Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-04-06
ADDRESS OF TIE CONFEDER,
ATE CONGRESS-.
An Appeal to the southern
People.

The homes of those who have hitherto be-
licvcd that an honorable termination might
be put to the war by negotiation have been
rudely disappointed. The enemy, after
drawing us into conference, abruptly ter
minated it by insisting upon terms which
they well knew we could never accept Our
absolute suri cnder and submission to the will
of the conqucror are the only conditions
vouchedsafcd by our arrogant foe. We are
told that if we will lay down our arms and
place our lives, liberty, property and domes-
tic institutions at the feet Of President Lin
coin that he will be merciful to us. Upon
his clemcncy we must rely to save us from
universal coniiscation aud determination.
Yes, these are the conditions upon which
the people Of the sovereign States composing
this CUnicderacy may be allowed to do
what? TO return into the "Union" from
which they solemnly and deliberately with
drew themselves, because their interests and
their honor required it, and their repug.
nance to which four years ot'rcmorscless and
cruel war have served to intensity. Thanks
be to God, who controls and ovcrrules the
counscls Of men, the naughty insolence of
our enemies, which they hoped would inlm-
! idatc and break the spirit of our people is
! producing the very contrary effect From
every part of the country there comes up IN
response shout of mingled Indignation and
defiance.
\ noble enthusiasm terminates ourgallant
army who have been battling 80 long for
freedom and independence! Let us all be
united now. Let there be no parties or fac
tons among us. Let US rise to the hight
of the great OCCASION Let us all be willing
to spend and be spent in the cause of our
country. Let us contribute freely, all that
we have il need he, to carry on the war until
our final triumph is secured. Let US take
/ tratcrnal counsel together, and calmly con
slider our condition and prospects. Such
survey, we believe, must tend to reassure
aud encourage even the less sanguine.
We have, it is true, recently met with
serious disasters. Our tortitude is being
severely tried We have suffered much,
and must bc prepared to suffer more, in the
cause for which we are struggling. Is the
cause worth the sacrifice? To answer cor
rccty we must constantly keep i'll mind the
end for which we are contcnding. What Is
our object III this war? ? The establishment
Of our independence, through which alone
are to be secured the sovereignty OF the States
aud the right of sell, government What Is
the alternative? Our subjugation as Il
people Is it possible to ovcr-cstimate the
horrors of this terrible altcrnativcY Can
IIIt IlldG DNtl ibbI lilt Illtllllt WIN
would be- presented in the event of our fail
urc? If we fail, not only political dcgrada-
ton, but social humiliation must be our
wrctchcd lot. We would not only be polit,
| ical va,sals, but social serfs An enemy that
! has shown himself destitute of the ordinary
Scnsibllltlcs of human nature, and whose
worst passions are emblttcred and innamcd
against us, would assume the absolute con-
rol of our political and social dcstnics In
vain would proud though yanquishcd peo-
pie look even for that mercy which the con
luucrcd receive from Il generous foe Those
State Rights which we have been taught
to prize 50 dearly ao the greatest bulwark o.
constitutional liberty, and which from tn,
earliest period of our history we have 5,
calously guarded, would be annhilatcd. -
The Confederate States would he held II
conquered provinces by the dcspotic Govern
III suhjuputlun hy the stern hand of militar
power, AZ Ncuetia and Lombardy have bee
b. held by Austria-us' Poland is held by tn
Russian Car. Not only would we be d,
/, privcd of every political franchise dear t
freedom but socially we would be degrade
to the level of slaves, if indeed, the refine
mCnt or malice IN our enemies did not II
n ducc them to elevate the negro slave abov
his master Not only would the propert
= and estates of ynnuli,hcd "rcbcls" be cor
Gscotcd hut they would be divided and di
tributrd among our African bondsmcn
But why pursue the hidcous pictul
e., further Southern mnnhond rryoIts nj n
e. hare idea of tbr spectacle prc,entcd Ca
. Won think of il unluoycd? Can pronerty-
can life itself 80 dear to you as to ullo
st Won to WEIGH them for one moment again
/ drprn,ntion 81 nbioct-ogninst misery ,
= nrolnuuIp We do NOT and cannot hclic,
II If thc nroud memorirs and troIitio,
of our first great revolution do NOT ncr,
you 10 eternal resistance to such n con,un
mp,ion-nnr the cxnmrlc ofour fnrctnthrr
who wrcstlcL for the indcpcndrnce they b
uurnthcd ms during seven long wears of 81
lr,iur greater than we have endured
not the precious blood that has been alco,
she'd Inv our brnyest and hest in thc nrese,
struggle. cry out to us from uryct reeki,
soil In vain Fui,lcssK. indeed, have the
sons and hrothcrs--mortvrs of hhcrtv--Ll,
and died if we inlter now in the bath viii,
, they have illuminated before MS.
In the rcyolution of '76 our armies NJ
our pcoplc suffered far more tban we bn,
done. Our cities then were almost all
r. the hands of the British, and we were q
= trcly cut off from all supplies from abroa
while our facilities for nrodurinr them W,
o. infinitely less than they now are Gree,
tells ms lhat the battle of Eutaw was won