Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-15
.NEssAGE or rnE PRksIpENr.


When informed on Thursday last that il was th'
intention OF Congress 10 adjourn sine de on the en-
suing Saturday, / deemed it nav duty 10 request !
postponement 0f~the adjournment, ia order that
might submit for your consider Ni09 certain matters
of public interest, which are now laid before you
When that request was made. the most important
measures that had occupied your attention during
the session had not been so far advanced as TO u
submitted Tor executive action and the state OF the
country had been 50 materially affected by thu
events Of the last four months, as to eynce the pc
cCssity OF further AID more energetic Legislation
than vas contemplated in November last.
our Auutry is now enyiroOed with perils which
Il is 0ufiuty calully to cOutempIate. Thus alone
can the measures necessary 70 avert Threatened ca
iamIties be wisely devised an efficiently enforced
Recent military operations OF the enemy have
been succeSsful an the capture oil some OF our sea
ports in interrupting some OF our lines okcom-
nunicatiOn aud m devastating large Districts " our
country These events have had the natural effect
of encouraging our.oes and diSpiriting manyof our
people. The capital Of the Confederate $ ates Is
now threatened and is IN greater danger than il las
heretofore been during the she fact Is stated
without reserve or couaealment Is due TO the peO-
pie whose servants we are, and in whose courage
ana coustancy entire trust is reposed due TO you
in whose wisdom aud reSolJae spirit the people
have couhdsd ior the adoption OF the measures re
quircd 20 gard Ihem from threatened perls.
While siatingto you that ON country is IA dan
rsr. desire also 10 state my deliberate convistion
tuat Il Is within our power Go avert the caamites
which menace us, and 10 secure the triumph Of the
sacred cause for which so much sacrifice has keen
made. So much suffering endured, SO many precious
i've, been lost. This result is to be- obtained by
orfitude by courage, by cOnstancy in enduring the
sacrifice still needed IN word. by the prompt aud
resolute devotion Of the whole resources OF men
and money in the COniederacy 10 the achievement
OF our Liberties and independence. -
The measures nov required, 10 be successful
should be prompt. Long deberatiOn and pro-
tracted debate over important measures are mot
only natural but laudable IN representative Assem-
1ieS under ordinary circumstances but in mo-
ments OF danger, when action becomes urgent the
tei8y thus caused is itself new source of PERIL
Thus Il has unfortunately Happened that some OF
a.. measures passed by you IN pursuance oftthe
recommendations contained in my message OF No
yember last have been so retarded as To lose much
~ their value, or have, fjr the same reason been
abandoned after being matured, because no longer
applicable 10 our altered condition aud Others
have not been brought Uader examination. III ma
kng these remarks, lt Is far from my intention to
attribute che loss OF time 10 any other cause than
those inherent in deliberative assemblies bat only
urgently 10 recommend prompt action upon the
measures nov Sgbnltted.
We need Tor carrying the war successfully,
mlu and supplies IoT the army We have both
Within our country sufficient TO attain success
To obtain this supplies, II is necessary 10 protect
a
uicatioHS by an increase IN the number Of our
forces; aud hence IL results that with large aug
inentation 10 the number of men in the army, the
facility OF supplying the troops would be greater,
than with our recent reduced strength. a
For the purchase OF supplies now required,
especially for the armies IN Virginia aud North
Carolina the treasury must be provided with means
md a modification in the impressmenI ~ is re-
qured. IL has been ascertsmed by examination
that We have within our reach q suifcency 0f what
is most needed for the army, aud without having
recourse 70 the ample provision existing in those
parts OF the C0niederaCy with which our cOmmuni-
cation has been partially Interrupted by hostile opc-
rstiOns. But in some districts from which supplies
are 70 be drawn, the inhabitants being either within
tie enemys lines, or in very close proximity, are
unable 10 make use Of Confederate Treasury notes
tor the purchase Of articles OF prime necessity,
and Il is necessary that TO some extent, coin lie
paid in order TO obtain supplies. 1t Is therefore
that Congress devise the means for
making available the coin within tbs COufadeTacy
tor the purpose OF supplying the army. The officers
OF the supply departments report that with two
millions OF dollars IN coin the armies in Virginia
and North Carolina can be simply supplied for the
remainder Of the year, and the knowledge Of this
fact should suffice 70 ensure the adoption of the
measures necessary 70 obtain this moderate sum.
The impreSSment law, as il now exists, prohibits
the public officers from impreSSing supplies without
making payment OF the valuation al Ne time Of i'm
prcssment. The limit fixed fOr the issue of Urea
Sury notes has been nearly reached and the Trea-
sury cannot always furnish the funds necessary tor
prompt payment while the law for raising revenue
which would have afforded means for diminishing
( not removing the difficulty, was, unfortunately
ie;ayed for several months, and has Just bcen
signed. Ia this condition Of things, il is impossible
90 supply the army, although ample stores may ex-
ST IN the country, whenever the owners refuse 10
uve credit to the public officer. Ii Is necessary
hat this restriction on the power. of impressment
be removed. The power is admitted 20 be oblec-
tOhable liable 20 abuse, and unequal in its opera
uon on individuals; vet all these objections
must yield to absolute necessity. 1t is also sug
gested that the system Of valuation now estab-
lished ought o be radically changed The lcgisla-
'ou requires IN suef cases of impress that the
market price BE- paid, but there is really no market
price in many cases, and then valuation is made
and in deprecated currency. The re-
salt is that the most extrsvsgant prices are fixed
5ach as no ore expects ever to be paid in COIN
None believe that the government can ever redeem
in CON the obligation 10 pay fifty dollarsR buSfc
Tor corn, or seven hundred dollars a Barrel for
-four. II would seem TO be more Just and sppro-
pirate TO estimate the supplies impressed at their
value IN coin TO give the obligation of the govern
ment for the payment OF the price 10 CON with
reasonable interest," or at the option of the credi
tor TO return in kind the wheat OF corn impressed
with a reasonable interest also payable in Kind
and to make the obligations thus issued receivable
Tor all payments due IN. coin TO the governmeRt.-
Whatever be the value attached BY Congress to
these suggestions it is hoped that there will be no
Hesitation in so changing thu law as to render 1t
possible to supply the army in Of necessity for
the imprcssment OF provisions Tor that purpose.
The measure adopted 10 raise revenue though
liberal in its provisions, being clearly inadequate TO
meet the arrear Of debt and the current ekpehdi-
lures some degree OF embarrassment in the man
agemeht II the finances must c0ntiDue 10 be felt -
IL is 10 be regretted, think. that the reconme nda-
ton Of the Secretary of the Treasury, OF tax on
agricultural income, equal to the augmented tax on
other incomes, payable in Treasury notes, was re-
jected ty Congress. This tax would have contfi-
buted materially to facilitate the purchase prsti-
sioDs, and diminish the necessity that is nov felt
for a supply of coin.
The measures passed by Congress during the SEES.
SION for recruiting the army and supplying the adj
itional force needed for the public dcfence have
been, in my Judgment, insufficient, and am i'm
PEELED by profound conviction of dnty, aud stimu-
lated by . seRse of the perils which sjsrround our
Additional on