Year: 1862

able to speak with justified voice, connec
her destiny with the South. Great ap
plause.l Our people rallied with unex
ampled unanimity to the support of the
great principles of constitutional govern
ment, with firm resolve to perpetuate BY
arms the rights which they could not peace
fully secure. A million of men, it is esti
mated, are now standing in hostile array
and wsging war along frontier of thous
ands of miles; battles have been fought
sieges have been conducted, and although
the contest is not ended, and the tide fol
the moment is against US, the final resul'
in our favor is not doubtful.


The period IS near at hand when oul
foes must sink under the immense load Of
debt which they have incurred a debt
which, in their effort to subjugate US, has
already attained such fearful dimensions
as will subject them to burthens which
must continue to oppress them for genera
tions to come.


We too have had our trials and Difficult
ties. That We are to escape them in future
is not to be hoped. 1t was to be expected
when We entered upon this war that it
would expose our people to sacrifices, and
cost them much, both of money aud blood.
But we knew the value of the object for
which we struggled, and understood the
nature of the war in which we were en-
gagged. Nothing could be so bad as fail
ure, and any sacrifice would be cheap as
the price of success in such a contest
| (Cheers.) .


But the picture has its lights as we'll as
its shadows. This great strife has awak.
ened in the people the highest emotions
and qualities of the human soul. 1t is
cultivating feelings of patriotism, virtue
and courage. Instances of self sacrifice,
and of generous devotion to the noble cause
for which we are coutending, are rife
throughout the land. Never has people
evinced more determined spirit than that
now aninating men, women and children
in every part Of our country. Upon the
first call the men fly to arms and wives and
mothers send their husbands and soDs to
battle without murmur of regret.


1t was, perhaps, in the ordination of
Providence that we we're to be taught the
value Of our liberties by the price which We
pay for them.


The recollections of this great contest,
with all its common traditions of glory, of
sacrifice, aud of blood, will be the bond of
harmony and enduring affection amongst
the people, producing unity in policy, fra.
ternity in sentiment tand joint effort in war.


Nor have the material sacrifices Of the
past year been made without some CORES.
ponding benefits. If the acquiescence Of
foreign nations iu pretended blockade has
deprived US Of our commerce with them, it
is fast making us self-supporting and in.
dependent people. The blockade, if effect
ual and permanent, could only serve to di,
vert our industry from the production of
articles for export, and employ it in supply.
ing commodities for domestic use.


1t is satisfaction that We have main.
tanned the war by our unaided exertious.-
We have neither asked nor received assist.
ance from any quarter. Yet the interest
involved is not wholly our own. The world
at large is concerned in opening our mar
kets to its commerce. When the Confede-
rate States is recognized by the nations of
the earth, and we are free to follow our
interests and incliuations by cu!tivating
foreign trade, the Southern States will Of
fer to manufacturing nations the most ia
vorable markets which ever invited their
commerce. Cotton, sugar, rice, tobacco,
provisions, timber and naval stores will fur
nish attractive exchanges. Nor would the
coustancy Of these supplies be likely to be
disturbed by war. Our Confederate
strength will be too great to tempt aggres-
sion, and never was there a people whose
interests and principles committed them so
fully to peaceful policy as those of the
Confederate States. By the character of
their productions they are too deeply in-
terested in foreign commerce wantouly to
disturb it War Of conquest they cannot
wage, because the Constitution Of their Con,
federacy admits of no cosrced association
Civil war there cannot be between States
held together by their volition only This
rule Of voluntary association, which can
not fail to be conservative, by securing just
and impartial government at home, does
not diminish the security of the obligations
by which the Confederate States may be
bound to foreign nations. In proof of this
it is to be remembered, that at the first
moment ofssserting their right of secession,
these States proposed settlement on a
basis Of a common liability for the obliga-
tions of the General Government.


Fellow citizens: After the struggles of
ages had consecrated the right of the Eng
lishmau to Constitutional Representative
Government, our colonial ancestors were
forced to vindicate that birthright by an
appeal to arms. Success crowned their e.,
forts, and they provided for their pos'er'ty
peaceful remedy against future >asgrcsion.


The tyranny of an unbridled majority,
the most odious, and least responsible form
of despotism, has denied us both the right
and the remedy. Therefore we are in arms
to renew such sacrifices as our fathers made
to the holy cause of constitutional liberty.
At the darkest hour of our struggle the
Provisional gives place to the Permanent
Government. After series of successes
and victories, which covered our arms with
glory, We have recently met with serious