Newspaper Page Text
t
VOL. XIV.
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, MONDAY MORNNING, DECEMBER 14, lHttB.
NO. 204
iLuiii ^tlovuiui^Uuro
BY THEODORE BLOIS.
»». 1. TiHMII‘SO.\, - - EDITOR,
DUk- Advuinetl SCat4‘N• or Subscription
mid Advertising.
For Biz mouths ...... fl3 00
For i In co montlis -j t n)
foil Tllfi Tltl-WIKKLT lUCBli.
For six month* |,a 00
i''or iliroo months 5 n 1
THK WEEKLY PiVl KU.
■ Bis I
OUtllB
two llioubitiuf dolla
levied u las not to
iu! Tiu Hill Punned.
e, 1)4 e. 12th both Houses
ax bill. IL exempts
of huli1lor«'
•uc.t 01m pt
property,
MON JAY MORNING, DECEMBER 14. 18(13.
TELEGRAPHIC.
REPORTS OF THE PRES8 ASSOCIATION.
Entered according to ict <of Congn
Aurthern District 0/ On,
Confederate tsta
Occ. 12.—Nothing new to-day.
between ibe ballerie^ No
other property. It to tHihufticd 1I1.11 the
will raise twelve million ot dollars, und
the income t \x aud llie fct m- Road will |*ay all
Hie 1 spouses ol the Slum Governiuent wiiliout
luturriug rartbur Indebtedness. Thus Georgia
resolves to pay us she goes.
Colonel Hums* itMld 011 Nuuinbur).
(Hjk rial 10 the Mobile Kcgbter )
Oealona, Dec. Sib.—Captain Cole, arriving
Iroin the Ironl, reports the. MtccesBlul attack of
Col. Ross’ brigade, ol Uen. Lee's division, upon
Ssufabury, the rout ol the guriiaou, ui|d its re
duction to ushcs. i be Vaukees retreallug to
wards Coriulb, were ovcrlukeu ut Wolf river,
where they lost several prisom-id und two regl-
iM< uts ol horses tlnil leli into 010 bunds, besides
The House bill to authorize the Issue of
15,000,000 Tieasury note* iu change bills, win*
laid ou (be (able for tbs prudent.
The gcnn.il I ix bill wild lakeu up. Mr. Gaul-
die moved to strike out 1 u* percent, and in
sert one bull01 oue percent., Ac.,us the amount
be levied upon the taxable property ol the
the
•oulu
rd« Greuuda
Hip Mi>bv of < liurluNlou,
Charleston, Dec. 12—lhe casualties in
Fori Sumter yesterday were ten killed and
tbiriy wounded. Among Ibe Ltiled are 1,'apt.
Frost, A. U. S., Seigcaul Swanson, S. C. Artil
lery. Cupt. Gullllard’d Company of Regulars
lout three killed aud twi) wounded.
Licnteuaul at ilonel Elliott was slightly
wounded in the bead by a piece of brick-bat*
but remuins in command.
P. C. Elliott, of tin: Signal Corps, is among
the ueveioly wounded. There was uo ilriug last
night, aud uo more shelliug ol toe city.
LATEK,
Chaulbbton, D
Very little tiring
tiriug ol iinpoilance on Sumter. Full particu
lars of the accideut at Suuuer not yet received,
but are expected to-night.
Yankee New* from RlUdulpid,'
Moiui.u, Dec. 12—A special to the Adver-
lisei & Ki-gisiei, dated Oxlord, Lilli, says :
Memphis papeu are ominously bileut about the
recent raid of Ueu. Lee. ’i be loss at Moscow
was severe aud underrated by us. Col. Heath,
the house burner, was badly wounded. Late
Northern daten uuiuiercbliog.
C<io 11. nioreuii Coming Home.
Richmond, Dec, 12. —The Euquirer learns
that General Morgau crossed the Ohio river
neuv Ashland to make his way to the Confede
rate Hues, it is not known when he will visit
Richmond.
From tlto Front,
Bristol, Dee. 12.—The news Irorn the from
Is decidedly eueouragiug. Our cavalry are Glill
ut Morristown, and the enemy arc retiring since
Luugetreet has placed Cumberland Gap in Ufa
Irout mslead ol his rear. Lougflieei’s, Ran
som’s aud Vance’s commands have been consol
idaled, and perfect confidence is lelljbul he will
be able to hold the coiiuiry.
Vaughan’s command has succeeded iu joining
the main body.
(onfederate C'vnffrcM a
Richmond, Dee. 12.—The subject ol retain
ing in service or discharging, at the cud ol their
term, the three years’ men, is nitractiug consid
erable utieutiou iu Cougroas, aud is u mutter ol
concern to the army aud country. 'The Secru-
lury ot War has already announced that tuey
cannot be discharged. Some members favor
their discharge, but leave them liable to con
scription. Others favor 'their rcorguui:: uiou
with the privilege of the election of otlieors.
Au important petition has becu presented in
•the House from the First Battalion o! Artillery
of Alabama, which volunteered tor three years
for State defence, before the Confederate Gov
ernment was formed. The battaliou was after
wards turned over to the Provisional Army.
Since then it has uot been allowed to cboos*
116 own officers. Outsiders have been appoint
ed to command Huai who have treated them
cruelly,and denied them the privileges usually
enjoyed by soldiers. Had they foreseen this
treatment, not one of them would have volun
teered. All are dissatisUcd and anxiously
await the lime of their discharge. Not a siugle
man wished to withdraw irorn the service so
long as they are needed. The first to volunteer
they would be the last to refuse to serve. Rut
us meu of spirii and iutolligonco, they
willing to serve in future as in the past. They
therefore ask Congress, if they are uot dis
charged at the cud ol three years, that they he
allowed to re*orguuizc the battalion and choose
their officers. The petition was referred.
The Speaker aiinouuced the special Commit
lee on liuunces and illegal arrests and impress
ments.
A resolution was adopted calling on the Pre
sident for the names ol privates mentioned by
their commanders or promoted lor^gallautry,
ulm> uskiug the Secretary ol the Treasury to
prepare u statement oi ihe value of all the tax
able properly lu the Confederate Stales, ou the
basis of the ceuaus ol 13(30, if possible, il not,
then recording to the census of 1850, with a
reasonable allowance for increase uuJ decrease
ol levies.
A series of strong resolutions on the abuses
ol the impressment law were referred.
A bill was introduced to repeal act 27tb ol tin
last session. This uct allows imprntsiug offi
cers to appeal from llm decision ot local up
praisers to the rales fixed by the State Com
missioners. Referred.
The session of the 11..use to-day was very
short. Absoul members are. arriving
From Charleston.
Charleston, Dee. I'd.—The boiler and pattern
shops *d Eason’s Foundry took Urn about nlue
o’clock last night, and were destroyed.
Eleven shells wole thrown into the city be
panic of crossing. Our lost 1
Colonel Robs is lulling ba
with his trophies.
Gen. KergUhon is on the North side of the
Memphis and Charleston K tilroad,moving down
ou 1/1Grunge. Aeuve work bar. commenced iu
that quarter.
rout.
lie Register,]
Dalton, Dec. U.—Lieu tenants Knight and
Roberts, ol the Florida brigade, who were cap
tured ut Missionary Ridge have escaped, and re
turned to camps.
All the officers captured worn started lor John-
son’s lsluud ou the 13th of November. They
were separated from thu piivules ou their arri
val ut Chattanooga.
The Yankees expected to eapluie General
Bragg aud his urmy that night, (the 3(HU of No
vember) as au immeuse column was paiked
around our left before the attack ffwus made in
front. They sav that they met a second line
after dark, which * biudered their gelling i »
Cbickainauga bridge aud statiou.
They boast ot cutting oil Lougstrcel und ot
haviug sent heavy reinforcements to Burnside,
The Yankees admitted a repuLe at Ringgold,
aud that fearing another Cbickainauga, they re
tired. The slaughter ot Federal* was very
great along the line leading to Bragg's head
quarters.
The Yankees all say that they are bound lor
Atlanta.
Colonels Maxwell and Bullock, Lieut. Col.
Stockton, Major Bradford, Capis. Baines, Shine,
Finley, Mastley, Rawls, Dixon, Lis. Nash, Foot
mun, Blackwell, Fort, Hutcheson, Boryen, CoiW
, Slovens—the last named mortally wouud-
id—Lts. Owens,Co. 1; Mathews, Co. F, Weeks,
F; Evgre.11, Co. 1; Goodbread, Co. D; Has
kins, Co. K; Hemy, Co. K, wounded in arm.
ut. Dyke, Co. K, 1th Florida regiment, are
among the raptured officers, aud are suie.
Major James Wilson and Captain Cabell
reckiurldge, Stall Officers of Gen. Breckin
ridge, and Mfjor Winchester, Gen. Bale’s A. A.
cucial, arc among them.
The Medical Director of each aiaiy corps,
and the Chief Surgeous of divisions, mol to day
adopt soldo means of gelling hospital couvu-
iCuuls buck to the army, it wua recommend
ed that a select eommitteo-oi Snrgeons be scut
• 11 v .
hospital*,
ed fro fit misconduct by the troops. In the
meantime, the uimy of Geueral Butin'lde was
driven f o.u all Us field positions in i u item
Ti'iiuenneu, and forced to nfeal iui.» Its eu
irnuchmoul* r.t Knoxville where, lor o.me
weeks, Il was thicitened «ilr. riptnti* l.y the
. ... ... ... .. ... forci « undtr General Longsiteei. N.. Int ruia*
Mule, lie contended that such eu assessment— tion Iua leucliod iue ot tUe final result of 1 he
would prove loo hurdeusome to our peopls, j operations of our commander, though tnUlil
that we should provide for a limited tux lion . geuee has arrived of his withdrawal It out that
aud pay the iuloresl ou the public debts, aud place.
leave the principal to be paid by the porterity While, therefore, our Aucceis iu dilving the
who are to* reap the benefits ol our arduous * enemy Irom odr soil bus uot «quailed iLeix
struggle lor iudepeudeure. I pteia ioua coi.fiJenlly
Col. Kimsuy uIao advocated the motion to j tnenceuu-nt ol ihe «
strike out, making an able argument iu support ! prugrtssRu< been checkeJ. Il
Lloyd, Cook, Whitaker, uud I to regret losses in Tenn
claimed In lutcrcour'a with our enemies, as an
evidence of tr.cfidlv feeling towarda thfiu. A
few eviracm from ihe correspondence of Uer
Majdiuy's Chim M -oielsry of Biulu lor F.iirngu
Allan * will suffice 10 show marked eneonniev-
mmit to ihe Dulled H: .ten to persevi m lull*
paper bb.elude, and il-iiulst k il.lt- In limtlons
that Her M J.-stj’s G •VeiniuaUt would not
louus. Us vdidlty.
t) , the *21st May, 1?
out i" Ihe I)lilted iS.
tain, while fitftpplying
aiu
apply 1
Mates ihe nr
favor not only
i.ona require- 1 , tvtryiiuog
fore gn cuMntru.’nt act req i'. r
: will ask the a.mctlon of Pui lh
E»r. Uuxatdl pointed uinasur* s lli tl Her M j ,
Miiiisler In London, | Htlil add.” This lauguig
enemies with rifles
, amt slatcN the in-
• ut lor llm lurcher-
ves to the United
thnt he Will do in their
Rot g ttut t!ic I ov cl MX
He
iiDte
toy
Reid opposed the motion—hebeviug that
should pay our debts us we go. The disc-tiiou
onliuued uulil luleiu the ulteruo.m, auu upon
the motion to strike out, the vole was as lol
, IS; nays, 21, aud lost. 1'cudiug the
lurilier cotiBideraiion, the Seuulc adjourned to
- F. M.
HOUSE.
Mr. Hill moved to recuusider the income lax
hill *-IohI.
The lloune concurred lu the Senate amend
ments to the bill to repeal ail prohibition
the marriage ot lirst cousins. Thu
cut legalizes all sutb marriages since
the adoption ol thu Code, but refused to repeal
the law.
To iucreaso Ibu pay of soldiers—was dKouss-
il for some time, when Mr. Hunluuiutj offered
suh»liluiu, requesting Congress to iucreusu
tlicii pay. which was adopted and passed.
' sections 171H), 17112. 17U3. 171H. 17115.
I7U3, 2550 und 2.'57 ol the Code—pus ed.
peal the 8 h clause of the 2401st section
f the Code.
ertttiu
men able lor duly, details anu those detailed
idescents, tuck to camps, and report all
Surgeons who havo improperly kept them, und
u*k thut such Surgceus be seut at once to the
Held.
From the.Coast.—On T riduy morning last,
it ween clirbt uud nine o’clock^ some heavy
bring war# heard at Hilton Head. There was
Yankee vessel off Warsaw Sound on Thnrs-
duy last. The lfting heard iu this city about ft
k ago, was off Warsaw. The enemy fired
from twenty to thirty guns, und it is supposed
that some vessel iu attempting* to run the
blockade was cithetjli W.M^ft*or captured.
l-jjfTbe Yankees have bridged the Ohio liver at
Ciucluuali, and thus connected the Kentucky
,'cntral Riilroad with the Ohio roads, und have
banged the gauge ol the Louisville aud Lex
ington railroad, making one unbroken connec
tion from Cleveland, Ohio, to Nubhviilo.
Large droves of hogs ami cuttle ure living
cut to Cumberland G ip from Kentucky.
Large pumbers ol Morgan’s meu have es-
iaped irorn priaou uud have gone to Canada.
There are uo Federal troops iu Kcuiucky, ex
cept at Camp Dick Kobiusou and Lexington,
aud small scouting parlies ou Lhe border.
LSpecial Correspondence of the Morning News.]
lieorgla Legislature.
Fhiday MopniHQ, Doc. 11th.
SENATE.
iti the Repute to-day, on moliou, the Income
lax bill was reconsidered, and the militia bill
also; but it was UHceilaiued that the latter bud
been sent to the House, aud was out of the
power and possession of the. Senate.
The unfinished business wrft taken up, beiug
the bill to declare what officers of this Mate
shall be exempt Iroui conscription. This meas
ure was discussed uutM 12 o’clock, and laid over
lor the preseiit.
A resolution was adopted that the General
Assembly adjonrn to utteod the lanerai ol C .pi
Raven, a distinguished civil nigineer 110m Eng
land, who voluntarily tendered his valuable
services to the Slate.
A resolution Wf.s adopted lo print 5,000 conies
of ihe sermons delivered by the Rev. Drs. iiig
gins aud Marshall on last day.
sage was
received I vim lhe House of
Re*.res
tne llo
lhe.
ring the
solulion ol the Bn
(uncial of ('apt
lb>
The House t
eralion ol bilii
posed of but I
nrdiugly tor that |»ur—
HOUSE.
1-day was engaged in the eonsid
on their passage, aud had d-s-
•w at (lie hour of ud)ouru(ueui.
elve
dock last
1 fiumte
(wood half-past eleveu und t
night. Several contained Greek l
burned some ten or lllteer. minuK
plosion. Tl.o enemy tired from
BimuUaueouHly. The bring appear
ingly spiteful. No bring lurt night
'Flic Fi-cncL Tobacco in MlcUiuoutf.
Rioumond, Dec. 12.—The I’reaident has in
formed the Committee of thu Tobacco I rude lu
this oily that llm Confederate Government
neither could nor would object 10 the hluouieni
ol thu tobacco actually belonging to the Frcuch
Government if cleared from a Conledeiate port,
not to touch at auy point lu the United 2laics.
Thu trade adopted u resolution declaring that
thu said tobacco was not bought prior to the 4th
of March, ISllI, as represented In lhe ordn of
the Federal Uovurnm
Trio L i
SENATE.
FllIOAV Aftbh.noo
lhe .Senate met and ud«pt<:d the lollot
ee-duiton
To app.
nine.
of eonfei
exemption hill was taken up
voles that all civil and uiiliiai
at.—th- officers, : qenl * and «
•ou-ii Ueliel and Hospital A
lien,-, ol the Butte Line, and
•„ , vn tn.ty lie elected to Office
I the death of Capl. T
p aud passed
oV.ll
Frlno
food <
Mipptlcu lor Yui
Jitugu fluid has
ihnrlili-it Jltnl uo no
•'lowed to be delivered ut
priu im IS iu uiebmond. ail
Plies are rvh lusted Urn prl-
Ihe same rsiiotu asoui rolji
| laboleil
.11 1.11 hi
llv I’ol
'' th" i"
c banking privileges
id Banking Vouipuuy
at ot the (loiniuitlee ‘
hiibiniited iheirrupoi
>.t Unit lUftlitulioii, ui
ol th Luualn A')IU
• .0 wlial time Urn net. ol llm* (o n
ov eli nl nkc tiled -laid uu the U-
•gulale the lees of Ordinaries in
ms. Passed.
For the relief of Timothy lUwls. Lost,
l'lie House took up the Benale amendment to
the bill to allow the payment ot luxes in Con
federate money, and dlscunscd the same up to
the hour ot adjournment.
Friday Afternoon.
111 the afternoon bills on their passage were
ailed up:
To punish the skinning of rango cattle.. Lost.
The amendment ot the Beuule lo tha^illl lo
allow the payment of taxes lu Confederate
money was concurred In.
The Committee on the Lunatic Asylum sub
milted their report, recoalueuding a larger ap-
piopriailou for its support than heretofore
granted. The report was adopted.
Messrs. West, Uueny ond Speer on purl ol
the Senate, and Messrs. Barnes, Mathews and
iiswell on part of the House, were appointed
.'ominllteeof conference ou tnu disagreement
>ou the militia bill.
The Senate resolution to furnish the auditor’*
office ol the W. und A. R. R. copies ot the Cpde
of Georgia and reports of the decision ol the
ipreme Couit was concurred in.
To cancpl treasury notes by Dsulng treasury
certibealoa—passed.
To reimburse Thomas county for funds ex
peuded in pieveuiiug the spread of small dox.
To reimburse Floyd couaty for uiouey ex
pended 111 erectlug lorlideations--lost.
The House then adjourned to 7 p.,m.
Troup.
President’s Message.
To ihe .Senate and Meuse of Representatives
of the Conf ederate States:
Tne necessity lor legislilive acilou, ailsing
out of tb<- impoitant even* * that have nv«*keu
the iuleival siuce your adjour.imeu», ut my
ire to have me aid of your counsel on 01 her
ui.»tiers of gravn public .uteri at, render your
ptceence at ibis tune morofhau ordlca. 'y wel-
utue. Indeed, but for serious obstacles to con
voking you in ex laordtnary sessiou. and the
uL-csialiy lor 0y own temporaly absence l.om
the seat of Governmeu', 1 would have i-ivlted
you to eu curlier meeting than tint fixed at the
date of your adjournment.
Miuru rcveir>OH nefeii our arms noon sfter
your departure Horn Richmond. Early iu July,
our utrongholds at Vicksburg and Pori Hud
son, together with their entire gai.-sons, capit
ulated to ibu combined land aud uaval torces
of tne enemy. The important Interior'position
ot Jai^ksou next toll Into luetr temporary pus-
session. Our unsuccessful r * a au\l ou the wt
at Helena, was followed at a later period by the
iuviMion of A'kauris ; and »• retreat of our
aimytrom Lillie Ilock garoio -no om-my me
couatoI of lhe imporiant vr'ley In wh'ch It Is
iTaated.
Tne resolute spirit of >ha people soon rose
u per lor to the temporary despondency natu
rally resulting Lorn these reverses. The gallant
troops, so ubly commanded iu the Slate* hc-
youd the Mississippi, Indicted repeated defeats
»u the invading anui- 1 in Louisfuuaaudon ihe
oust ol Texas. Detachments of troops and
active bodieu of par.lztns kept op si) efleetive
the MisiP'slppi river as pructic .lly to
destroy Us value as an avenue of commerce.
'The determined rod successful defeuce of
Ciiurleston aga'nst the joint land and uaval
operations of the enemy afforded an Inspiring
example of our ability to repel the attacks even
of the iron-clad fleet on wh'ch they chiefly rely;
while ou the northern frontier our success was
still more marked.
The able commander, who conducted the
campaign iu Vuginia, dcteimined to meet the
threatened advauee on Richmond, for which
the enemy had made long and costly prepara
tions, by forcing their armies lo cross • he i*o
to mac and tight in defence of their own capital
aud homes. Trsualetring the battle field to
their own soil he sncceeded 'n compelling
their rapid retreat from Virginia, and iu the
haul fought battle of Gettysburg inflicted such
severity of punishment as disabled them from
early teuuwal of the campaign os originally
projected. Unfortunately, the communications
ou which our GeuQr&l relied (or receiving his
uupplies ol munitions were interrupted by ex-
rdmuiy floods, which so swell*'1 Hie Foto-
us lo render Impr'sablethe fords by which
his utlvanco tad bceu made, and he wrs thus
foicedtoa witbdtawal, which was conducted
with deltberu.lou, after secure ig large trains ol
captured supplh 9, and wi;h a constant but
unaccepted lender of battle. On more th 1**1 oue
occasion tha enemy tr • s’nce made demonstia
tlons ot a pu pose to advance, invrHuhly lol
ed by u precipi ate retreat to euircnched
lines oh the appro ^h of ou r forct-s.
tffectlve ch ok >bns opposed to the ad-
. .. 01 the ' ivadt . at all poiu»'. w * such as
toull ird hope of their early expu* «lon from
pontons of the terVito.y prev or’ly occupied
oy them, whe 1 the country wra pr' n. j 11 y sur
prised ry the inte” genre that tbeoffi-erlu
rouituuud ol Camber!'’ id Gap had surrcudernl
thut important uud n bly defensible pa-s with
ut tiriug a p.ho',|upon ibe Huiraor* ol u force
still believed 10 have Leon Hud* quite to its
reduction, aud wiiuu rtdtforcemn 1 * wore
within suppoiking U’ lance, aud had L
ordered lo his aid. The entire garrUou, Includ
ing lhe cuinin tuder, being sti-l held pr^oners
by the eueiuy.T am unable to suggest uny
pianaiiou ol mis d ‘aster, whicn laid opcu
E isu ru Tenner see aud Boathwev* *rn Virginia
i4>h*>slile ope.ution*, aud hioko the Hue ol
iMinmunlcalioD betwcou tho se .t of govern
ment and Middle Ter net tee. Ian or y success
ol the i-u-imy was fnPowed by nu advance ol
Gen. Ro leers ns into Georgia, uud our army
evacuated Ghaltanooga and uvaHed P -ell of the
opportunity Hum afforded of w'-uSig, on ibe
field of <Jhn U »maug4, one of the most tnllliant
and decisive victories of Hie war., This alg-ip'
di-l'»il ol Gcucrnl Roaecrans was fo'towed by
h. A ro'.ieat’nto Chttlt-ooog<, where h ^imperil
, ,1 potdiion had lhe Immediate effect ol reliev
ing the pret-sureof lhe 'nvaaloimi olhri points,
loieiug the concent .lion, lor his ‘ relief, ol
luge bodies ol troups withdrawn from the
u. oiich iii Die Mi4aUsippi valley and lu Nortliein
Virgluia. The conit»ned lore* s'hu* *< cuu.u
lutedrgajostM In T n ., so greatly oui-
i, uru.h» i* d our army as lojc'u oni Age the enemy
t.'i utuek. Alter a loug ; -id severe battle, lu
which great carnage was 1 billeted on him, some
of our troops kmxplli .bly abr’idou d poailloitH
ol great Atruugib, aud by u diaordoily retreu',
r.imp lied the eon 'Utudcr U» w.lbdraw the
foie 1* a else where bucee *lul, -- id finally to n tire
w 11I1 hi>< whole army to a position nome twenty
or tiiirty ruilea to the r« ur. It l* In licved that
H ihe iioop* who yi.‘Med to 1 he ari' rult, had
|.nigh' with the VaIoi whlrli they had i , *»nlaycd
ou previous oc" n.ous, aud winch waa luanl
|,-Bird in Hits baii'e ou l ie oilier pu. of llo)
lion, iu*) cncui) would have been repulsed with
very w cut *Unghl« r , slid nur count*y would
l,.,ve uM-apnl Hie Iiiiftlouuun, and »‘,y army llm
uio UUwa lou wf lilt* lltcl JvUat ll.l U*. Iradlt
bout grouud lor coiigruiulut on 01
successes in Louisiana slid Texa*. Oullieftu
Cftiast be is rxhaunted by valu HI iris to ciplur-
our pqrls, while ou the uonheru fromier h^
has In turn le.l the pressure uud dreads the re
newal of invasimp The Indoiniiablo courage
aud perseverance of the people iu defi nes r.f
their homes have been uobly aUustod by 'be
iiiianiuiily with whlcii the L -ftislaturus of V.r
ginia, Norili Oaioliiia mid Gi oruiu, have reueru-
ly given * xpressl >u to the popu'ur sentliucut ;
aud like uiinPestulioiiH uny be anticipat 'd
from all the Blaus. Whatever nboiimuy may
In displayed byihoein my In his deeper »le s,hc .-
flees ol no.my, life aud lll-eity in iho hope ol
bUBiuviii.; us, the *xporU'UCi' of inaiikiinl Las
lunively shown thuAUpe lor ondu ance
of those who tight for home, liberty and mile
pendOLcu to permit any doubt ol the result.
foreign relations.
I rtgrel t » inform you that there has been no
impiovt intuit iu Lhe stale ot our ielall4ins with
eign eouuliies slucu my inussage in January
l. On thu contrary, there has lis*-n a still
g cater divergence lu tho conduct ot European
nations from ti.at practical impartlalii y winch
alono deserves the name nt neutrality, und
their Action, iu smut: cases, has assumed a
eba acter positively unlricndly.
have heretofore been iufornted that, by
common understanding, the Initiative Pi all
action tnutfhiug the contest on (bin c uuiuent
hud been left liy foreign powers to the two
great maritime nations ol western Europe, and
that the government of these two nations had
agreed to lake no meaeqici without previous
concert. Thu resit it of Vhcau arrangements has.
therefore, placed It in the power of oilher
France or England to obstruct at pleasure the
recognition lo which the Confederacy Is justly
entitled, or eveuto prolong the continuance of
hor-tilliies on ibb Aide ot the AtlnUic, If the
policy of either could be promoted by the post
ponement of peace. EiCli loo, thus became
possessed of great influence lu so shaping the
general exercise of neutral rights In Europe, a“
render them subservient to the purpose of
Ailing one of the belligerents to the detriment
of the other, i referred, at your last session,'
to some ot the leading points in the c jarse
pursued by professed neutrals, which betrayed
a part'./, in leaning to the sidu of our enemies,
hut events havo since occurred which induce
me lo icnew tho subject in greater detail than
was then deemed uece.°sury. In calliug lo your
attention Ibe acilou of those governor* uts, I
shall reler lo tUe documents appended to
PieB'.dtml Lincoln’s message, aud to their own
correspondence, as disclosing tho true uuiure
of their policy, and the motives which guided
it. To tbis course uo exception can tic inkcn,
Inasmuch us our attention has been invited to
those sources ol infoimatiou by their official
publication.
Iu May, 1361, the government of Her Brllan
nia Majesty informed our enemies tbntil had
not "a.lowed any oil er than an intermediate
position on iM) part of the Southern Stales,”
aud assured them “that the sympathies this
unity (Great Brltaiu) were rather with the
North than w.lli the South."
On the 1st day of Jiidc, 1801, the British
Government interdicted Hie use ol Us ports ‘‘to
aimed Bhlpa aud privateers, both of the United
States nnd the bo-called Gonfejerate Ruled,”
with their prizes. The Recratary of Stale of
the Un ted Bmicb fully appreciated the elmrac-
muiivd ol lids inierdlcHuii, when m-
observed to Lwrd Lyons, who communicated
t, “that tills measure, aud that ol the samu
haructer which bail been adopted by Fiance,
^rould probably prove addMh blow to Southern
privateering.”
On thu l5th Jane, the United States
Minister in London ftniormod llor Mu)tsty’s
Recrcluiy for FnrelgU Affairs that the fact ot
his haviug held Interviews with the Cominis
slouers of tbis government hr 1 given ‘‘groat
diBsatisfactlou,” and 'hat u protxctlou of this
relation would bo viewed by Hie United Slates
“as hostile in spirit, r id lo rtqnirn sorno cor
responding action accordingly.” in response
to this '"Jtimalion, Her ' Msjcsty'd S. creiary
assured the minister that "he had uo expecta
tion ol seeing them ny more.”
By proclamation, issued on the l'.Uh and 27th
April, 1861, President Lincoln proclaimed the
blockade ot the entire coast of iheUonfedqracy,
extending from the Fotomac to the Klo Grande,
embracing, according to the retu.as of tho
United Slates coast sui voy, a coast Due ot three
thousand five hundred and forty n"ie statute
milt s, on which the number of rivers, bays,
harbors. Inlets, sounds and passes is one hun
dred ond eighty-nine. Tiie na* / possessed by
the United Stutea for enforcing this blockade
was stated in the reports coffimuulcatml by
President Lincoln to the Congress or the United
Stales lo cousist of twenty-four vessels of till
clr-ses iu comiu l '*Blon, of which half were in
distant se <. Tho absurdity of the pretension
ot such a blockade, lu face of the authorPativo
declaration of the maraUmo rights of neutrals
made at Paris, in 1856, wt>* so glaring that the
attempt was regarded as au experiment on the
forbearance of nenlral powers which they
would promptly resist. This conclusion was
justified by the fact that the Governments of
Francqapd Great Brltaiu determim-il that It
waff necessary for their interests to ob’ain from
both bolligercuis "securities concoinlug the
proper treatment of ueutrah.” In the Instiuc
lions which ‘‘confided the negotiation on this
matter” to the British Consul iu Charleston,
he was informed l hat "the most perfect accord
on this question ex'sts between Her Majesty’s
government and the government 61 the Em
night no .l>mD l nu made au oiiinul exposition ol the policy Adopted
tffecHvo, consider I- g tho nniHI number «»l h ir I lhe British government in relation w» otn ip
hors 011 the Sou,hern cmssi, even though tlm fairs that the duly imposed on mu hyu,.
extent 01 ;!,(HKI miles were corapiehu.idLd In] slUutloa of giving y«*n from time in Him, "1 ,
ter ns of HiM Id.•I'ki L'.” . ' foilintlou ol the statu of fin* Conlnibn » v,”
On ihe 14Ui.Iaiiu.il>, 1862, Her MajcHty's Miu- 1 would uot havs been Inf -rmed II 1 Im l run,!
liter lu Wash In 1? ton c iiuiuuiiirul *1 1» ids vm- j to place It dU'.IncMy hi foie y u.
i-riimniit that ill extenuation ot-tlio harbarou-i I I reh r you lor fuller-det ids on tills vluile
aluuipt to tlerttn y the port ol CbohMon l.y sul). cl lo ihccoi'irspon loncu of the R ii'.«* I)
s.nUmg s stone 11 .-I In the Inn b
oil I
> lulu
:tde 011 his p
:he Br tisli government
more conHonaut with th
und wlih the .louiauds ot J
llm panhilliy of Uer MnJ
spb-
of the French," aud these lustiuctious
were accompanied by a copy of ttis despatch of
the British Foreign offi. e of the 18th May,
1861, stallDg that there was no diflVrence ot
opinion between Great Britain and tne United
Siates as to the validity ol the principles
enunciated in Ibe ioatib article of the dcf-Ura-
tiou ol Paris in reference to blockades. Your
predecessors of the IVovIbiouuI Congress ha J.
therefore, no difficulty in proclaiuuUng, nor I
in approving, the resolutions which abandoned
iu tkvor of Great Brit ain aud France our nx'bt
to capture the euemy’a property when covered
by the 11 »gs of those powers The “s. curltlos”
desired by those govermm uts were uuderslood
ity ,io tt» no required *0111 both belligerents. -
Nc-uiiald w« r« ixposi-.d ou our puit lo th«<
exercise o! the belligerent right of capturing
their VkMiels when conveying the properly of
our en mles. They wero expoftrd, on thu part
ol the I niled RlBtes, lo Liter, iption in their
u: questioued tight ol trading with us by thu
declaration of ttie paper blockade above refer
red to. Well id uo rtuaon to doubt the good
tallb of the proposal made to us, nor to suspect
IhaVWM sen* to bo Ibe only pauiuu bound by
Its acceptation. U in true that the instraciioDfl
of the neutral powers informed their agents
that it was "ewcntirtl under present clrnita-
stiiices that they should act with gicut caution
In order lo AVuid riislr.gtUe question uf the
recognition «'t the new Confeuerulion,” aud j
thut the undu.rtl mdllig on Ibu subject did not.
asfUine f>»r tlisl reisou the sbapu ol a formal
convention. Bn. il was uot deemed juot by u* !
to dcdlr.e the arrangement on this ground, us
little .re thin uiucty days had then elapsed
since the miivsl of our comialAAloueot iu
Europe, uud neutral iiaiiuim were fairly entitled
to a rsanuustda delay m acting on a sul jci'l ol
so much LnpoHauce, aud which, Iroin Itieir
point ol view, presented difficulticn that we,
perhaps, did not Lilly appruclatd. Ceitalu it is
llial the action Ol llilt government oil the*
occasion a.id its iullhful performance ol Ilsowu
eng igenieid • have been such ai to entitle It lo
expect on the part of those who sought in their
owu Inti-real4 a mutual uodeMUiiding, Lhe
iuimi scrupuhiHH adheiiMK-e lo Iholr own
nroui'sei- I leel conslibilled to lulorui you
ih .llu lliM expi-ctalu.M we have bum, dlsap
I. pofllled, and Hml liol only h tve IbegovnrnuieutH
winch cub I'd into ib.-^r urrangciiimits yii-ldiNl
I 10 Um prohibition against cuwiumitu will
I which liftrf burII die ved by the United IP
lu ile||itnc" of Ibu h»w of uallonH, but ihatihis
I'onceoalou of th'dr ueotral ugliu 1 1 o
| deirwo ibi h**> uu ‘° ihau ouw occmiuu be
plained “(hat the govo mu-nt ol th.
Unite.1 Slatoibid, lau spring, uudciiul.un to
blockade ufxvarda of 3 000 miles oi cotst. Thu
Secretary of ihe Navy had repuried that tie
could slop up the "large holes” by means of
his ships, but that be could not stop up Hi-
"small outs.” It had h••on foil 'd n-e. suy,
therefore, to clot e seme of the numerous small
inlets by t-iiikmg v, sa-ls 01 the ch innel ”
On tho 0 b May, 1862, so tar fiviu cliltulug
the r gbl ot British subjects as ntu r.'li 10
trade witti usas belllgerouls, and to disregard
the blockade on t u ground ol 11.11 xplicit
Mhlcssion by our oii.-my of his luabilitv to
render LcfV c.lvc, Her MaJ.at/a becreiuiy ol
Stair, for F uoigu Affairs cl viined cmdlt with
lhe United Sia'es for irieudly action iu leepscl
toll. Illi Lordship stated Unit "ibe United
Btu c* goveruuiont, on thu allegation of u rc-
belll >11 ptTrading Ir.nu nine lo eleven Slit s of Hi favor of
the Uuion, have now, for more Ih.iu twelve uvluced in th a
moiiihs, cndeav.ired lo mu uiuiu >4 hlockadu
three tbouiaiid mdea of must Tnu bloekad •, the 1
kept up irregularly, but when ntUorcd, en
forced severely, has seriously li j irnd llm Iride
and manufactures of the United Kingdom.
Tuonsands aie now obliged lo resort Lo the
poor rates for imhsisusucc owing to this block
ade. Yet Her M:»J isty’s government have never
sought to take advantage of tho obvious ini
perfections ol tire blockade, lu outer t.i declare
it ineffective. They have, to the loss and detri
ment uf the British nallou, scrupulously observ
ed the duties of Great Brltaiu towards a friendly
Blftlo.”
Again, on the 22d September, 1862. the same
noble Earl assorted that tho United Riatos were
"very far Indeed” from beiug In "a condition
to ask other nations to aaaumu that every port
of tho coast, of lhe so styled Confederate
States is effective y blockaded.”
When, In view of these facia; of the obliga
tion of thu British unlton to adhere to the
pledge mad., by their government nt Fans, hi
1850, and renewed to thin Confederacy in 1801;
u d of these repeated and explicit uvoWals «>f
the imperfection, IrrignlarLy and Inefficiency
of the pretended blockade ot our coast, I dir
reeled car Coinmlssiouor at Loudon, to call
upon the British Government to ndeuin Lu
proudae anJ 10 wiUrhoId Its moral aid uml sanc
tion from the tl igrant vidlatiou of public
luw committed by our enemies, we were iu-
formed that Her Muj.sly'a Government could
not regard the blockade of the Roulhe n b.irts
as haviug been otherwise thin "practically
effective,” In February, 1863, and that “thu.
manner In which it has since been enforced,
gives to neutral governments no excise for as
serting that the blockade has not been efficient
ly maintained. We were lujther Informed
lieu we insisted that by llm terms ot our
agreement, no blockade wo3 to be considered
effective unles* "sufficient really to prevent
acccsB to our coa l;” "that the decluiu'.lcu of
1, iu LriiLli, directed against blockades
not sustained by actual force, or sustained by a
notoriously Inadequate force, such as the oc
saslonul appearance of a uian-of-war In the
oflllng or the like.” It was impossible that
this mode of construing anugreement, ao as to
make Its terms meau almost the reveis, ol
what they plainly conveyed, could be consider
ed otherwise than as a notification of the r«ln-
nul uf itii-. DiltloL guvainiuoin 10 reuiilu bound
by its agreement, or longer to respect those
ut tides of ilia declaration of Ftrls, which had
been lopoutertly denounced by British staleip
men, and had been characteilsed by Earl Rus
sel, as “ very Imprudent” and "most unsatis
factory.”
It any doubt remalnod ol the motives hy
which the British Ministry have been aetnatdd
In their conduct; \t would bo completely dlssl
paled by the dbllucl avowulu und explanation*
contained In the published speech recently
made by Her Majesty’s Secretary for Foreign
Affairs. In commenting on the remonstrances
ot this government against the countenance
given to an Ineflbctlvo blockade, the following
language is used : " It la said we have, contrary
to the declaration of Paris, contrary to inter
national law, permitted thu blockade of M.OOO
miles of American coast. Is quite true w<
did so, und Ibu presumable cansu of rouiplaiu
Is quite true, that although the blockade is
kept up by a sufficient number of shlpB, yet
theso ships were sont into the United Rtites
navy in a hurry, and are Ui lilted for the pur
pose and did not keep up so completely and
effectively os waa required, au effective blocks
ado.”
This unequivocal confession of violation,
both of agreement with us and of international
law la defended ou grounds, tho validity of
which we submit with coiitldence to the candid
Judgment of maukhid.
These grounds are thns stated ; " Still look-
lug at the law of nations It was a blockade, we,
as u great belligerent power in former lluie^
should have acknowledged: We, oureetvop,
bad a blockade of upwards o4 2.000 miles, and
It did seem to ino that we were bound In jus
tice Lu Ibe Federal States of America to ac
knowledge that blockade. But there waf
another reason which weighed wjth 'ine. Oar
people were suffering severely for tb« want of
that material which was the main staff of their
industry.and It was a question of self-interest
whether we should not break the blockade.—
But iu my opinion the men of Eoglund would
have been forever infamous If, for the sake ol
their owu interest, they had violated the law of
nations and made war In conjunction with
these sluvcholdLig States ot America against
the Federal Slates ”
lu the second of these reaflous our rights are
uot Involved ; although ll may be permitted to
observe that the conduct of governments has
not hoietofore, to my knowledge, been guided
by the principle that Is Infaipou* 10 assert iholr
rights, whenever the Invasion ol Iflose rirhis
ciexits severe suffering among the., p opK,
and Injuriously affects great internals. But the
LiiLuoilori that relations with IhflSO Stales
would be discreditable bnciii .u they lire slave
bidding, would probably have hen • omilb d If
Hie offici 4l personage who lias published It to
the world had remembered that these Rules
were, when colonies, made, slaw U.ddLig by
the d.rect exerclsa ol the power of Great Bri
tain, whose dependencies they wore,uud whoso
Interests iu the slave trade trade were then
Mippocod to n quire that her colonics should b 1
luftdo slaveholding,
But the other ground elat' d is ol a ver.
grave character, il assorts that a violation o
thu law of nations by Great Britain lu I'iOT,
when ihnl*gov6inmenl declared a paper block-
mle r»l 2.000 mile 1 * of coast (a violation then de
fended by haro'Miria and JiiriH* ou th“ Hide
ground that her action was rt-Laliaiory), affirds
a jusiitiCAliou lor u sLuiUr outrage on neutral
li Uts by Hie IT 11 »t3*1 ftUl in iu 1861, lor which
110 pollution cuu he bugg at'-1 , aud tha' G cat
BUlain "is bound, in justice to the Federal
Htatej," to make return for the war waged
agalust her by the Uuil4i>l Si ttd lu resistance
ot Uer illcgitl blockade ••( IS07, by <•« arqu'es-
ccnCM In Uie Federal illegal l.loekmlo ol l^d. -
Thu most ul arm Inc fnuturc lu th 1 stAluinci't is
*1* admisnloli ol a jllffl Hsiiu f 'ii Hu* 1 a.I “f Him
United Stutea 10 ihjuIm- ol Hr. a'. BHtaln, d
iug (hU war, n inaicirur.f ol the
principle-) ul modern public law and of u<-
own compacts, wbeuuVur any queAllonann
coudocl of Great Britain, ill •’former times,
can be died as a precedent H d uol Lic«>n
Mlstonl with respect mil rntni.ration lor tho
gnat people whosrt g.ivsrnmd 1 have giveu na
this warning, to rtiiggWl that * r ‘ * ,r ** K oiy.llK**
that of uiaiikiiid in gmieiril. ••tltirn exi-'opiionat
Listtupe* ollndefcudblM inndoct "in lormer
liiiies ” and we may well finny U»« morality ol
violating recent eiu / u * '*neiiib Ihrongh dofur*
4.m .flO the evil pieceilcnU ul llwpMt.
Altrr defending, o* ihu lu iTinm* juil stated,
The lacut which 1 h iv.) narr .1. d am, 1 ^1 nsl
sufficient to enable yon to appreda'c the tnu
nature of the ueuiralily prolnssed in 'hit vv r
It U not in my power to apprise you fo wh il
extent the gi.v.n.unrnt ol Fruvce : han-s Un
views so unreseiVt iUv uvownl nj Hut of Great
il'llaiu, no pub ished curtspondencu oi Hie
Fr-ndi goveiuuinnt on the sulj icl having
been i< reived. .N 1 psblic prut, st nor opj o
lion, however, Ihs been made by Hm Imperial
MuJ aiy against the prohib tiou ol tia 4 wltii
us, nupiMutl on Fr nc i cltiz.ina by Hie pape
bloikudu of the Lulled Smti-s, alihciigh I hnv
ul u
need
pcmc the
4 * u I
enipi
lieu
geicnt
Blue: the.
. ked d if mice
the pun lns-
Phis il II
• h'M 11
cut of
arly us the 1st ol M ,
Hrillsb Minister In Wasbiuglou was iiilormiul
by the Rccrelary ol Smto of llm UniLiul Stales
that he had sent agents to England, and thnt
others would eu to France lo purchase atm .,
iiud this fact was coniinuuicatcd to the British
Foreign Office, which iuturposed no objection.
Yet, iu October ol the sunn yetlr, F.11I Kus ell
unte.rtuiufd the complulal of the United Stales
Minister in London, that the lion federate Statea
were impelling contraband ol war from tho
Island of Nassau, directed Inquiry into the
matter, and obtained a report from tho author
ities of the Dined denying the allegation.),which
report win enclosed to Mr. Ad.iins, uud re
ceived by him as satisfactory avidciTcc to dl-tyi-
pale ** the suspicion rntnrally thrown upon Ibe
authorities ol Niiahad by licit unwarianublo
act.” So, too, when the Confederate govern
ment purchased In Grc.it Britain, ns a neutral
country (and with strict observance both of
the 1 tw 01 ualions and the municipal law ol Great
Britain), vonsols which were sut ecquontly aim
ed and commissioned as ve-stda of war, alter
they hud been far leniovcd Loin English wa
ins, the Hrllibh government, in violation of its
owu laws aud iu defeicucu lo the impoilunate [T.i
iL-mauda of thu Uullt d Stales, made au lueffec-
tieil attempt to seiz t one. Vessel, aud did ac
Lnally se./jaud detain auutber which touch' d
at the Island of Naisan on her way to a Cun ,
federate poit, and snbj *cted her to au unfound-
i*i prosecuiluu at th)- very time when cui*goea of
uiuuilious of war were being openly shipput
from British porle to New York, lo bo used in
warfare ugulust us. Even now Hie public
Journals bring Intelligence tint the B.Pisli
government has ordered the seizure, in a Brit
ish port, of two vessels, on Lite inirtplcion that
tln.iy have been sold to tins government, uml
th kt they may bn hnrnaller armed and equipped
Li our bcvlge, while British subjects are eu
gaged in Ireland by. tcus ot tbous.'.nds to pro
ceed to the lluiled States for warfare against
the Confederacy, in UeUaticu both of the law ol
nations, ol the express terms ot the British
st ittites, and a**o transported In British ships,
without ac effort at concealment, to the ports
of thu United States, there to be armed with
employed ngalnst our people in a war |.»r con
quest. No royal prerogative is invoked, no
executive interference is iuteiposed against this
flagrant bro ch o< municipal and International
law, on the part of our enemies, while strained
cousti actions are placed on existing statutes,
new unac.tments proposed, and quiS' lonablo
expedlenls devised tor precluding the powmbtO
Ity ot purchase, by thin government, nt vesseU
that are useless for belligerent purpose* unless
hereafter armed and equipped outside ol the
neutral jurisdiction of Great Britain.
For nearly three years this government lias
exercised unquestioned jurisdiction over mnhy
millions ol willing nad united people. It bus
floufl with neutral powers. One la to Imitate
the wrong of which we complain, to retaliate
by the declaration of a paper blockade of* (ho
United Stales, und to Ci.pune nil uuilr.il vni-
sels trading with their ports that our ntiidcia
can iuluicupt ou the high b.-n. The measure l
cannot rccomiiKiid. It ‘s turn that, iu«odoing,
W«1 ohould but follow ti.c pitted'.nu* net by
Great Britain und France iu t.ic B rlin auu
Milan decrees, aud thr B itiali ort’ers i*» council
at Ihe beginnirg ol tho present century. Bui
Il must be remembered t hat w»\ oin selves,
pr< t" ted itfn'ntl them very inonBiirm on signal
vlolntions of Hie Law of n.ailouff» r id declared
Hu uttemptH to excuse them, on tho grouud oc
ihcir ti. ing retaliatory, utterly inatilUcieui..—
Tlioi’.i) liiockiMltb are now quoLcil by wntuiD ou
pubi.i- law as a s' ludicj, : ...oajli oU tho good
name oi the nationn who* were bctiayi -uf
1 nip u -ry ixanpcralion i-uo wrong fiuiug, and
av'-iil. d, ih.iu a'i rx.ampbn to be lolfuwcti.
Tl. other me-Lvaru m u. I . |.e.* to tbirKpb*
Jecilo.i. The second :v-,i.■!.; ot u UccbvuDun
ol Fail* whirl provhlea "that the unit.
cover.-' eifinyV u.*d-q with the ptfJu %>i
com1.4i.and ol war,’ »u pmv co. e.'-umx by
belligerents in favor ol uhkiv! *, and not nim-
ply tlie enunclatlju o! un ckn = w I * tigod |.rj-
existing rule like, tho four h auiclu v-i icb re
ferred to bloclc.adcrs. To linn cmicu ioa wt
bound ourselves by llm r-mv idion with (F.eat
Britain and France, which took tho tb ipe ot
the retolutiona adopted bv your ;• \.*.. c -on.
on the Id'll of August, 1861. Thu '••. .sidfiu-
tiou tendered us for our coucca^ron l.a?. bt^eu
withheld. Wo have, thcrolore, ti*«: nmlt-mable
right lo refuse longer lo remain smiod br a
compact which the other party rofu* o lulfill
But we should » forget Ll’.ai, u.i- is bui.
temporary, and iuat wu detiro '.'cit p:* ••e
shill be - p rimueut. The future p«-ocy
ol me cunfudcmcy must ever be *•» uphold*
nenlral right 1 to tticir full extent. Tiio pi mci-
pi :- .•/ tho declaration ol FariHComm.ml theca
Bcivu\ to onrjudgiuonl as more juH, more Im
mane, und more consonant wiLh'modern vvi
liztiion than those belligcreut #pretcn io;n.
which great naval powers have herd of ore
sought to Introduce into tho ra t me c 'di*. To
forego our undeniable rigut to tiie exercise of
those prctonsloDB is u policy higher, worthier
of us and ot our cause than lo ivvolte our a.l-
liwiou to lhe principles that we approve. Let
our Lope (or redress rest rather on 11 returning
sense of jufflico wltlclt cannot fail to awn ken a
great people to tho com cionsnees, that the war
m which wo are engaged ought lather to**'be
made a reason for forbearance of advantage.
Hint au occasion lor thu unliicnuly conduct of
whii h we make just complaint,
Tho events 01 tho last year have' produced
important changes in the condition of our
Southern neighbor. Tho occupation of the
capical of Mexico by the. French army, and the
establishment of a provisional govern mem, fol
lowed oy a radical change iu Hie coutaiiulion
of the country, have excited lively Inlen ul. Al
though preferring our own government, aud
TislILulious U* those ol other count! h s, wo can
ft* no disposition to contest the exe.cise by
ui of thy same . right of aulf-gov'ernucnl
inch we ass|g;L for ourselves. 11 Hie Mexican
people prefer a mointrcy lo a republic, it is our
p'ahi duly cheerfully lo acquiesce in their de.cL-
il to evinco a sincere aud ft loudly inimi cal
In ho.r prosiHirlty. If, however, the Mexicans
proier mauitaing their Conner Institutions, wo
have no reason to apprehend any obstacle to
the free exercise of that choice. The Emperor
of the French has solemnly disclaimed nuy
purpose to Impose on Mexico a form ol gov
ernment not acceptable to the nation ; und Hie
burnt personage to whom the ibrone has
boonTendered, declines its acceptance unless
112r be sanctioned by the suffrages of the
people, in either event, therefore, we may
tldenlly expect the continuance of those
ceful relations which have been maintained •
the frontier, and oven a large development
of the commerce already exiting to the mutual
ailvaut )ge ut tiio two conn »ic».
It ^:is been IoulU neccoeary Biuco your ad-
journuicnt to tako action on tho jub^ecL^of cei:
nature of this action and the reasons orf* u
whirli i'- wr*) based are «o InUyexhlbitcd in the
correspondence of the State Department which
Ih transmitted to you, that no additional cotu-
m*ml is required.
In eonnection with this subject ot our rela
tions with loroign couniti*-A, it ia deomed op
portune to cnimnuuicate my viows in reference
to the treaties made by the government of the
I: wiled States at a date anterior to our Bepara
I which were wnacquently bludlug on
l»lli/. id
who
rted
by tho confidence and affection ot its ciUzhup,
ihe Confederacy linn lacked no elemeul which
(Uftilnguisbcs an independent nation according
to tho principles of public lt»W. Its legislative,
oxm ulive aud Judicial departments, each in its
sphere, have performed iholr appropriate lunc-
tlons with a ri-gufafily as niidlsturbeu us Li a
time of profound peace, and thu whole ener
gies of the people havo been developed In the
organization of vast armies, while (heir rights
and liberties have rested secure under the pro
tection of the courts of justice. '1 Iiia (Joulod-
eracy is either Independent, or it is a depen
dency of the UDlled Slates, for no other naithly
power claims the right to govern it. Without
oue historic fact on which the pretension can
rest, without one Hue or word of treaty or
covenant which can give color to title, tho
United States have usaurled and the British
government ha3 choseu lo concede thut these
.sovereign Stale* are dependencies ol the gov
ernment which Is administered at Wushlngtou.
Great Brltaiu has accordingly unio turned with
that government the closest and most intimate
relations, whllo reiusiug. 011 La dumurut, ordi
nary Intercourse with u 1 *, and baa, under ar
rangements mads with tho other ualions of
Earops, not only douied oar Just claim ol ad
mission Into the family of nations, but inter
posed a passive, though cffjctual, bar to tho
acknowledgment of our rights by other powers.
So soon us II La i become apparent, by llo* dec
liirallons of the British Ministers, in thede-
tmits of the British Parliament in Ju’y last,
that Her Majesty's government waa determined
to persist Indefinitely In a course of policy,
which, under professions of neutralliy, bad be
come subservient to the designs of our enemy,
I felt It my dnty to recall the Commihoiom r
formerly accredited lo thut court, und the cur-
respondenoeon the subject is submitted loyou.
it.li duo lo you and to our countiy that this
lull statement should he undo ot Ibe just
grounds wnicb "xfa'. for dDsitlhfuclion with tin
conduct of the British government. 1 um wrtli
aware that we arc unfortunately wilhou'. ado-
quite remedy for the injustice ufidur which we
have Bull :red at the hands ol .1 powmful rtatlon,
at the juncture when our null re lueouicca a-o
absorbed lu the defence Ol our lives, Lb' ilics
and iudcpenileiics, uga‘mt an enemy possessed
of greatly superior uuuibers and material re
sourced Claiming no t .vor, d^itlng no aid,
conHleoudOt our ovtu at) hiv to del. nd our ov* n
light*, again l Uu*.utmost effoics ot an ' i.ar.av)
lot*, we bad thought il not extravagant to ‘ X*<
p. ct that, asaisiancc would b • withheld iroin our
i-nciuies, anil lh.4t the e mi lu. 1 ol fou.' gcuera-
LiuuH would be marked by a g' loHn.) imp trlUI-
Ly hutweeufcheb.il cnisula. 1 wtisnoL sup-
possd that a professcil neutrality w.m.il huso
conducted to Justify the Foreign S c.clary ol
the British nation, In ixp’a'.ning, «n enrres
p judencu With oui euemiua, bow "the . luipar-
tml ohservanctol ntAilral obligations by Her
M jesty'd govoinmont lias Hius bc.-inx ceding-
|y uiiv i.iugi oa* lo the cause of the more pow
erful ol the two conteiuPng tiurtiee.” Tho
flrinnb govei.imeiit may dnem this W4r a favor-
aide occsaioufoi iMtablishlug, by the temporary
fmmice of their neutral rights, a precedent
which shallJuatily the l.ituro cx -rcV'.e* ot thoso
utireme bobgceut pieiousloua taut theic naval
power renders bo formidable. Thu opportunity
for obtaining the tacit assent • I European
governments to a Hoe of rondur*. which Ig-
uoiedlhe obligation* of the rtccla'a k.u of
Faria, and treats that last. .iiiD'ul rather as a
lUeorullcsl exposition of principles than a
bludiug agreement, may bn considered by the
Hriil*b Mi'ilatry as Juatilylng them in t eeking a
great advantage lor their own country at the
expense ol ours. But we cuiuui por.uii, with
out proteat the aider!I.ui that lot 1 n ttptual law
.•is wi ll an nn foreign powers when the sepa-
ratioL to-k tff.ct. It was partly with a view
to entering into such ai rancementa a« the
change in our government had made necessary
that we felt it our duty to send commissioners
abroad, for the purpose of entering Into the
negotiations proper to fix tho relative rlehta
aud obligations ol the parties to thoso treaties.
As this tender on our part has been declined ;
lu*n all V
wore parties, they
sliding On us; and,
with Kuropeai
ol the treaties to whli
curiainly have cea«etl
lu my opinion, our reinmni) witn a.uropc:m u»-
liuns are, therefore, not controlled exclusively
by the general rules ol tho law of uutioue. Il
fa proper to add that these remarks areintcuded
to uppfy soiely to treaty obligations towards
foreign governments, and have no reference to
rights ol Individuals.
finances.
The slate of thu public finances fa such ns to
deiuaud your cnrlleat and inou earnest, f.unn
lion. I lie* d hardly say that a prompt und effi
cacious remedy lor tho present condition of the
rreucy Is necosraiy to the successful per-
finance of tho functions of government.-—
Fortunately, the resources of our country wc
in pic, and thu spiriL of onr people so de-
.1 to Its cause, that they are ready to make
111^' necessuiy contribution. Relief fa thus
entirely within our reach, if we have tho wis
dom lo legislate in such marker as to rcndei
uvs liable tho inesna at our disposal.
At tho coinmencemout of the war wo were
far Iroin anticipating the magnitude and dura-
tiou of the struggle in which wo are engaged.
The most BU'*acious foresight could pot have
predicted that the passions of tho Northern
people would lead thnn blindly to the sacrifice
of life, treasure and liberty, in so vain a hope
as that of anbiugaLiug thirteen independent
State*, Inhabited by many millions ol people,
whose birthright ol freedom is dcarc i.u them
than life. A long exemption front direct tax
nut mi by. the general govei ument had created au
.version to its raising revenue by any otlu r
means thvu by duties on imports, ami it wtt*
mi 11 posed that these duties would bo ample for
current peace tip- utliluie.w iHst the imansfnr
conducting the war could be misud almost
c.xcbiBlvrdy by the use ol Hue pubi c iwodit.
TUe ill st action ol the Frovfaional Congress
was, therefore, con fined to passing a 1 ariff law
mid to raising a sum of tHL-cn million;* 01 dol -
l.i.s by loan, wilb a pledge of a small export
' iluly on cotton to provide for the redemption
of tne debt.
At its second cession war was declared to
( Tfat between the Confederacy and the -United
States, and provision was made tor the Itsue ot
twe nty millions ot dollars in treasury notes,
and lor borrowing thirty millioiiB ol dollars ou
bonds. Tl.o tariff was revised, and preparatory
measure * taken to enable the Congress to lovy
internal ' vatlou ut iUi succeeding session.
These laws were pp sed lu May, aud the States
ol Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Ar
kansas having joined the Confederacy, thu Con-
i gross adjjuiuud lo meet in the city of Rich
mond iu the following month of July.
Prior to the a Bumbling ox your predecessors
in Richmond at their third session near the end
I ol July, 1861, <Uo President of the United
■States had developed *u his message tbs pur
pose "U) make ‘he contest a short and decisive
one," und bad called on Congress for 100,000
men and lour he'idred millions of dollars. The
Congress bad exceeded tha KxccnUvo iccom-
inendatlon and hod authorized the levy of hall
a million of volunteers, 'Besides largely lu-
creusing the regular laud and naval forces ot
the United States. The necessity thus first
became urgent that a financial scheme should
be devised on u basis sufficiently large for the
vast proportions of the contest with which wc
were threatened. Knowing that the «• niggle,
lusleu.l ol being "short and decisive, would bo
Indefinite lu duration, and could only uud wlmr
•"lbj*i
the United States should awaken from theli
n il in nil illiy” I delusion ol conquest, a permanent syaUiu was
•ling y mivauia- I required, fully adapted lo the greet exigeuclca
, ih, llrllfall gnvrriuueiil on ihs I g«OUft” l*» Ofie of the holUgerunl- l before us.
, #.1 Vi, 1 ..I. II r M tn ntv'* Foreign 1 h*v« stated Dial wo an* without adequate l Tho plan devised by Cougroas at (hat time
lortuooio . . v of llm remedy aguluftt the lejuAllco under which wo 1 waa baaed on the ihcoiy of Ismlug Treasury
.l.y It iu»b goveiuiueut to suffer. There are but two measures that seem ' n »lt*s convertible nt the pleasure of tnu bonier
4.U 4XO ol vvijofa lu Grot Url-1 applicable to the pit cut ouditloq^if our rtla- . j ilq eiKht pofCVUL boudB.lhe iqfcirosloi which