Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-22
Gov. Magrath Sounds Gov. Watts, of
Alabama.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,


EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Jan. 80, 1865.
MY DEAR SIR-The present condti
ofOur affairs, the march Of conquest which
Gen. sherman has made through GeOr-
gia, the calamitous termination of Gen.
Hoods Campaign, the threatened invasion
OF South Carolina, the attempted control
OF the communications between these
states and Virginia, accomplishing, il
succe~ stul, sore disaster TO the forces un-
der Gen. Lee, have deeply impressed me
with the necessity for the most thorough
and cooperative action, aad the most in
innate intercourse between the States of
the confederation, through their State
Governments. and especially between
those States which have been known as
the cotton States, in which the separation
from the Government of the United
States was first accomplished, and where
the contest inaugurated by them will
probably be decided by them and won, as
we hope, for all the States which are unit
ed in our confederation.
Under such convictions, l have ad-
dressed, very recently, letters to Gov.
Brown, of Georgia, ard Gov. Vance of
North Carolina, urging upon them union
OF what was left of our resources, and
which were not received by the Govern
ment OF the Confederate States, so that in
that union of such resources all might af-
ford some aid to each, which might be eff
fectual for most purposes OF defense, ex-
cept when danger was apprehended from
the armies of the enemy.
There are other matters which inti-
mately affect the public welfare, and re-
qulre tor their proper management the
common counsels, and, if practcable, a
united course of conduct on the part of
those who represent the State Govern
ments n these States.
For my own part, recognizing, in the
revolutions OF these Statess, the great fun
damental truth that the State were soVe-
reign, and that this great fundamental
truth was intended to be asserted and ex-
posed in manner too plain again TO be
mistaken, l have regretted that, in 30
many cases, influence and authority
which the State Governments could have
exercised, were not called into activity. l
have felt for some time, and now do more
strongly than ever, that the States are
the proper sources of that strength which
must be given to the struggle IN which
we are engaged, and the Governments of
those States the best agencies by which
the resources of these States can be de-
veloped.
L have felt this practically in a manner
which satisfies me that the longer the de-
lay which is allowed to take place in en-
ergIZlng our State Governments as the
sources, the greater Will be the inconveni-
ence-probably, j may add, the mischiets
which will result.
With the threatened invasion OF South
Carolina | have been obliged to press on
the President the absolute need of aid,
but, with the numerous and embarrassing
calls upon him, the suggestion was nat
ural and proper that should call upon the
Governor of Georgia.
But the Governor Of Georgia had re-
Gently been forced to see his own State
invaded. The resources, limited as they
were, OF this State, and not prepared for
such an emergency, could not at that time
be carried to the succor of Georgia.
When | say to you that whatever aid 1t
can give to its sister States, from these
resources, which are within it's own con-
troll, that aid it will gladly give, and in so
doing discharge its duty and secure its
own qualification.
l have, therefore, proposed to the Gov
ernOrs OF the States to which l have re-
ferred to institute among and between
those States frequent and free interchange
of communications in relation to their
means and their necessities. Closely, and
as l hope indissOlubly united, now and
hereafter, in all measures of policy and
polity, what better service can we render
than in mutually assisting each other,
whether it be in the defense of our terri
tories or in the development CT cur re-
sources?
This association, so to speak, would be
of great advantage, | think, in the inhu-
ence which would be given by the State
to the measures required
Tor the reformation of many of the
abuses which have crept into the admin
istrative offices Of the common govern
ment.
deem it necess airy now again, and for
the sake of illustration, to refer to two
impressment and desertion.
Had the State Governments of Georgia,
South Carolina, and other States been so
administered That upon the approach Of
the enemy their resources, so far as they
could have been spared, would have been
concentrated before Atlanta, or cooper
ated with the militia of Georgia, in har-
assing the march upon Savannah, pres
tige easily won wOuld never have been
won, and series OF disasters have mark
ed the pathway of the invader.
l have merely referred to this illustra-
tion . sSecaiise :. IS recent and shows at
once the necessity which has been and
will be upon US to call upon each other
having that understanding and consent
by which that aid, when it can be given,
will be most effectually rendered.
The State of South Carolina has recent
ly made provisions for atfording such aid
as it can render by authorizing in certain
cases the employment gifts militia outside
of it's territorial limits.
feel that | truly represent the pur-
pose of the Legislature. and the feeling of
the State.
From the legislation Of the State of Al
ALBANIA, in which the abuse of the authOri-
ty to impress is made a misdemeanOr, l
infer that the same difficulties, and may
say wrongs, have been experienced there
which have been felt in other States. But
in all of the States, and ia all cases in
which impressment has been exercised, l
have observed two dominant ideas. al
ways so prominent and general that they
are more than individual. One Is that
there is now no law prevalent in these
States, that no respect is due now to tue
constitution, that the right of property is
subject to the visitation of what Is
called military necessity, and that any
person, officer, or agent can determine for
the particular case whether he intends
that it shall be considered as governed by
this law Of military necessity or not. The
second is that no responsibility is recog-
niZed or admitted for official conduct eX-
cept TO an immediate superior or the chief
of some bureau. When doctrine and
practice like this prevail in our States, it
is time that the State Governments should
interfere and prevent the great suf ring
which the people of those States are
forced to undergo.
The great crime OF desertiOn has grown
up under the influence OF these opinions.
An immediate respOnsibilitV has been in
culated to the common government at
Richmond, and nowhere else. Ii the de-
serter can escape the grasp OF that gov
eminent he considers himself free. And
in that freedom, not only relieved from all
obligations to obey the laws OF the State,
but Invested with kind of authority to
ignore the laws OF that State. Is this
strange? He has been accustomed to see
the laws OF that State enforced, its au-
thOrity respected, the rights Of persons
and property protected. He sees those
rights no longer protected, those laws no
longer respected, that authority inactive.
Is il not natural that he should see In the
license to take, asserted by his superior, q
license also as his to do the samei Hence
do we see that the Sheriff and other OFF,
GERS Of the law in these States are men,
aced, defied and killed. The torpor of our
State Government has invited that disre-
gard of their power and authority which
has been the source Of great mischief to
each State and to the confederation form
ed by these States.
pass now hastily to another view of
this proposition. such intercourse and
concert between State Governments would
enable them to exercise a wholesome in
fiuence, l hope and believe, in many mat
tiers which, under the conduct Of the