Year: 1861

tne SICK, tne women and the children Of an enemy--but there are other savage prac- tices, which have been resorted to by the government of the United States, which do admit of repression by retaliation, and l have been driven to the necessity of en- forcing the repression. The prisoners of war taken by the enemy on board the arm- ed schooner Savannah, sailing under our commission, were as l am credibly advised, treated like common felons, put in irons, confined in the jail usually appropriated to criminals of the worst dye, and threatened with punishment as such. lad made an application for the exchange of prisoners to the commanding officer of the enemy's squadron off Charleston, but that officer l had already sent the prisoners to New I ork when the application was made. 1 therefore, deemed 1t my dutyto renew the proposal for an exchange to the constitu- tional commander-in chief of the army and navy of the United States, the only officer having control of prisoners to this end dispatched an officer to him, under flag of truce, making the proposal, and inform ing President Lincoln of my resolute pur

 

 war, by such severity of retaliation on pri- soners held by us, as should secure the abandonment of the practice. This com munication was received and read by an officer in command of the United States forces and message brought frsm him, by the bearer of any communication, that q reply would be returned by Lincoln, as soon. as possible l earnestly hope this promised reply, (which has not yet been received) will convey the assurance that prisoners of war will be treated in this un- happy contest, with that regard for hu- manity, which has made such conspicuous | progress in the conduct of modern warfare. | As a measure of precaution, however, and until the promised reply is received, still retain in close custody some officers cap tured from the enemy, who 1t had been my pleasure previously to set at large on parole, and whose fate must necessarily depend on that of the prisoners held by the enemy. l append 9 copy of my communication to the president and commanderin-c chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the report of the officer charged to 1 deliver my communication. There are some other passages in the remarkable pa- per which have directed your attention to, having reference to the retaliations which exist between this government and the States usually termed the border slave states, which cannot properly be withheld from notice. The hearts of our people are animated by sentiments toward the inhabi tants of these States, which found exprcs- sion in your enactment, refusing to consid CT them enemies, or authorize hostilities against them.

 That a very large portion of the people of these States regard us as brethren, that if unrcstrained by the actual presence of large armies, and the subversiOn of civil authority, and declaration of martial law, some of them at least, would joyfully unite with US; that they are with almost entire unanimity, opposed to the prosecution of the war waged against us, are facts which daily recurring events fully warrant the as sertion of.

 The President of the United States re- fuses to recognize in these, our late sister States, tho right of refraining from attack on us, and justifies his refusal by the asser- tion that States have no other power than that reserved to them in the Union by the constitution-no one of them having ever been a State out of the Union. This view of the constitutional relations between the States and the general government, is fitting introduction to another assertion of the message, that the executive possesses the power of suspending the writ of habeas corpus, deegating that power to military commanders at their discretion. And both these propositions claim respect equal to | that which is cit for the additional statement of opinion in the same paper, that 1t IS pro- | per in order to execute laws, that some single law made in such extreme tenderness of the citizens liberty, that practically re- lieves more of the guilty than innocent, should to very limited extent be violated We may well rejoice that we have forever severed our connection with a government that thus tramples on all principles of con stitutional liberty, and with a people in whose presence such avowals could be haz- arded.

 Operations in the field will be greatly ex- tended by reason of the policy, which hereto | fore has been secretly entertained and is now aroused and acted on by us. The forces hitherto raised, provided amply for the de- fensc ofthe seven States which originally or ganizcd in the confederacy Such is evident ly the fact, for with the exception of three ! fortified islands, whose defense is efficiently aided by preponderating naval force, the enemy has been driven completely out of these States, and now at the expiration oi | z tbe fl,o { 4l vernment, not single hostile foot presses their soil. These forces, however, must necessarily prove inadequate to repel an invasion by the half million of men, now proposed by the enemy. A corresponding increase of forces will become necessity Recommendations for the raising of an eff cient equipment for this additional force will be contained in the communication of the secretary of war, which need scarcely invite your earnest attention to.

 In my message delivered in April last, I referred to the promise of abundant crops, with which we were cheered. The grain crops have partly been harvested. The yield has proven to be the most abundant ever known in our history-many believe the supply adequate to two years consump- .tion of our population. Cotton, sugar and tobacco, forming surplus of productions of agriculture, and furnishing basis for our commercial interchange, presents the most cheering promises ever known. Providence has smiled on the labor, which extracts the teeming wealth of our soil in all parts of our Coniederacy. It is more gratifying to be able to give you this, because of the need of large and increased expenditure in the support of our army. Elevated and purified by the sacred cause, thus maintained, our fellow citizens of every condition of life, exhibit the most self-sacri6cing de- votion. They manifest a laudable pride in upholding their independence unaided by any resources, other than their own The immense wealth which the fertilized and genial climate and soil have accumulated