National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-12
SECRET.

To the senate and house of representatives
Of The confederate states of America The
present state Of the confederacy, in my
judgment, requires that i should invite
your attention to a condition Of things
existing in the country which has already
been productive of serious evil, and which
threaten still graver consequences, unless
an adequate romedy shall be speedily ap-
piled to tho legislation of congress. 1t
has been our cherished hope, and hitherto
justified by the generous self-devotion OF
our citizens, that when the great struggle
In which we are engaged was passed. we
might exhibit to the world the proud
spectacle of people unanimous In tho
assertion and defense of their rights,
and achieving their liberty and inde-
peudence after tho bloodiest war Of mod
ern times without the necessity of q
single sacrifice of civil rights to military
necessity. But II can no longer be
doubted that the zeal with which the
people sprang to arms at the beginning
of the contest has in some parts of the
confederacy been impaired by tho long
! continuance and magnitude of tho strug-
| gle.
While brigade after brigade Of our
brave soldiers who have endured the
trials of the camp and battle field are tes-
tifyinR their spirit and patriotism by q
voluntary rs-enlistment for the war, dis
content disaffection, and disloyalty are
manifested among those who through tho
sacrifice of others have enjoyed quiet and
safety at home. Public meetings have
been held, in some Of which q treason
able design is masked by pretense Of
devotion to state sovereignty, and in
others is openly avowed. Conventions
are advocated with the pretended object
Of rodressing grievances, which. If they
existed, could as we'll be romedied by
ordinary legislative action, but with the
real design Of accomplishing treason un-
der the form of law. To this end o strong
suspicion is entertained that secret leagues
and associations are being formed. In
certain localities men of no mean position
do not hesitate TO avow their disloyalty
and hostility TO our cause, and thoir ad-
voCacy of peace on the terms of submis-
sion and tho abolition Of slavery. In
districts ovorrun by the enemy, or liable
to their encroachments, citizens of we'll
known dislOyalty are holding frequent
communication with them, and furnish
| ing valuable information to our injury,
even TO the Illustration Of important mill
tary movements. And yet must thoy
through too strict regard to the technical
tiles Of tho law be permitted to 60 at large
till thoy have perfected their treason by
the commission OF an overt act.
After tho commission Of the act the
evidence is often unattainable, because
within tho epemy's lines, again and again
such persons have been arrested, and az
often they have been discharged by the
civil authorities because the government
could not procure testimony from within
tho lines of tho enemy. On one occasion
while party of othcsrs were laying q
torpedo In James river persons on shore
were detected in communicating with the
enemy, and were known to pilot them to 9
convenient post for observing the nature
of the service on which the party were
4 engaEed. They were arrested aud dis