Year: 1865

xe<upllOlb
held but be still beneficial by abating the natural
and jealossy created ia the army by the ex
Of classes privileged hy law to remain IN place. ~
ssfety while their eliowSitzens exposed In the
trenches and the field


NEW MILITIA LAW sErxD.


The measure most ded, however a. the presens
lime for affordng an effective increase to our military
strength, general militia law, such as the sons..
lion authorizes Congress TO pass by granting - ~ ss
provide for organizing ariaing and dscipiihhs we
militia and for governing such part o them as may o
employed In the service of the Confederate Sase anu
the further power so provide for calling ioiLh ue
militia to execute the laws Of the Coniederate states,
suppress insurr ctons and repel invasions my
sty for the exercise OF this power cun nos o = %
m the circumstances which now SURROUND ~ lhc seou
ry Of the States against any encroachheH. oy to
federate government amply provided ny uso eSns's
ton hy reserving the States respectively ihe ap
OF the officers and the authority OF training
the militia according 10 the discipline prescribed Dy con
gress. - go :, ,yh.,
persons the iltia to be Organized butt provide
the mode Of calling them out II instances De Ieqisa
~ show the necessity for such general law IL Is sum
cienl 10 mention that in one have been informed
by the Governor of State that the ao doe not permit nm
10 call o the militia from county jar service IN dnoher
SO that single brigade OF the enemy could traverse the
State and yastate each county in turn Without any
power the part Of the Executive 70 use .n9 4,a r
for effective defence; while in another State the ExeCu-


tive refused allow the militia ITO be employed iR tne
service the Confederate STATES" in the absence ora
suspsNDISa THE WRIT or HABEAs CORPUS.


have heretofore, in conld ntial message 70 the
lgo houses stated the facts which induced mo 10 con-
slider il necessary that the privilege Of the writ OF
habeas corpus should be suspended The convieton Of
the necessity Of this measure has become deeper Us he
events OF the struggle have been developed Congress
has concurred with me in opinion II Is my duty 70
say that the has arrived when the suspension OF the
writ Is not simply advisable and expedient but almost
indspensabe to the successful conduct OF the On
Congress must rest the responsibility OF dccmihg "
exercise power conferred by the consuS'tion as
means public safety be used in periods OF nat onai
peril resulting from foreign invasion. II our present
circumstances not such contemplated when
this power conferred confess myself a. tos %
Uhich tS Clause We cOJtatt-
tuition sUiI not remain q dead Liter.


THE PEACE CONFERENCE.


With the prompt adoption Of the measures above
recommended, and the united and hearty cooperation
OF Congress and the people in the execution OF the laws
coming campaign with cheerful confidence n the
result And who doubt the continued existence OF
sancy under reveses which alone needed to render
our triumph secureY What other resources remain
available but the undying unconquerabe resolve 10 DC
feeY II has become certain beyond all doubt or ques
tion that must continue this struggle to successful
issue must make abect and unconditional sub
mission to such terms as 1t shall please the
conqucror to impose upon us after surrender,
II possible doubt could exist after the conference be-
tween our commissioners and Mr. Lincoln, as recently
reported you 1t would be dspelled by recent occur
renee of which 1t is proper that you should be lnored


Congress will remember that in the conference above
Of the United States would not enter into
any agreement treaty whatever with the Confederate
States, nor with any single State and me only possible
disbandng our forces and yielding unconditional ope-
dience to the laws Of the United States including
those passed for the coniscaton OF our property,
and the constitutional amendment for the abolition
of slavery. 1t will further be remembered d
that Mr. Lincoln declared that the only which
hostcs could those stated in his message Of
December last, in which we were informed that Ia the
event OF our penItent submission he would temper JUS
tice with mercy and that the question whether we would
be governed as dependent territories or permitted TO
have representation in their Congress was one on which
he could promise nothing, but which would be decided
by their Congress after our submission had been ac-
copied.


II has not however, been hitherto stated to You that In
the of the conference at Fortress Monroe sug
gestion made by Of our commissioners that the
objection entertained by Mr.. Lincoln to treating with
the Of the confederay or with any separate
State might be avoided by substituting for the usual
mode of negotiating through commissioners or other
diplomatic agents the method sometimes employed Of
military convention to be entered into by the command
ing generals OF the armies Of the belgerents This
he admitted, power possessed by him, though 1t
not thought commensurate with all the questions in
vovcd As he did not accept the suggestion when made
afterwards requested to reconsider his conclusion
upon the subject OF the suspension Of hostes, which
he agreed do but said that he had matuscy consd
cred OF the pan and had determined that could not DO
rns PROPOSED INTERVIEW HE1wEsS GENERALS GRANT AND


Subsequently, however, interview with General
Longstreet asked for by General Ord, commanding
Longstreet was informed by him that there posi-
bity OF arriving ut satisfactory adjustment OF the
present unhappy difficulties by means Of military con
venon and that II General Lee desired an interview
the subject would not be declined, provided General
Lee had authority to act This communication was sup
posed the consequence Of the suggestion above
erred to and General Lee, according to instructions,
wrote to General Grant the I'd OF this month, pro-
posing TO meet him for conference on the subject and
stating that he vested with the requisite authority
General Grants reply stated that he had authority TO
accsde the proposed conference; that his powers
tended only making convention subjects purely
of military character and that General Ord could only
have that interview would not be refused on
any subjsct on which he General Gran had the right
to act.


1t thus appears that neither with the Confederate
authorities OF any State, through the commanding
generals will the government OF the United states treat
make any agreement whatever for the


ton of hostes There remains, then, for us no choice
but TO continue this contest to final ssue for the peo
pie Of confederacy be but little known to him
who supposes possible they would ever consent To pur
chase Of degradation and slavery permission
live In country soned by their negroes, and
governed by officers sent by the to rule over
them.


THE LAST EFFORT.


Having thus fully placed before you the Information
requisite enable you Judge Of the state OF the coun
try the dangers to which exposed and the mea-
OF legislation needed for averting them II remains
but invoke your attention 20 the consideration
those by which, above all Others may hope
escape the caIanitics that would result from failure
Prominent above oil Others is the necessity for earnest
and cordial cooperation between all departments Of gov
ernmen state and Confederate, and all eminent citizens
throughout the confederacy To you especially as Sen
and Representatives do the people look for
agement and counsel To your acton-not only In cgs-
ative halls but In your homes-w their eyes bo turned
for the example OF what is b fitting men who by willing
sacrifices the altar Of freedom show that they
thy 10 enjoy its blessings feel full confidence that
will with in the conviction that your public du
ties will not be ended when you shall have closed the leg
isatve abors OF the session. but that voices will be
heard cheering and the people that persist
ent forttude which they have hitherto displayed and
anmatng them by the manifestation Of that con-
hdence which In moments Of public danger Is the dis
tncve characteristic OF the patriot who derives courage
from his devotion 10 his c0unrys destiny and s thus
enabled to inspire the like courage in others.


Thus united Ia common and holy cause, rising above
all selfish considerations, rendering oil our and
faculties tributary TO the countrys welfare let bow
20 Divine will and reverenty invoke the
blessing Of Heavenly Father, that He protected
and T. ided sires when struggling In a similar cause
50 he will enable 10 guard safely affairs and
nrcsdes and maintain nvioate the pol toa rights which
we inherited. JEFFERSON DAVIS


RICHMOND, March 10, 1855


Coxaments OF the Richmond Press on the


Message.


tFrom the Richmond Enquirer, March 1871


The message Of the President which publish to-
day OF great earnestness and plainly and emphat
cally explains to the Congress and the country the
treme parIs which beset cause While there IL truth