Year: 1863




RICHMOND, December 8.-The followir,


is a synopsis of the message of the Presi


dent : He rapidly reviews the events of tn


past year, remarking that whilst our success
es have not equalled our expectations, w
have checked the enemy everywhere in hi


advance. Our relations with foreign nation


are discussed at considerable length. Th'
President regrets that there has been nj
improvement since his message in January
last, and that the conduct of European ma
tions is less impartial, and in some cases ha'
assumed a character positively unfriendly
Commissioners were sent abroad for the pur
pose of entering into negotiations proper tc
fix the relative rights and obligations of the
Confederate and United States, under trea-
ties entered into with foreign nations prior
to the separation which has taken place,
but this tender on our part was declined
As we have been refused the. benefit of those
treaties, they have ceased to be binding,
and, in the opinion Of the President, our
relations with European nations are now con.
trolled exclusively by the general rules Of
the law of nations. Legislation on the sub
ject of finance is earnestly recommended
Although the magnitude and duration, of
the war was not at first anticipated, still the
resources of the country are so ample and
the spirit of the people so highly elevated
to its cause, that relief is within our reach.
The financial policy of the Government
since its formation is discussed, and the
President contends that whilst the provi-
sions of the Permanent Constitution in ref
erence to direct taxation cannot be carried
into effect, the mode pointed out is plain
that it is the duty of Congress to execute
the general intent of the Constitution, by
making the tax uniform throughout the
Confederate States. These considerations
are greatly enforced by the reflection that
an attempt to apportion the taxes amongst
the States, some of which are wholly or
partially in the occupation of hostile force,
would subvert the whole intention of the
trainers of the Constitution, and be produc-
tive of most revolving injustice, instead of
that just correlation between taxation and
representation, which is their purpose to Sc
cure. With a large portion of some of the
States occupied by the enemy, what justice
would there be in imposing on the remain
der the whole amount of taxation of the
entire State? What else would this be, in
effect, but to increase the burthen of those
who are the heaviest sufferers by the war,
and make our own inability to protect them
from invasion, as we are required to do by
the Constitution, ground for adding to their
losses, by an attempted adherence to the
letter and spirit Of that instrument. No
such purpose could have been entertained,
and no such result contemplated by the fra
mers of the Constitution. We may add
weight to these considerations, if We reflect
that, although the Constitution provided
that it should go into operation with rep
resentation temporarily distributed among
the States, it expressly ordains, after provi-
ding for census within three years, that
this temporary distribution of representative
power is to endure until such enumeration
shall be made. Would any one argue that
because the census cannot be made within
the fixed period, the Government must at
the expiration of that period perish, for
want of representative body? In any as
pect in which the subject can be viewed. [
am led to the conclusion already announced,
and which is understood to be in accordance
with the vote taken in one or both houses,
at the last session. L shall, therefore, until
we are able to pursue the precise mode re-
quired by the Constitution, deem Tiny duty
to approve any law levying taxation, which
you are bound to impose for the defence of
the country in any other practicable mode
which shall distribute the burthen uniform
ly and impartially on the whole property of
the people. In your former legislation you
have sought to avoid an increase in the vol
ume of notes in circulation, offering induce
ments for voluntary funding. The measures
adopted for that purpose have been but par
TALLY successful, and the evil has reached
such a magnitude as to permit 40 other
remedy than a compulsory reduction of the
currency to the amount required by the bu-
siness of the country. This reduction
should be accompanied by pledge that un-
der no stress of circumstances will that a.
mount be exceeded No possible mode of
using the credit of the Government can be
so disastrous as one which disturbs the ba-
ses of all exchange, renders impossible all
calculations of future values, augments, in
constantly increasing proportions, the price
of all commodities, and so depreciates all
wages, salaries and incomes, as to render
them inadequate to bare subsistence. Ifto
these be added the still more fatal influence
on the morale and character of the people,
to which l have already alluded, am per-
suaded you will concur in the conclusion
that an inhexible adherence to the con6n-
ing the currency at d fixed sum is an indis-
pensable element of any system of finance
now to be adopted. Holders of currency
now outstanding can only be protected in
the recovery of their just claims by substi-
tuting for notes some other security. If the
currency is not greatly and promptly re-
duced, the present state of imitation will not
only continue to exist, but by the very fact
of the large amount thus made requisite in
the conduct of the war, those prices will
reach rates still more extravagant, and the
whole system, will fall under its own weight,
rendering redempt;on of the debt impos.