The Confederate union. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1862-1865, October 28, 1862, Image 2
applause ) The President himself is but the mere creature of the Constitution o the United States. He never was elected bv the popular will, or by the popular voice of the people of the United States. f-No, never,’and great applause.J |No, never, never!] [A number ut voices, ‘nev- States, for that Executive has but the ex ercise ofarbitiary power to involve this country in war with England or France, anil in the suspension of the habeas corpus, after creating an army of a million ot men to ride rough shod over thirty millious ot hitherto free white men. f Never, never.J " C 'f Of the four millions and two-thirds ; Our own Judge Hall, in the western part „f a million of votes cast at the last Presi- of the State, but the other day liberated a - person, a reverened gentleman—who may or may not have been guilty of something deutial election, Mr, Lincoln was in the a million, among tlie minority of nearly ... people ; [applause ;J and though i . < alitoi- nia and Oregon, under the plurality sy s tem, he received tlieir electoral votes, in New Jersey, glorious New Jersey, [cheers for New Jersey,] he did not receive^ the vote popular or the vote electoral. *1 bus, in those three Northern States of the Union, a majority of the people were against him, while from the Susquehanna to the Rio Grande, in fifteen other States, not a popular nor and electoral vote was given him. I repeat, then, the President does not represent, nor never has repre sented the popular will of the people of the United States. |A voice, ‘And never will.’] lie is the mere creature of the Constitution of the United States, and our obedience to him as Executive, our fi delity to him as the Executive is through and under the Constitution alone. [‘That is all,’ and cheers.’] There lias recently appeared from the administration a document of the greatest 1 know'not what—on a habeas corpus, and in doing so, declared that, as Congress had given the President no such power—he had no such power. [Applause - J Not withstanding this decision of Judge Hall, this person w - as taken the moment he was liberated (a white man kidnapped) to the Central Railroad depot, put in a freight car. isolated from the people, and secreth and stealthily taken from Buffalo to Alba ny, thence to Washington a State prison er. [Shame.] And they tell me that for this free speech, this free and fundamental discussion of all these things, I may be im prisoned and incarcerated. [‘No you won’t.’] But I do uot feel at all certain that one or two thousand policemen may not take me any hour of the day from the midst of my fellow-citizens and incarce rate me. [‘Never,’ and protracted cheers, j [A man in the audience proposed three cheers for Judge Hall, which were enthu- and thirst of a two day’s struggle, alter rapid marches, may swell their list of pris oners. W e captured at Corinth three pieces ot artillery, and lost one peice by a mis take of the driver, who rau it into town. THE RETREAT Was conducted in a masterly manner as its results proclaim. A baggage train,- six or seven miles in length, was brought off in safety. The smali loss of ten or j twelve wagons was occasioned by tlic silly i panic of the drivers, There was but two | i contests on the retreat. The first occured j and in line of battle, Uouclson’s Brigade [ being in advance. The ground between us and the enemy was broken but without timber. __ It was found necessary to approach nearer the enemy for this reason and because ot the superiority ot their gnus Carnes was or dered to advance, and was in this move ment supported by Donelson s Brigade. ’| We advanced about a fouith ot a mile, and the enemy finding their position un tenable, retired to another. We again advanced a quarter of a mile, to the summit of a precipitous blufi, which the battery of Carnes could not ascend. Our lines were here reformed, and orders at Uavis bridge, on the Ilatchie liver. . . A „ nplliv ° , ,, Cwere received to advance upon tue enemy near Pocahontas, where the forces or | . , , , . , c_i/i„ i. Ilurlbut’s division from Bolivar wards reinforced by Ross’ division from the same point—disputed the passage of the Hatchie. The contest was short and bloody. Morris’ brigade was in the ad vance, a portion of his force—about five hundred in number—crossing the bridge. A part of Phifer’s and a portion of Camp bell’s brigades were pushed up in support, making all together about 1,000 meu en gaged on our side. At that point the no ble high-toned gallant soldier, and gen tleman, Major Balfour, on Van Horn’s staff, fell mortaly woundejl in the effort to rally our men, pressed and overpowered by really superior numbers. The enemy of artillery. They were reinforced du ring the night, and onr forces fell back to this place. No light to-day, but will come off to-morrow. Gen. Smith has this even ing formed a junction with Bragg’s army at this place—the enemy within eight mites ot us.- Near Lawrenceburg. on yes terday , onr army captured S00 prisoners and 31 loaded wagons, and the balance of a division has got away and has joined the main army Hastily yours, J. C. Vaughn. importance, which it may he dangerous J siasticallv given ] freely to discuss, hut which it is not the " i succeeded in gaining the bridge, hut with- What are we to do?’ If this country less our right and duty lreely to discuss, j was notin the midst of civil war, I would j era ] G reel) The first thing which strikes a man is, to j have no hesitancy in saying, as Patrick i Hatchie bridge, the ask, where is'the grant of power in tlie | Henry said, in the Revolution, ‘Resistance i from Corinth, attac Constitution of the United States which j to tyrants is obedience to God.’ [Enthu- • - - i- . . gives the President, but the creature of i siastic and long continued cheering.] Cap- tlie Constitution, authority to annul whole ta*n Rynders—*’i hree cheers for that, it ] a t er point repulsed the enemy with gre States of the Union, or the laws and iusti- j it is the last cheers that freemen have to , s | an ghter, and that was the last content < The cheers were tutionsof whole States in that Uni >n, and to override all laws for the protection of loyal men, ev"n if in disloyal States.— No man can rise and say that there is, any where, in our written Constitution, any such authority for the President of the give are we to do ? ive-n.J W bat An auditor—‘Whore are the tyrants ?’ ‘Put him out.’| All I pro pose to do is to appeal to the ballot box. That has hitherto been a sufficient couitof appeal for all the people of the United United States to exercise any such power States. If they - will permit us to have it, ' arouse and inspire yourselves for action at the ballot box. [Applause.] The ballot box is your only - , your lofty and sublime remedy. lie assumes to usurp in his proclama tion- The only authority claimed is, that lie, as Commander-in-chief of the army— of the army not in the field, flagrante hello, hut ns theoretical Commander-in-chief of tlie army, sitting in the White House at Washington, has the power to exercise any authority which appears to him best, or which he deems right. Now, if this be law, there is no security that he may not exercise the same power, if he deems it best for the people of the United States to annul the relation of parent and child, of ward and guardian, of debtor and cred itor, of mortgagoraml mortgagee—aye, all tlie rights and obligations of society—for lie lias the same right as Commander-in- chief to exercise all power over the North ern States of the Union, [‘Hear, hear,’ and cheers.J There are martial rights, laws of war, but well known and well recognized laws, and nowhere is there recorded as giving to any nominal commander of an army any such authority as the President attempts to exercise, not only over the people at large, but over this Constitution of the United States. I do not hesitate to say, cost what it may, the U3e of such power i-» an arbitrary and despotic exercise of il legal and unconditional power. [Tremen dous cheering, j I could cite w-hat has been deemed high Republican authority, that of John Quin cy Adams. We had lil^ controversies with Great Britain in 1783 and in 1816, upon the subject of slave emancipation that we have now. Great Britain, pend ing the revolution, emancipated and ab ducted many' slaves from Long Island and elsewhere, and carried those slaves to Nova Scotia or the West Indies, there to re-enslaved; and in the war of 1S12, [From the Memphis Appeal, j R.illlr of Coi-tnln- E-,,11 t> ar |i cu | ur( . liolly Springs, Miss, Oct. 11, 1862. Editors Appeal-. Truth justice and the holy cause of independence for which we i struggle, demand that some corrective .should be given to the stupendous and mischeievous errors, rife in the country and ihe press, touching the late battle of Corinth, and the conduct of the retreat of our army from that memorable field.— It is enough to chill the valor and patriot ism of the soldier to find his most skillful and hjs bravest deeds set down to the account of a blundering and stupid inefii- ! ciency, and bruited by' the press over every j hearthstone in the land. I tear that the lamented and immortal Albert Sydney Johnson is not to be the only’ general sacrificed by croakers w ho ■ hate the smell of gunpowder ! It may ’ be true, as he said, “that the people are ! right in demanding success as the only test j P r *|“ of merit, but our fathers acted on a dif ferent idea, or else George Washington could not long have remained Commander- in-Chief ot the army' of the Revolution.— Indeed, no General of that day could have escaped banishment. The Conway cabel } did not triumph over the good sense of our ancestors, and we may hope that the fac- 1 1ions of our day' may not without resistance blur the fame of officers whose rnilita- i ry r achievements deserve the nation’s ' gratitude Of the battle of Corinth, history will ; say T it was only not a victory. In all the Great Britain exercised a little pow-er , . /» ,i tt *. i elements ot military' science—conception over tins slave property of the united . r i i • „ f . t~i l.i mplan of attack, and execution of design I —it reflects the highest credit on the gen- \ eral who commanded our forces, and it ! covered w-ith glory the subordinate gen- j erals, officers and men engaged in the i terrific struggle. On the close of the con- j test, on the night of the first day (Friday), Gen. Van Horn received the congratula- i tions of every general officer under his j command ; and, in the hearts of his men, i lying prostrate, parched by thirst, and w eary from excess of valor, there was but ' one feeling—pride that they served under a commander who had taught them, that \ day', his capacity to command and 1 guide the currents of a wide-spread battle ; field- j Brice on the left and center, and Lovell i on the right, each received on the field, amid the terrible contest, w ritten cougratu- i latory orders, for their skill and prowess I in carrying against superior forces tlie ! entrenchments of the enemy—not forgot- j ting the noble men they Jed. At the close of the fight on Friday Villipugue, Bowen and Rust, under Lovell 1 —Maury, Cabell, Phifer, Hebert, Green, j Gates, Martin, Moore, Irwin, and all others | under Price—received the universal meed i of applause, so grateful to the soldier’s i heart, when it follows heroic deeds, i Two lmurs of daylight on Friday would have made us masters of Corinth. The place w-as saved by the extraordinary i exertions of Rosencranz, who, working w'ith indefatigable labor until daybreak, brought reinforcements of eight thousand men—not, as the “very' intelligent gen tleman who enlightens the Mississippiau declares, from Cairo and Columbus, by the oversight of our General in not cutting the railroad”—hut from Jacinto, llienzi, I-u-ka and Kossuth. This force was concentrated at daylight upon the strong central fortifications of the town, before which the centre and left of our army lay, and w here our gallant and noble soldiers threw themselves with the early dawn into those formidable works They were too few to hold the place their valor had won. These were the force under the gallant Price. On the right, Lovell’s division having taken the exterior line of intrenchments, and after hard fighting captured a fort, found his wing «onfronted by the last strongholds which guarded the town oil tho west.— His trooops not having been once repulsed in their victorious march, were in tlie act of storming these last works, when he received orders to retire and form the rear guard to protect and cover thp re treat . Gen. Van Dora had cut off all reinforce ments from Bolivar, by so manteuvring to im-nace that point, and by cutting the railroad between it and Corinth. liosencrantz on Friday' night, expected to lose Corinth, lie started his train in retreat towards Farmington, and burnt some of his military stores. He has deservedly won a right to promotion by the toil skill and energy of his de fense. As to tlie casualties of tlie fight, we have every reason to conclude that in the killed and wounded and in prisoners taken on the field the loss of tlie enemy was greater Ilian our own. The stragglers of States. John Quincy' Adams, as a Min ister to England, as Secretary of State of the United States, wrote to the British au thorities that— ‘They (the British) had no right to make affy such emancipation promises to the negro. The principle is, that the emanci pation of the enemy’s slaves is not among tlie acts of legitimate war; as relates to the ow ners, it is a destruction of private property, nowhere warranted by the usa ges of war.’ ‘No such right is acknowledged as a law of war by writers who admit any limi tation. The right of putting to death all prisoners, in cold blood, without special cause, might as well he pretended to he a law of war, or the right to use poisoned weapons or to assassinate.’ ’This is the language of John Quincy Arlarr:;, in his correspondence with the British Government upon the subject of slaves emancipated duriug the war of the Revolution and the war of 1812. Under this remonstrance, and through the treaty of Ghent, one million tw'o hundred thou sand dollars were paid by the British Gov ernment to the Southern slaveholders for property thus abducted and emancipated during the war of the Revolution and the war of 1862. |Applause.J lienee, as the proclamation is not right under tlie Consti tution, it is no more right tinder the laws of war ; nor is it right to the loyal meu in the disloyal States of this Union. If the schemes of the President are car ried out there must inevitably’ follow what the Abolitionists now demand of him, the arming of tlie slaves, their adoption into the army’ of the I'nited States, and onr re cognition of them, not only as fellow-sol diers, but a.: fellow-citizens also. [Ap plause and laughter.] ‘And, again. That which has been En glish libeity since the days of the dark ages (1215); that which the despotic kings of England, the two Charleses accorded— one of whom was executed for his tyranny and his Government suppressed by Crom well—that which our fathers have had since their reign, is new subverted, over thrown, destroyed, by a mere proclama tion from the President *of the United States, annulling both the, right of trial by jury’ and the habeas corpus, by which ev ery person has a right to know, before some judge, why lie has been incarcerated. The President claims that he has authori ty, under the Constitution, to issue this power of suspending the habeas corpus. Believe you that Washington, rebelling against the ty ranny of the executive pow er of King George ; that Madison, Jeffer son, Franklin, old John Adams, or any of the fathers of tbe Revolution, ever created a Constitution by - which one single mail, having the same flesh ana blood that you and 1 have, is, without act of Congress, to have authority over thirty millions of people ?— that he can take away any of you, by day or by night, from your wives and children, and incarcerate you in Fort Lafayette or Fort Warren, beyond all hope of redemption? [‘Infamous.’] Nev er did the framers of tlie Constitution give or grant such powers to the Executive of the I nited States. ‘(We will never stand it.’) If it were given, theie is no liberty atl J longer for the people of the United drew after a short contest, on the approach of Hebert’s division, commanded by Gen- During this combat at the the forces of Rosencranz, eked our rear guard, six tiiiles distant, at the bridge across the i Tnscumbia. Bowen’s brigade at this rent on tlie retreat. Van Dorn retired Price’s division up the Hatchie to Krun’s mill, preceded by his immense train of bag gage, unmolested; repaired a bridge at that point, which bad been burnt by Gen eral Armstrong that morning—crossed and camped. Lovell's division followed the same route, unmolested—and in this order our efitire army has marched to this point. “The very intelligent gentleman.” of the ilississippian, puts down as one of the two “causes of our reverses,” the burning of a bridge across Cyprc-s creek ten miles from Corinth-—at which point the enemy held a commanding position where our men ii™a fun down the creek and cross over a mill dam, etc. 'There « «... bridge burnt or injured, on our entire route, from j Corintli to near Pocbontas on tlie Hatchie ; —that bridge was not burnt—its passage , was disputed by’ the, enemy in position — but the contest cost them dearly. They | lost upwards of one hundred killed, and j between four and five hundred wounded, : among whom, were Generals Ord and Veitch—while our loss was in prisoners he- : tween four and five hundred, and about forty or sixty’ killed and wounded. At Tuscumbia the bridge was perfect—Price’? division had crossed it—and Lovell’s division was approaching it. r I he enemy were not in position at it—but were sent howling hack before they reached it.— Bowen destroyed it after he crossed. I have spoken in warm, hut merited of ail the officers and men engaged n the bloody field of Corinth. There is a class of soldiers of whom I have not spoken—a large class—would it were smaller!-—a class, in numbers, sufficient to form a brigade---a class of stragglers who were not at Corinth on either of the long to be remembered days of Friday and Saturday—wlio ilesturbed our advancing columns—who learned the currents of the fight olny by those eannonades whose dis tant thunder made the earth reel and tremble under their feet—whose coward footsteps turned away from the fields of carnage, and whose lying tongues spread a panic on every mile of tlieir ignominious flight. It is a pity to find their eatift’stories of blundering generals and terrible disas- ters^tiffened into type. Whatever may be sum of hurtful and erroneous criticism heaped upon some of ibe general's who fought at Corinth, by those ignorant of their action or. the field it ought to be a solace to officers thus defamed to know that they are cherished by tbe soldiers they led in so much that even retreat could not stifle their cheers of admiration. Rosencranz is of course, inferior to the military critics who denounce the action of Van Dorn—but it is safe to say that lie would not readily undergo again the toil by which he saved Corinth. As to Lovell, so bitterly and unde servedly assailed—his cool courage, self- possession and skill in handling his force, attracted the admiration of the army. I see that in the list of the meritorious 1 have failed to mention Gen. Armstrong and Col. Jackson, who commanded our cavalry. Each of those, gallant officers greatly distinguished themselves by their admirable use of their respective forces in protecting the flanks of onr line. Indeed, :lt a ( l ull ^ e quick across open fields unob ~ a 1 ‘ 1 structed, except by stone and rail fences. With terrific yells and unbroken front we advanced upon the enemy, two batteries playing upon Cheatham’s Division, ad vancing under this lire and enfiladed by the batteries of the enemy. When with in one hundred and fifty, yards of tho. ene my they opened on us with grape and can- uister. " When withia eighty yards they opened on us with musketry, and now the fight became general. About this time Mauey’s Brigade with Donelson’s were sent round to the enemy’s extreme left to capture a battery which had been so de structive to us. The battery was taken, and here the Yankee General Jackson fell. This was half an hour alter the light became general. Every inch of ground was bravely con tested. It became known that Jackson had fallen, and the enemy retired, proba- f’or this reason, but more probably because they could not withstand the impetuous- valour of our troops. About this time, probably a little earlier, Stuart’s brigade moved into action, in perfect .order aim with great coolness. The troops first en gaged, worn aud weary rushed on with Stuart’s men, and the rout on tlie left be came general. The enemy reformed their lines several times but were no sooner restored than they were broken. i he fighting was kept up till night put au end to the conflict. We hail then driven the enemy from three to five miles along the whole line of the two ar mies. We formed our lines and.remained on t , j the ground during the night. On the, morn ing of the Stli, believing it would be haz- ] ardous with his weary troops to renew - it... with a reinforced army of the i enemy, Gen. Bragg or Folk ordered our ; army hack to Ilarrodsbui-g. We captured all the artillery of the en- | emy except one battery, and quantities of ail descriptions of small arms. The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded was enormous. The field of bat tle was everywhere strewn with the kill ed wounded aud dying. In places they were piled up oil each other. W e retired in perfect order, each regi ment and brigade in proper position to Gamp Dick Robinson and its vicinity, where our array was concentrated. Onr loss in killed, wounded and missirfg and missing will not reach 2,500. The killed in Cheatham’s Division number 209 anil about 1250 wounded. This Divis ion suffered most. At half past 4 o'clock on Monday morn ing, 13th instant, Colonel Tyler left Gen eral Polk, and of subsequent events, he j is, of course not advised. Tennesseeans in this fierce conflict maintained their ancient reputation for dis tinguished valor not only maintaining it hut winning new and imperishable laurels. ’The instances of individual valor occur ring among these troops in "this bloody conflict would fill a volume. Polk, Cheatham, Donelson, and all our leaders were everywhere seen cheering on our troops with reckless exposure of their person to the hottest fire of the eu- emy. Gen. Wither’s Division was not in the fight, being in our rear, between us and General Kirby Smith. We took on this Wednesday’s fight about 500 prisoners. Hardee’s command, and three Brig ades of Cheatham’s Division were alone engaged. TROOPS ENGAGED. We cannot give accurately the number of the regiments engaged nor tlieir status. The following is the best statement we can make just now: Maney’s Brigade.—1st Tenn., Col. Fields; bill Term., Lt. Col. Buford; 27th Tenn., Col. Caldwell, (not Bob) 6th Tenn; Col. Porter. Stewart’s Brigade—8th Tenn., Col. M oore, 15th Tenn., Col. Tyler; 16th Tenn. Col. Savage; 51st Tenn., Ool. John Ches ter; 38th Tenn.; Col. Carter. Lieut. Colonel Patterson of the 1st Ten nessee was killed. Cant. Win. Waltering was shot dead with the colors of Col. ’Tyler’s regiment in his hands, tlie Color bearer, McFarland without exception the conduct of all our having been wounded a second time. Cap- ofiicers of every grade, was worthy of all praise. And Adams, in his vigilance- in watching the enemy advancing from Bol ivar to Hatchie bridge, commanded the thanks of the commanding general. Sidney . Detail* of the rerent Battle in Keutucity. Valor of Tennesseeans and Texans!—Polk! Cheatham—Donelson—Instances of IIc- roism—The Hattie. Field—Our /asses. [From the Knoxville (Tenn.) R-gister, Oct. 18.] Col. R. C. Tyler of tho loth Tennes see regiment, reached this cily on yester day directly from the scene of conflict in Kentucky. He advises us that the skir mishing commenced on the 6th between the cavalry, and occasionally there was an artillery duel. On the 7th Buell occu pied Perryville, making it the centre of his line of battle. On the night of the 7th Hardee moved up his division fronting Buell’s army. On the evening of the 7th, a portion of the right wing of the army of tho Mississippi (Cheatham’s Division, composed ot Donelson’s Stuart’s and Man- ey’s Brigades.) moved from Harrodsburg to Perryville, where they rested on their arms in line of battle till daylight. 'J he pickets skirmished all night. On the morning of the eighth, at daylight, at the centre of the lines, there were cavalry fights and many were wounded on- Lot li sides. About half past nine cannonading commenced. I At half past ten we discovered that the enemy were massing troops on turn our Cheatham was moved from the left to the right of our lines, about one and a half miles. Du ring thU time a brisk fire of artillery was kept up. Carnes' battery was immediate ly brought into action, which, admirably served, did great execution. ( I his was Jackson’s battery at Columbus, Ky.) Cheatham's Division was now about tain W. is from Memphis, where his fam ily now reside. lie belonged to the Wash ington Rifles.” Lieutenant Spitaller, of the same com pany, commanding the Swiss Rifles, of the same regiment, had his leg shot off by a cannon hall. He refused to be borne from the field. To the solicitations of Col. Tyler he replied, “No, Colonel! Let me die on the field. I know that I must die.” Lieutenant Johnson, of Georgia, pro moted for gallantry at Shiloh, was also killed. Lieut. Ed. I)oylc, of Memphis, is fear ed to be mortally wounded. There were but few field officers in jured. Col. Savage was slightly wounded in the leg and side. 11c has before distin guished himself for soldierly bearing and chivalric conduct. IIis regiment proba bly lost more than any in this, Cheatham’s Division. The Adjutant of the 5fst, Tally, we believe, was severely woundec. Tho Texan regiment, C>d. Young’s fought with that valor which distinguished tlieir fathers at San Jacinto and the, Al amo. We can give no details as to losses nor as to the conduct of Regiments and Brig ades in Hardee’s command. _ These will he hereafter furnished. The number of the Yankee army which fought us at Perryville was stated, by prisoners, to he from 80,000 to 120,000. Our force did not exceed 15,000 our army worn out by the excessive beat I three fourth's of a milo from the enemy Perryciile.—In addition to the details - their left to | gi ve n in another place, we furnish a letter right wing At this juncture, ! trom Gok-iih \ aughn, the gallant comman- ’s division, above mentioned, der of tl,e Th *rd Tenoesse Regiment. His statement confirms the news published in our columns. Harrodsborg, Ky., Oct. 10‘ 7 P. M. On the 8th inst. Gen. Bragg’s forces met the enemy 10 miles west of here, and a bloody fight ensued. We had from 300 to 500 killed, and probably 1.000 wound ed—the enemy’s loss more than ours. We captured some 500 prisoners and 19 pieces Gni. Aiidivaa to tbe People of Ibe Gen. Bragg has issued from his head quarters at Bardstown, Ky., one of the strongest addresses which has been issued by any military man during this war. It is addiessed to “The people of the North west.” He assures them that the Confed erate Government is waging this war with no design of conquest, but “to secure peace and the abandonment by the United States of its ] retensious to govern a people who never have been their subjects, and who prefer self government to a union with them.” “lie further assures them that the Coufederat Government ar.d people, depra- cating civil strife from the beginiug, and anxious for a peaceful adjustment of all differences growing out of a political separ ation, which they deemed essential to their happiness and well being, at the moment of its inauguration sent commissioners to Washington to treat for these objects, but that their commissioners were not received or evcil'allowed to communicate the object of their mission ; and that on a subsequent occasion a communication from the Presi dent of the Confederate States to Presi dent Lincoln remained without answer, although, a reply was promised by Gener al Scott, into whose hands tlie communica tion was delivered. That among the pretexts urged-for the continuance of the war, is the assertion that the Confederate Government deprive the United States of tlie free navigation of the Western rivers, although the truth is that the Confederate Congress by public act prior to the commencement of the war enacted that “peaceful navigation of the Mississippi river is hereby declared free to the citizens of any of the States upon its borders or upon the borders of its tri butaries”—a declaration to which our Gov ernment has always been and is still ready to adhere. From these declarations, people of the Noitbwest, it is made manifest that by the invasion of our territories by land and from sea, we have been unwillingly forced into a war For self-defence, and To vindi cate a great principle once dear to all Americans, to wit: that no people can be rightly governed except by their own consent. U’e desire pea.ee now. Wedesire to see a stop put to a useless and cruel effusion of blood, and that waste of nation al wealth rapidly leading to and sure to end in national bankruptcy. We are, there fore, now. as ever, ready to treat with the United States, or any one or more iff them, upon terms of mutual justice ami liberali ty. And at this juncture, when our arms have been successful on many Lard fought fields ; when our people have exhibited a constancy, a fortitude and courage wor thy of the boon of self-government—we restrict ourselves to the same moderate demand that we made at the darkest peri od of onr reverses—the demand that the people of the United Stats cease to war upon us, and permit us in peace to pursue our path to happiness, while they in peace pursue tlieirs. We are, however, debarred from the renewal of former proposals for peace, be cause the relentless spirit that actuates the Government at Washington leaves us no reason to expect that they would be receiv ed with the respect naturally due by na tions in their intercourse, whether in peace or war It is under these circumstances that we are driven to prefect our own country by transfering the seat of war to that of an enera}’ who pursues us with an implacable and apparently aiailess hostility. If the war must continue, its objects must l*e changed, and with it the policy that has heretofore kept us on the defensive on our ownso.il. So far it is only our fields that have been laid waste, our people killed, our homes made desolate, and our frontiers ravaged by rapine and murder. The sacr ed right of self defence demands that hence forth some of tlie consequences of the war shall fall upon those who persist in their refusal to make peace. With the people of the North west rests the power to put an end to the invasion of their homes ; for, if unable to prevail upon the Government of tlie United States to conclude a general peace their own State Governments, in the exorcise of their sovereignty, can secure immunity from tlie desolating effects of warfare on their soil by a separate treaty of peace, which our Government will be ready to conclude on the most just and liber al basis. The responsibility then rests with you the people of the Northwest, of continu ing an unjust and aggressive warfare upon the people of the Confederate States. And in the name of reason and humanity, 1 call upon yon to pause and reflect what cause ot quarrel so bloody have you against these States, and what are yon to gain by it? Nature has set her seal upon these States, and marked them out to be your friends and allies. She. has bound them to you by all the ties of geographical contiguity aud conformation, and the great mutual interests of commerce and productions.— When the passions of this unnatural war shall have subsided, and reason resumes her sway, a community of interest will force commercial anil Socialties between the great grain and stock growing States of tho Northwest, and the Cotton, tobacco and sugar regions of the South. The Mis sissippi river is a grand artery of tlieit mutual national lives, which man cannot sever, and which never ought to have been suffered to he disturbed by the antagon isms the cupidity and the bigotry of New England and the East. It is from the East that have come the germs of this bloody and most unnatural strife. It is from the meddlesome, grasping and fanatical disposition of the same peo ple wiio have imposed upon you and us alike those tariffs, internal improvement and fishing bounty laws, whereby we have been taxed for their aggrandizement. It is from the East that will come the tax gatherer to collect from you the mighty debt which is being atfiassed mountain high for the purpose of ruining your best customers and natural friends. When this war ends, the samo antagonism of mer est. policy aud feeling which have been pressed upon us from the East, and forced us from a political union, where we have ceased to find safety for interests or res pect for our rights, will bear down upon you, and separate you from a people whose traditional policy it is to live by their wits upon the labor of their neighbors. Meantime you are being used by them to fight the battle of emancipation—a battle which, if successful, destroys yourprosper- iiy, and with it your best markets to buy and sell. Our mutual dependence is the work of the Creator. With our peculiar ! productions, convertible into gold, wt j should, in a state of peace, draw from you ! largely the products of our labor. In us of the South, you will find rich j and willing customers; in the East you must confront rivals in production and trade, aild the tax gatherer in all the forms of partial legislation. You are blindly . following abolitionism to this end, while ' they are nicely calculating tlie gain of ob taining your trade on terms that would : impoverish your country. You say you are j fighting for the free navigation of tlie Mis- j sissippi. It is yours freely, and lias always been, without striking a blow. Yon say j you are fighting to maintain the Union. That Union is a thing of the past. A Union of consent was the only Union ever worth a drop of blood. When force came to be substituted for consent, the casket was broken and the constitutional jewel of your patriotic adoration forever gone. I come, then, to you with the olive branch of peace, and offer it to your a:cep- tance in the name of memories of the past, and the ties of the present and future. With you remains the responsibility aud the option of continuing a cruel and wasting war, which can only end after still greater sacrifices in such treaty of peace as we now offer ; or of preserving the blessings of peace by the simple aban donment of the desingn of subjugating a people over whom no right of dominion has been conferred on you by God or man. Braxton Bragg, General C. B. A.XXIAL REPORT OK THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL. Comptroller General’s Office, ) Milledgeville, Oct. 21, 1862. j To His Excolleucy, Joseph E. BruWX, Gov ernor : Sir: In compliance with the provisions of Acts of December 28th, 1843, and December 11 th, 180‘J, 1 have the honor to lay before your l'.xcellency a statement of the receipts and disbursements at the Treasury during the fiscui year, leC2, showing at the end of the year, a Cash balance in the Treasury of $693,002 42 The appropriations undrawn amount to $519.- 373 51; leaving a ballance in the Treasury of $173,628 91, after paying all appropriations for the political year 1862. In this statement, of course the unexpended bal ance of $2,918,995 75 of the $5,000,000 Military Appropriation, is not included. Only $50,000 of this fund is included in this statement, as it is believed that that sum will cover ail possible de mands upon that fund—unless the enemy should come upon our mainland this winter, and it may become necessary to again cat! out tbe citizens of tbe State in her defence. Good. Assets belonging to the State. In compliance with the Act of 1859,1 herewith furnish a statement of the "Assets belonging to the State,” as shown by tbe books of the Treasury and Comptroller General’s office, viz: 1833 shares of stock in Bank of State of Georgia.. $I83,3U0 890 shares of stock in Bank of Au gusta 89.0C0 186 shares of stock in tbe Geo. liail Koad and Banking Company 18 COO 7,000 shares of stock in tho Atlantic and Gulf Kail Koad Company 700,000 Central Bank Assets, estimated by General Bethune, agent at 1,500 On account of Deaf and Dumb Asy lum—For the support-of 6,500 CO On account ot Lunatic Asylum—For salary of Superintendent 1,800 00 On account of Lunatic Astli/tu— pay of officers, servants. «&c.... 12,b00 00 Ou account of Lunatic Asylum—For support of I’auper Fatients.... 18,17998 On account of Lunatic Asylum—To pay debts ot 6,762 54 Oil account of Georgia Military In- stituie—For support of State Ca dets • - - 1,500 00 On account of Georgia Military In stitute—.Salary of suyermten- dent 1,000 00 On account of Georgia Military In stitute—Fay of Treasurer 389 85 On account of Georgia Military lu- rt stitute—Fay balance of salaries of Professors in 1859 and 1861.. 2,644 39 On account of Georgia Military In stitute—Furniture and Military Goods purchased in 1859 3.02T 35 On account of appropriation for making salt 10,000 0V Ou account of Appropriation to John 11. Seal8 for extra pay ioi print ing Cote 3,000 00 Onaecsunt of appropriation to pay the Electoral College.’. 1 869 80 On account of a Iditioual pay to cum- missioners to Southern States, 1861, 1,400 00 On account oi other Miscellaneous appropriations, which will be seen in nil abstract accompany ing this report, amounting to 7,320 34 Total $7,924,617 39 Leaving a ballance in the Treasury of $693,- 002 42. In the above exhibit, it will be seen that $2,- 539,290 25 is charged as having been drawn from the Treasury on the $5,000,600 appropriation. But Col. J. I. Whitaker, the States Commissary General, has refunded to that fund $350,000 ari sing from sale ot Commissary stores remaining on hand after tbe State troops were disbanded or turned over to tbe Confederate States Govern ment: $5<t,Ut*0 has been refunded by Ira R. Fos ter, Quartermaster General, as money arising from sale of Quartermaster's stores; aud $58,286 fit has also been refunded by L. II. McIntosh, Chief ot the Ordnance Department, as money arising from sale of Ordnance stores. These sev eral sums amounting to $458,286 00 being cred ited to the $5,000,000 Fund, wi.l leave the actual amount expended, of that Fund, $2,081,004 25. Having thus exhibited the operations of the Treasury for the past twelve mouths, 1 have deem ed it not inappropriate to allude to, and make an approximation to ihu ordinary receipts and re ceipts of the ensuing fiscal year. The anticipa ted receipts into the Treasury for the fiscal year 1803, may besotted ns follows: From General Tax of 1862 “ Nett earnings Western & At lantic K. li “ Tax on Banks “ Tax on Railroads “ Bank Dividends “ Miscellaneous ittms Add balance after paying appropna- tions for le62 $906,615 56 440,000 00 34.000 00 8,000 00 27.000 00 5,000 00 $1,420 615 58 173.623 91 $992,400 Also, the Western & Atlantic Rail Road (zntue not to be put upon the some by the Comptroller or Treas urer ) This Road, however, paid into the Treasury as nett earningc in 1859, $420,000; I860 $150.01)0: : n 1861 $438,000 and in 1862 $4^0,000. Receipts and Disbursements of the T/cas- ury for t\c fiscal year 1S62. Of the Receipts in'o the Treasury fiscal vear 1868, there was received: during the From General Tax of 1861 “ Nett earnings Western and At- $604,634 69 lantic Railroad 4tfl,00 00 “ General Tax of 1862 93,384 54 “ “ “ 1860 590 02 “ Tax on Banks 36,517 42 “ “ Railroads “ “ Foreign Ins urar.ee 7,275 81 Companies 420 30 ?t “ Foreign Bauk Agents 321 86 “ “ Express Companies... 270 96 “ “ Insurance Dividends.. 83 89 “ “ Bank Dividends “ “ Fees on Head Right 25,935 U0 Grants 104 50 “ “ Fees ou Copy Grants 30 00 “ “ “ Testimonials “ Railroad Bonds of other States, bought of Penitentiary under 30,00 Act of 1859 “ Money refunded by Central R. R. Bank declining to receive 11,522 38 more than 7 per cent Refunded from the sale of Comtnis 426 76 ry stores “ fiom the sale of Ordnance 350,000 00 stores “ from the sale of Quarter- 58,28600 master's stores.. From sale of State Bonds to pay Coonfederate war tax $2,441,01) 00 From interest on 6 per cent. Confederate States call certificates to 1st of April 18,271 20 50,000 00 $1,394 244 47 lbs ufu'ii the Treasury for the same year, ma} - be approximated as follows: To pay Members and officers of Leg- . islature 65,000 00 “ Civil Establishment 70,000 00 “ Contingent Fund 16,000 00 Printing Fund-... 20,000 00 “ Reduction of Public Debt com ing due. 104,000 00 ' “ Reduction of Public Debt pasti.ue 82,000 00 ! “ Interest on Fublie debt com ing due 396,875 00 I “ Interest on Public Debt due (not called for.] 245,000 00 “ Support of Pauper patients of Luuitic Asylum 20.000 00 Salary of Sup't Lunatic Asy lum 2,400 00 “ Officers and servants Lunatic Asylum 12,00000 “ Sunpart of Pupils of Deaf & Dumb Asylum 8,000 CO “ Support of Pupils of Acade my for tbe Blind 8,000 00 j “ Support of State Cadets of Georgia Military Institute 2,400 00 “ Salary ot tbe Superintendent Georgia Military Institute.... 2,000 00 j •* Chaplain of Penitentiary.... 150 00 “ Purchase of Books for State j - Library 1,000 00 “ Salary of Librarian —..... 500 00 “ Salary of Military Storekeep er at .Milledgeville 500 00 j “ Salary of Military Storekeeper at Savannah 200 00 j “ Educational Fund 150,000 00 “ Subscription to Atlantic «fc GulfR.R 100,000 00 | “ Miscellaneous appropriations 50,000 00 $1,356,025 00 Showing a surplus at the end of the year of $238,219 47. SIT AUTHORITY. From interest on War Tax Bonds from indi viduals 867 20 2,460,133 40 From debts due to alien enemies 3,631 42 “ Temporary loans from Faults 1,820,000 00 “ Issue of Georgia Treasury notes 2.320,000 00 “ Nett earnings of Georgia Pen i tentiary for 1862 10,000 00 Total Recepts $8,293,51395 Add to this the cash in the'Treasury, Oct. 21st, 1861 324.105 86 And, we have a total Fund of ..$-6617 619 81 Of the Disbursements during the samo time, there has been paid: O., account of civil establishment of 1861 $17,990 03 “ “ of civil establishment o. 1862 46,257 09 “ “ of Contingent Fund, of 1861 9,531 16 “ “ of Contingent Fund of 1862 3,093 60 “ “ of Overpayments 8,176 70 “ “ of Priming Fund, 1861.. 2,812:i7 “ “ “ “ “ 1862.. . 14,085 41 “ “ “ Educational Fund 136l 119,690 00 “ “ “ Special Printing Fund for 1862 10 00 “ “ “ Pay of mem- and officers of the Legislature of 1861 55,463 86 “ “ of Pay of Clerk of House of Repre sentatives 3,940 50 “ “ of pay of Secreta- uf Senate 3,440 00 62,849 36 On account of $ 1,000,000 military appropriations of 1860 for State defence - 26,975 03 On account of $100,000 appropria tion for support of State (loops in 1861 .... 100,000 00 On account of $5,000,000 lor milita ry defence of Georgia 2,539,290 25 On account of $350,000 lor tlie man ufacture of arms 51,150 00 On account of $200,0n0 appropria tion to the Ga. Relief aud Hos pital Association for tho purpose of taking care of the sick and wounded Georgia soldiers in tho army. 130,000 00 On account of tbe Confederate war ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS of the Sixth Session of the PROVISIONAL CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES. 1363. (No 1.) JOINT Resolution of thanks to Captain Raphael Homines, Officers and Crew ot the Steamer Sum ter. tir.soired by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the thanks of Congress are due, and are hereby presented to Capiain Raphael Seinms. and the officers and crew of the steamer Sumter, under his command, for gallant and meri torious services rendered by them, in seriously in juring the enemv'9 commerce upon the high seas, thereby setting an example reflecting honor upon our infant »avy which cannot be too highly ap preciated *by Congress and the people of tbe Confederate States. Approved, September 9, 1862. (No 2.) AN ACT making appropriations to comply with the provisions of certain Acts of Congress, &c, The Csngress of the Confederate States ~>f Amerin do enact. That the sum of thirteen thousand five hundred dollars be and tho same are h-reby ap propriated out of any money in the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated to pay the Choctaw Na tion of Indians the interest due July 1st. 1862. by the State of Virginia upon four hundred ar.d fifty thousand dollars invested in the ‘Choctaw Gen eral Fund, which interest has been placed by the said State in the Treasury of the Confederate States, in trust fertile said Indians. Approved September 1U, 1862. . (No 3 ) JOINT Resolution on thanks to Commander Farrand of the Confederate Navy, Senior officer in Command of the Naval and Military forces, and Captain A. Drewry. Senior Military Officer, and the officers and men under their command at Drewry’s Bluff, on the 15th May, 1862, tirsolced by tbe Congress o f the Confederate States of America, That the thanks of Congress aie em inently i. ue, and are hereby most cordially tender ed to Commander E Farrand, senior officer in command of the combined naval and military forces engaged, au 1 Captain A. Drewry, senior' military officer, and ibe officers and men under 'heir command, for the ‘great and signal victory achieved over the naval forces of the United States, in the engagement on the 15th day of May, 1862. at Drewry’s Bluff; aud the gallantry, cour age aud end ura me in that protracted tight, which achieved a victory over tbe fleet of iron clad gun boats of the enemy entitle all who contributed thereto to tbe gr-titieie of the country. Ilcsolred further, That tho President be request ed in appropriate General Orders, to commuuicate the (oregoing resolution to the officers and men to whom it is addressed. Approved September 16,1862. On tax. Loan account of Temporary from banks On account of reduction of public debt On account of Ioterest on Public debt and temporary loan from Banks On account of sufferers by fire in Charleston in 1861 On account of subscriptions to A. & O R. R - On account of Academy for the Blind—For tho support of (No 4.) I AN ACT to amend an Act entitled an act to pro vide for the Public Defence. The Congress of the Confederate Statts of America lio enact, that the sixth section of the act to pro- | vide for the public defence, appro-ed on the 6th j of March, 1861, be amended by adding alter the ! words “brigade and divisions” the wmrds ‘ and di- j visions into army corps,” and such army corps 160,000 00 shall be commanded by a Lieutenant General, to b-* appointed by the President, by an! with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall re ceive the pay of a Brigadier General. Approved September 1$, 1862. 2,477,397 32 1,800,000 00 81,626 00 170,297 91 50,OCO 00 6,000 0*