Washington telegraph., 1865-05-10
Proclamation Of his Excellency Gov.
Henry ". Allen, Of Louisiana.

Soldiers Of Louisiana, Of Tezas, Of arkansas,
and Of Misscari:
Another disaster has befsllen the arms Of the
Coniederacy. A large portion OF the Army Of
northern Virginia, 10 the number of ten thou
SAND men, with our beloved Commander, Gen
"rAi ROBERT T.. LEE, have been compelled to
capifuiate These melancholy tidings come to
US IN such shape ~ TO leave no doubt Of their
authenticity Believing in the propriety and
saiety OF truth at all times, have no wish 10
~hhhold or disguise il to-day. This misfortune
brings us to a crisis in our ccuntrv's contest.
IL has deprived us of corp. Of heroic soldiers.
unequalicd in discipline, COURAGE and efficiep.
ey, ana OF leader peerless among living Con
erals But, SO dirrs, our c,use is not lost
our PATRIOTISM your fortiiud- and your fidelity
nave been proved beyond all praise. during four
org years OF war. ION will not pause now to
.h S..uIAte "a" chances OF succass. You know
yosi eoue.fy LOOKS to- you ia this her hour
oi seVerest trial, and that all Won hold dear on
earth, IS now at stake nv that strong bond.
you and 4, and all who have engaged in this
war lot frerdom-this resistance TO tyranny
his srmed vindicaion OF our ballowrd rieht,-
are held and most firmly pledged one to anotb-
CT, ana each TO all. 10 persevere until the last
u nope Fanishes in the darkness of despo-
S.h soldiers, unite with ne in the renewal
=, .nIs soiem pledge. to stand as patriots and
| ~ AhiS HOlY ~afiSr, IN SIOrm or
sunshine, In misfortune or success through
good report and through evil report and 10
NsH' our wicked invaders new and for all time
toeome. ia armies. in regiments, in companies
IN squads or singly, until our independence Ia
won and conceded. Let each one Of US consid-
er the safety of our country and the prrscrva-
tion OF Its liberties in his own individual keep
ing.
Though We have lost armies Of brave men.
tnOnCh c;.;ep L., T.n. -.
our Capital is polluted hv the presence of
horde OF Vandals, though our country has hen
marked by the destroying track of hostile ar
mfrs in every direction. tiorgh the Blight Of
invasion has laid waste millions Of acres Of orr
once productive fields, though the fan ntsin, of
our wealth have been dried up. though pale
hunger ani sqalid misery brood ovsr many
thousands OF families. though the Christening
hand OF God has been laid heavily upon US in
ali conceivable forms Of sffiirtion-v-t our
cause is not lost. nor is il desperate 50 long As
our people preserve their manhood their cour-
age. and their trust in God
We have in the field East Of the Mis,issippia a
hundred thousand effective men The army Of
Gen. Johnston. strengthened nv l.rge numbers
lately defending Richmond. is still intact. A
formidable army in Alabama and Mis.issipri
bids defiance TO the enemy. With the frs. .rc
cess won bv either. ahrentecs will ioin 1. IN
~.
and more Of the munitions Of war in that par,
OF the Confrderscy, than there were in the be-
einniu Of the war
In this Department alor. we h.ve nor. re-.
source. thsn have suficrd TO enshl. nations To
wage successful WAITS for long vesrs in defence
of their liberty and dearest rights. These
Trans-Mississippi States have nrn snd arm.
enough 70 rrsst the invasion Of hundred
thousand Federal troops.
There ix onnf ressap - bo-> e
external aid. Not TO speak Of late reparts as 70
the recognition Of our independence hv tho
leading European powers nor TO risk further
dependence such aid we NAV reasonably
calculate upon the de,rrminat OF Franc. and
her sister nowrrs 70 maintain the rule es,sb-
lish"d in Mexico nv their decree and under
their protection. For many ressons W.
expect, =. no distant dav. 80, -rLfr. --r ms
foreign no''~--.fs race a- 80 announcement of
/ tnIelusTra..-y and purpose that will NJ once
revive our spirits and raise ,oft our prnri stan
dard Of independence Bnt of this ne assured
our only hope of foreign help dep~Rd. rron
ourselves. nv making N. most heroic and d~s-
pcrste resistance with every means in now.
rr A few months or weeks OF hard fighting
nav win the alliance Of foreign fleets and ~
mirs REOPEN our ports. launch private.-s of
marv nations uron the high sweep swav
the comm~rc" OF the .nrmv. involve their e.
nances in ruin. carry distress 10 their nw~
homes. distrrc, their councils iemn-slir- th-ir
,rocps md iishrarsrn their leaders: for I vari'y
h-licvs that before sir months shall e'sr.. The
Federal government will be At war with all the
g-eat powe-s Of Europ-
But shuuld th-s- well founded hopes move
d-lusions We have -vrrv reason ~ cor'i-u- in
.u ATTITUDE Of armed 9.f arcp snd 70 <rh, with
tn. utmost Of our strength fortitrd- .-l rrr--
rv Our resistance here il the vast " in s.-is,
md hasten r"sc'iorArr movement IN fhs
States East ofthe Mississippi 80 that wtis ~
enrage here . Federal srmv. onr hrotr--s ,h-r-
nav ra'Iv reorrsriz- and rsrsw the frh,. ..
,her will ,s-uredv do If~. sre trr. 20 our.
.-ly., vs can Tn,te ~ .uhiuraiion OF ,hi. D.
r.rimert cost 10 tic F-i-ral- twenty ttorsard
lives and hundred ilIiors Of iollars Rathe-
than resort 70 such waste of bloed and trea.nrr
.h-y will At least consent 10 settle on terms
which shall not ne dishnnorablr in the even.
that no oth.r course il l-fi NJ.
This is one of those iurcture. whe - the nos.
devoted h.roisn and the greatest daring are
safest and wi.est. Despair is folly. We have
already lost nearly everything we can lose. nv
d..p.ir We can rain nothing bu, insult. humili-
,,ion and disgrace: by resistance W. can at IN.
Ie,.. live nr die in honor. To say that ~. are
fired Of war is 10 that ws are iir-6 Of hring
fr.sm-n An American citiseu has no home
.rcent in State free from foreign rul- A life
Of misery, degradation, shame and sorrow is 10
stare for zach and AL cf uR 1T We consent 10 de-
fat and .ubri..iou II is better 10 die in arm,
than live in di.honcr What is life OF slav.
~ worth 10 usi Liberty is our hirth-righ. giv
| en- to n. bv Almighty God. Let us now renew
our vows in His holy name and presence "a
m.int,;u that priceless sift or perish in tn.
| effort,
He who now, not bv tho rrae. Of God, /.
called to preside over the d-stini-s Of the peop.
| of the United States. will show no leniencv M
| mercy whatever 30 the supposed traitors In
| r.c.nt sprech at Washington. Will. rejoicing
| over the fall Of Richmond, he said; Il havo M
| COMPROMISE, whatever, TO make with traitors
| rould give them tho ave and the halter. anS
| divide out their lands to the Union soldi-rs.'-
| Thi, is what you may expect at tho hsnds o
| President johnson. Knowing full we'll what i
| 10 be our fa,s-aad looking every danger whicl
now surrounds us, squarely in th- face my Do
l.herat- advice to you, soldi"=s. citiz~ns, faith
| era, mothers, sisters. brothers. to each and q
| all, is that you resist, with all the power tha
God ha. given you, brutal and vandal enem,
| who knows no mercy, and no respects n-iihe
age SEX nor condition. That you 6gh. on
6ght ever-ihat you never think Of despair. ne
dream of laying down your arms Let the sol
diur do his dsty. Let the citizen do his Lc
each assist and support the other. Let the ga
LIANT Texan vic with his brave brother soldi-
from Arkansas. Let the Iouisiznian show 4
,h. sons Of MissouTi. that immortal courage 8
often displayed by all on every battlefield, an
the Gsd OF right will, in his own goeI time
bring you deliverSneo from all your enemis,