washington
NOT then despair. Lee does not now despair Of the
raj triumph OF righteous cause. Why should We be
.ful-~Inuch less desp0nient-Oi our ultimate sue.
oessl ..--,.-.
,scty OF our so-the amount and character OF our
opu htion--lre elements oil strength, which carefully
isb,nded and wisely employed, amply sufficient 10
nsue our fnal triumph fhe passage of hostile armies
through our country though productive of cruel suffer
q
.neuiv no permanent advantage of fOot-hOld.
To suhugate a country it, civil government must be
Impressed BY continuing military force, supplant
4 ly another ~ which the inhabitants yield voluntary
r. enforced obedience. The passage OF hostile armies
trourh our territory cannot produce this result Per.
nap.pt ,srrisons wOud have TO be stationed az suf
,t usmher OF pOiE,s % strange all civil 20 yernment
rore il could he pretended even by the United States
.1yernment itself that its authority extended over
hese States How many g0rrisons would it require 2
To-. many hundred thousand soldiers would suffice 10
uppre-s the civil governments VI all the States OF this
'onLsdaracy, aRd 70 establish over them in name
nd fDl, the authority OF tue United states In geo
,rhical point OF view. therefore. il NAV be asserted
he conquest Of these Confederate States ia pract
cable.
We need feel appehcnsohs to ability feed the
people and any army may put into the field. IL Is
needless go jGo detail adduce statistics in proof Of
this. IL Is e'Ious 10 every well informed mind
Although tie occupation by the enemy,
md his ruthless policy of destroying the harvests.
srauaries aud agricultural implements OF our people
wherever he moves, has undoubtedly diminished the
Amount OF cereals still IN view Of the fact that in
every without exception, its agricultural labor has
b.en devoted almost exclusively TO the raising OF bread
us (while before the war II was mainly devoted the
production cotton tobacco and other EXPORTS it is i'm
possible doubt that there an ample supply of food in
e country is true that the deportation of slaves
by enemy ard the barbarOus policy of aming them
.yIinst us-a policy reprobaed by all authorities
Zines or international law-has considerably diminished
our agricultural labor But when reflect that in 1850
our expOrs-almOst entirely the products OF saye labor
amounted TO (S250O OOO0) two hundred and fifty mil
non Of dollars II may be safely assumed that our slaves
though reduced IN numbers are fully equal to the task Of
feeding both the population az home aud the in the
ded our transportation, is true is detective and
adequate but this may be indefinitely improved by more
energetic efforts and thorough and systematic or
.anizaton We canuot believe therefore, that our
bjuniifu soil, richly BLESSED by nature, there is
danger 81 failing in this great contest for want OF
foad-Of being STARVED into submission to the hate
| ia woke Of the cOnqHrTOr
But il We look to the amount and character of our
population especial reason why we should lie
ueJ 10 lOpe Toe assured OF, ultimate
success No people Oi our numbers BIZ subugated
uuess false aud receant 10 themselves their courage
faith and fortude fail them We have upon our rolls
very large army Of soldiers. 1t is tue-and il is
sad truth to contestant the number present for duty
Is terribly disprJpOrioned TO the entire aggregate This
Is too notorious for eOnceament-and have desire
10 conceal anything. We wish 10 speak frankly and
uthfuly 10 YOU OF the actual condition Of things. The
number of abSentees from your armies has been fruit