Year: 1862

Cancellation OF the Northwestern


States by the Rebels.


The following is the majority report of
the rebel House Committee on Foreign
Affairs upon the resolutions lately intro
duced into their Congress touching the
conduct of the war, and the tender of
conciliatory measures to the inhabitants
of the Northwestern States:


The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to
whom were referred certain resolutions
relating to the true policy of the war, and
recommending to the President the issu-
ance of proclamation touching the free
navigation ofthe Mississippi and its trib-
utaries, and the opening of the market
of the South to the inhabitants of the
Northwestern States, upon certain terms
and conditions, have had the same under
consideration, and now report back said
resolutions, with one or two slight amend
ments, and recommend that they be
adopted. oo'a O. h-11 -.-


The expediency of conducting the war
in which we are engaged with all possi-
BILE activity, and of carrying that war
into the enemys country, so soon as the
same shall be found practicable, is be-
lieved to be now universally admitted by
all enlightened men who have given their
attention to the subject. 1t is evident
that we must rely alone upon our own en-
ergies for success in the struggle of arms
which is now in progress In the pres
ent condition of affairs it is quite mani
! fest that in order to bring the sanguinary
struggle in which we are engaged to an
early termination, it will be necessary
that every portion of our army should be
kept in state of constant readiness for
active exertion, and that no opportunity
should be neglected of striking the force
ofthe enemy, wherever to be found upon
Southern soil, with that boldness and he
roic energy which are so certain to give
to our arms the most signal success.


1t is equally manifest that the enemy
will never be willing to deSist from the
unjust and ferocious war which they arc
now waging, until the evils and incon-
veniences thereof shall have been brought
home fully to themselves. When our
valiant and disciplined armies (enhanced
in numbers and in strength, as it is
hoped they will shortly be) shall have
once found their way to the heart of the
enemy's country, and have inflicted a
Just retaliation upon those who have sc
ruthlessly ravaged our territories, pill
laged our towns, and desolated oul
homes, it is to be reasonably expected
that even they will at last be able to dis
Germ the rank injustice and brutal cru
city which they have compelled us tt
experience, and for the preparation O
which they have not been heretofore sub
jected to anything like adequate punish
ment


Your Committee are well satisfied tha
the issuing Of some such proclamation By
the President, as that described in tn,
resolutions referred to them, at such time
| as he shall deem expedient, could not bu
be attended with the most salutary effects
| 1t is an undoubted fact that the Govern
ment at Washington, aided by unscrupu
lous local demagogues in the Northwest
ern States has succeeded to considera
Bile extent in deluding the people of tina
region into a general belief that, SHOULD
we succeed in our struggle for indepen
| denee, it is the intention of the Govern
ment and people of the Confederaey t.
shut them out from the free navigation o
the Mississippi river and its great tributa
ries; and though the Provisional Congress
ofthese States long ago emphatically neg
atived this idea, by well known acts of foT
NAL Legislation, yet your Committee is as
sured that the delusion on this subject still
continues to exist among the people of th
Northwest, and that the gross misappre
tensions in regard to the intentions ant
policy of the Confederate States O
| America, thus engendered and kept il
existence by wicked and designing men
has operated most effectively in prompt
ing the people of the Northwestern
States $50 closely connected with tn,
South heretofore, both by geographical
and political ties, to contribute freel
both in men and money to the prosecu
| ton of a war which, If successful wit
those with whom it has originated, woul,
be eventually as disastrous in its effect
to the people of the Northwestern State
themselves as to those of the Confede
rate States of America. 1t is gratifying
to discover that high-spirited and inte
hgent public men in several of th
Northwestern States have, of late, be
come exceedingly active in their er
deavors to suppress and discourage tn
ferocious war spirit heretofore ragin
among their fellow-citizens, and that thei
honest and patriotic efforts have bee
already attended with the most marke
success.


Such proclamation as that recon
mended in the resolution referred to thi
Committee, it is confidently believed
would have a tendency greatly t
strengthen the efforts of the advocates c
peace in the Northwestern States, be ca
eulated to bring those States quickl
into amicable relations with the State
of the South, withdraw them ultimatel
together from their present injurious pt
litical connection with the States of tn
North and East, with which they hav
really SO little in common, and thus en-;
BILE us to dictate the terms of a lust an
honorable peace from the great comme
cial emporium of that region throug
whose influence mainly has this wicke
and unnatural war been thus far kept i
progress.