Year: 1864




engaged While every succeeding state,
ment of this kind becomes more con
Tineing than those which went before,
the indications of conviction on the
part OF European Powers become weak
er until they have almost ceased to
exist Yet no one can read the Presi-
dents brief and condensed argument
based upon the assembling of the new
Congress, without being struck with the
torcIble nature of the evidence present
ed, and impressed with the bad faith Of
the Powers which refuse to accept and
to act upon it. We may therefore re
gard 1t as demonstrated that Europe
demands of US not only far stronger eYi-
dence than was ever before required
from people fighting for independence;
but evidence of a totally different char
acter.


/ They insist that we shall prove to
their satisfaction that we are able to
maintain our independence by force,
thus entirely setting aside the question
Of right Yet there is not q second
class nation Of Europe which could
maintain its place in the family of na-
tions in the face Of this test. Indeed,
the doctrine Of the balance of power,
supported by perpetual readiness for
war in its behalf, was invented and is
maintained expressly in opposition to
this idea For if a nation may at any
time be overrun and subjugated by an
other nation which happens to be
stronger, not one can say that it is alb
solutely safe. The independence Of q
people is a simple question Of fact at
particular moment, not by any means
to be decided by its ability to stand up
against any assault This doctrine
would require all nations to be in the
first place absolutely equal to each 9th
er in material strength and resources,
and on the other hand, that each one
should be equal to all the rest, which
is palpably a contradiction and an alb
surdity. But it so happens that this
is not the kind Of evidence hitherto
demanded by Europeans In the case
of Greece the Intervention was justified
not because Greece was able to main
tain her independence in which case
interference would not have been need
ed, but because she could not maintain
/ herself in opposition to the Turkish
power. 1t is not necessary to 90 fur
ther for illustrations. The subject has
been already exhausted, and to elabo-
rate any further does not promise bene-
fetal results.


The President, speaking ca ethedra,
tells US that he sees no prospect of an
early change in the course heretofore
pursued by those (the European) gov
ernments- In his words, which are
/ true enough and forcible enough to
commend them to every citizen of the
/ Gonfederacy, 'it Is enough for as to
know that every avenue Of negotiation
is closed against us; that our enemy is
making renewed and strenuous efforts
/ for our destruction, and that the sole
| resource for US, as a people secure in
[ the Justice of our cause and holding
our liberties to be more precious than


all other earthly possessions, is to com
/ bine and apply every available element
| of power for their defence and preser
/ vatiOn."


On the subject Of the currency, the
/ President refers to the report of the
Secretary of the Treasury We infer
/ that that officer will ask Congress to re-
Iieve him of the power which he sup
poses to be conferred by the existing
law, of issuing currency to the full
| amount Of all received into the Treas
ury either by funding or exchange. 1t
is very Justly said that the currency in
circulation, say S230000,000, on the lst
Of july, is ample for the business re-
ouirements Of the country, and that
Il. e L..
attended by disastrous effects, and


would produce the speedy recurrence
of the evils from which the funding
law has rescued the country" We are
glad to know that the Secretary
takes this view of the subject; and we.
hope Congress will do something to re-
lieye the unfortunate gentleman of the
weight Of power which so sorely op-
/ presses him.


We are likewise glad TO learn that the
efficiency Of our armies in the field is
all that can be desired and that the
/ discipline and instruction Of the troops
have kept pace with their improvement
in material and equipment


Various recommendations contained
/ in the report Of the Secretary Of War,
are recapitulated by the President
/ Among the subjects referred to are an
amendment Of the law depriving oil
GERS in the field of the privilege Of pur-
| chasing rations; an increase in the al
| lowance of officers travelling under or
ders; provision for invalid officers re-
signed in consequence Of wounds or
sickness; the tenure Of Office Of general
officers Of the provisional army the
organization Of the general staff Of the
army, &c.


The recapitulation of the recent sue
cesses Of our army is sufficiently en-
cOuraging, and we cannot, perhaps, do
better than to quote the paragraph in
which it is contained:


The recent events of the war are
highly creditable to our troops, exhibit
ing energy and vigilance combined with
the habitual gallantry which they have
taught US to expect on all occasions.
We have been cheered by important
and valuable successes in Florida
Northern Mississippi, Western Tennes
see and Kentucky, Western Louisiana
and Eastern North Carolina rejecting
the highest honor on the skill and con
duct of our commanders and on the in
comparable soldiers whom it is their
privilege to lead A naval attack on
Mobile was 50 successfully repulsed Al
the outer-works that the attempt was
abandoned and the nine months siege
OF Charleston has been practically sus-
pended, leaving the noble city and it,
fortresses imperishable monuments 10
the skill and fortitude Of is defenders
The armies in Northern Georgia and
Northern Virginia still oppose, with IN
shaken front, a formidable barrier to
the progress Of tho INVADER and our
generals, armies and people are ami
mated by cheerful confidence.


There is a passage in the Message
which deserves more than casual notice
de calls attention % the fact that th' /
COngr, under the provisional goYcr
menJ held four sessions, and now tn' I
-ecOnd Congress under the pernam~u
government is assembled at the t.-ne
and place appointed by law: -


All these events have passed int
history, notwithstanding the threat o
our prompt subjugation made three
years ago, by people that presume 70
assert a tllie 70 govern States whose
separate and Independent sovereignty
was recogniz d Dy treaty with France
and Great Britain in the last century.