Newspapers / The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, … / Jan. 21, 1863, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
I . . . i I 1 ' V i if- it. 1 . : ' 1 1" i . . i 1 ; - aaaaa . . . . - " V : g. - . . . : " T ' T ,, , I mi -Rtgistct. " Ours are thei plant of fair delightful peace t Unwarp'd by party rage to lire like brothers " . : - : 1363. t XSf Tho REGISTER is published WEEKLY, ov- ery Wednwday, ind SEMI-WEEKLY, evory f Wed nesday and Saturday, .at $2.00 per annum for the Weekly, and fO for taeJfcmi.Woekly, payable in ' , ;. 3 ' ' . ' r 1 4 - adranre. 't - . ; j-.Tho RATES OF ADVERTISING are, for ne square (sixteen lines or loss) one insertlonrtl-Otf, and 50 cents foi every saooeoding insertion. J r THE HEWS. "Phpr in (in doubt that the Yankees ara adTaucioe ia the direotion of Kioaton. lihtj hare oonpied Trenton. Whether they dfcign an attack on Goldsbo'ro'lr artf mer6- Iv niakipiraffeint to cover an attack on WU-) mincton, riwains to be seen. -We are gla4 to learn that we have a large number of troops on hand to give the enemy a proper reception. :A gentleman just from Goldsbo ro' ioiorms us that our troops are arriving in large numbers, ; , . , "t v . j . MftSSAGIS OF PKESIDENT DAVIS. According to Dromise we lay before our readers to day the message of President Da (n tho Confederate Congress. We are very fauro that after perusing iho Message pur readers will agTee with us that we could not have made a more jirofLUblft di'posLtion of our space; A more admirable document ! than this Message never emanated from any Head of any Government, and t must pro (luco a good effect, not only at home, but : abroad. Its exposure of the oondact of for eign Governments, and particularly that or. Great Britain, in relation to the recognition nf our inderjendance and the mocmDlete " . . r '? j blockade, wbieh, m defiance, of tho principle solemnly laid down by tbe Congress of IV ris bas beet) permitted so long to interfere wili the commeroe of the world, is most masterly and unanswerable. The tone of the Message" in reference to our prospects of conducting the ' war to a successful conclusion is bony ant and encbur agiDg, and will inepiro oar gallant defenders with renewed zeal, and impel them, if possi ble, to still braver deeds., High as President Davis has stood in the estimation of all his fellow citizens, whose good opinion is worth having, this Message will wm ior him a yet more exalted position! m wie uuiuuanuu auu micuwuu ui ma owuu- trymcn. The veriest of the carpers and t croaker, if they withhold their psaise of the -Message, will not dare to censure it in a sin gle particular. THE TEN REGIMENT II ILL.' The passage of this bill, the proper title of which is the fCullificaiion Bill, has been here tofore urged on the ground that the necessi ties of the Eastern part of the State imperi ously demanded the presence and protection of the men which it proposes to raise. Now, however, another ground is taken in behalf of the bill. The Senate, in which body it , is now pending, is gravely told that if the bill U defeated, the result will be hailed as a tri . . umph of the Richmond Enquirer over Gov. Vance. In other words, the Senate of fTorth Carolina is invoked noX to be swayed in its; nctiuu by considerations of the welfare u4 dignity of the State, but to pass a bill for the purpose of spiting a newspaper published in another ! State. Verily, if the Senate is 1 a (-.:.: governed it its action by suoh a motive as this, the I,ichmond 'Enquircr" may well plum? itself upon the importance it has at tained id ftorth Carolina. But, as we have no idea that tho Senate of North Carolina will pay any, the slightest attention to any such puerile and undignified appeals as this, we shall invito its attention to some facts which we think clearly demonstrate that the u:ii' V. ji.j t it.: tsri t..i L . bill should he defeated. If this bill shall .be passed, there will not be one thousand mien, or tho half of that number, raised under it in a twelve month. But suppose, for the sake of the (argument, the whole ten thousand oan be raised, equipped and put into the field, docs anybody believe it can be accomplished in less thai, three months? The lapse of thrco niontbs, if this bill shall, be passed this week, would bring us to tho! latter parfeof April. What, then, becomes of tne argu ment that he5 East is in need I of immtdiats protection,! and that these ten ' regiments alone can ajfford it 1 The three months du ring which these regiments are being raised, are the months during which the enemy, with his land ana water foroes, would be busy, as it cannot reasonably be supposed that he would, chivalrously postpono .his advance un; til we got ready 4o drive him back. These regiments, then, it is manifest, if raised in three months tiny, would not get into ! the field until the Yankees had harvested it, and all the money whioh would be expended in recruiting jjid equipping them; would be aim ply thrown -away. But, it was contended in the outset of this diBoaa9ion, that if the coni soript law was further executed in this State,' it would abstract from agricultural pursuits ten thousand men, and tho consequent would be that food would become distressing ly scarce, if downrightstarvation did j noli ensue. Nc w, we ask, if those tea regiments are raised, and placed in tbe held, and kept in the field j if there will not be ten thousand! m3 mens effect ually abstrapted from agriculto- ral pursuits as if hey had been enrolled aaa mustered in under the conscript law ? Wonld they be on the farms either to pitch crops or reap them? Most assuredly jaot. The Sen ate of North Carolina, then, if urged to con summate; a measuro which cannot - by possi- bilitil attain the proteased end, wane wiwy. establish a precedent thai will either break uy rf u uw vvw v www . w- j - h i!wiruiMU invpmmftn t. ina com-1 - man agent of all the States, and leave achj State in turn at the mercy of the enemy, or, by bringing' on internecine war produce the -.i-ijsj. -.n a T,?AVmnfi "0l u' V , . I all the States of tbex entire harmony between them and their com mon agent, can alene save them from the curse of Yankee subjugation. A greaVre- 1 a. - ll O - M. " jTA. SPOnsiDUtty. ioen, rests upon ue.oeai, lur I !' ' : j iL. ..i I UdOu lis action may aeponu iuc aiuey uu i only 'of; North Carolina, but tb cause of the South. I These Regiments, if raised, cannot bej raised in time to give the slightest protec-; tioq to the points threatened by the enemy, whereas the Confederate Government is at this moment, by means of mco'raised nnder .to .ocripU., teAktotolta. poiau all the protection which can be afforded. We ,1 w party feeling, rue to the dignity of the oeear sibnlandsave North Carolina' Otnw trbni I ' 1 the foulest of blots, by defeating this DUl..Jued poeitiofu have every where been much ELECTION OF SENATOR IN VIRGINIA. J After' a protracted struggle; the Legisla tor, of Virginia on Saturday last elected Allen T. Cjperton, of Monroe county, a Sen ator of the Confederate States, to fill the va- canev caused by the death of Win. Ballard Plreston. tyr. Caper ton is a gentleman of ability, and during the existence of the old parties, was a firm old line whicr He was nominated inatjed for the post to which he was elected by Paul us Powell, who was the most intense i . - damoerat we ever knew. So it seems that old parly Hoes havo been ignored in the Old 2pminion, and very properly too. i rmer iTiiDP..v.. rkTTrknvraa I . ... i There was no quorum of the "Conserva-1 tivq" Legislature on Monday, only 53 mem- : i " ' bjers of the House and 18 of the Senate answering to their names. The weather har b7 w continued exnioition ot the same un , ( , . , , , . , . ,. faltering courage in our soldiers and able conduct uuci uitiunjf ouiu, auu mono "vouaarvaitvea i oonserved their comfort by not stirring from I their snug fires. i LECTURE. Our readers will no doubt have a rich treat j in listening to tbe Lecture of Judge Shep- hcrl this (Wednesday) evening. The snb- jec 0f the lecture is "The timesof the Apos- tie paui and his character as a Christian sol- eT aDj Moral Hero." i ILLINOIS AGAINST LINCOLN. The Hon. W. A. Richardson, the recently elected Senator from Illinois, made a speech in the U. B. llouse cf Representatives about two week a since, in which ho excoriated old Lincoln, and de nounced his emancipation proclamation in the "bitterest terms. The Washington "Chronicle". says Mr. Richardson's future course is to be judg ed by the resolutions of tbe caucus which nomi nated him ; therefore the policy he will pursue is foreshadowed in' tho following abstract of some of the resolution : Second That the administration, in suspending the writ of habeas coram, in arresting privaie cit izens, and incarcerating them in bastiles, issuing the proclamation of emancipation, and in other instances usurping power, has violated the Consti tution, infringed upon State sovereignty, and dis regarded tho popular wish. Its perversion of, the w&f into a war. ot abolition deserves our unquali fied reprobation, and justly entitles it to the con QomBAtion of all true lovers of constitutional lib erty and Stale rights. tifth '1 hat peace, fraternal relations, and po litical fellowship should be restored amang the people of tho States ; that the best interests of all and the welfare of mankind, demand this should bej done in the speediest and most effective man- ner. ISevinth Favors a NationSfConvention of all the States at Louisville, Ky., at the earliest prac ticable period, to adjust our national difficulties. Eighth Recommends that the Legislatui e now inisossio'n appoint Commissioners to said National Convention, and invlU other States to do so. Ninth That we earnestly recommend a cessa tion of hostilities lor such period as may be nec essary to allow tho people of the North and South tojexpToss, through a National Convention, their w?h tor peace and a maintenance of the Union ; aai it was, under the. Constitution as it is. jThe U.( S. Steamer Colombia, commander -Coutchney, 12 officers and 28 men, ashore at Ma son boro' Inlet, serrendored to Col. Lamb yester day. Col. Lamb kept off four blockaders that had come up to the Colombia's assistance. The pris oners are expected here to-day. I Qirtrtn vsy r i 1 rrr fhn ahnvn wsra hoA ranainAl Ika following official particulars of the capture of the Columbia: . ' Fort Fibhxk, Jan. 17th, 1863. ! The U. S. Steamer"Columbia," carrying 7 guns. Commander Coutchney, grounded off Mason boro' Sound on Wednesday night last. On Thursday the Commanding Officer of Fisher carried one gun and a detachment of cavalry and infantry to capture her. On Friday at 7 o'clock( A. H., two shots were fired when the steamer. hoisted a white flag. About 40 prisoners have been taken. Af ter the surrender several blockaders came up, but Were promptly anven n. uut one naat was left on the ship, ard owing to the delay caused by firing of the shore battery whioh did not perceive or respect the white flag, all tbe prison- era were not landed 'till lo-day, with some valua- bier stores. - . The "Columbia" is a splendid Iron Steamer, built to run the blockade; and was captured by I considerations that your predecessors, the previa the "Tuscarora' on her first trip to Charleston, fional QovernmenLtook early measures forsendinsr This ixher first cruise ara War Steamer. ! A letter from a lady in Portsmouth, Va., says; 'General Viole's lady is going to govern us as well as her husband. She was coming over on the boat from Norfolk ia a carriage on the 27th ujL, and Mrs. Mercer and some otbor ladies war in the cabin! and Mrs. General Viele taoueht that Mrs. Mercer laughing at bar, and solhe ordered the guard to arrest her." wu. uo guwu w Mica uvi. - ;pntice,k. Y.k, editor ot tb. LoaiiTill. . i" 1 """yingaa. uur country muM .indeed, Conclude that aba u iioB wbea . . . j - Tiwt ms. MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT JEFF. DAVIS. on To the JSenai and t House of Representative of the Confederate States: ' At the date of your hut adjournment the pre- -mrfifl manacine an aspect as toezeite in gome mindi apprehension of our abilitrto meet MtAvAi. Thasa creDarationa were eompietuu t t - - thortly after your departure from the aeat of IaT?imultiaeons advance on our frontiers, on the western nvera nd on the Atlantic coast in masiea so great aito erinee their hope of oyer-. hflkrtnir til reaistanos by mere weight of numoara. ThJa hope, however, like those preTiourfy enter tained by our zoea, nas yanunea. m irgiuim, their fourth attempt at Invasion by armies whose assured success was confidently predicted, has met with decisive repulse. Oar noble defenders, un 4m the consummate leaderahip of their General, hava arain. at Fredericksburg, inflicted on tne ,.A.m niMal "RurnafHA thft likft diaaatrona wruc u vw. - , - successive inyading armies commanded by Gene rals McDowell, McUlAllan ana -fope. In the West obstinate battles have been fought with varying fortunes, marked by frightful car aia em hnth ald hut the enemy's hones of da -1 cisive results have again been baffled, while at Vinkaharflr another fiormidaDie expecition nas been repulsed with inconsidorable loss on our side 'Z'lS.'S.S footing beyond the protecting shelter of his fleets, capture of the garrison, but of one of the- enemy's teasels of war, which was carried by boarding A-Am tnA)iiii( lliuimarl . Our fnr. Ltmnvh6naa and imnrovea. anoraincr assurance of our ability to meet,' with succees, Uu utmost efforts of our anemias, in spite of the magnitude of their prepaxaUans for attack. A review or our history oi me two years or our BAlioxxal axtstenoe affords ample causa for coograt- j ulation and demands the most fervent expression of our thankfameaa to tba Almighty Father who has biassed our cause. We araiustified in asser ting, with a pride, surely not unbecoming, that these Confederate States have added another to the lessons taught by history for the instruction of man; that they have afforded another example of the impossibility of subjugating a people deter-mined-lo be tree; and have demonstrated that no superiority of numbers or available resource can overcome the resistance offered by such valor in combat, sach constancy under suffering and such cheerful endurance of privation as have been con spicuously displayed by this people in the defence oi their rights and liberties. The anticipations with which we entered into the contest have now ripened into a conviction which is not only shared with n hv thAMunmnn nnininn of nMitral niliAiii j - - . r - but u evidently lorctng itseii upon our enemies themselves. If we but mark the history of the! P"? perseverance m us patn have hitherto norsued: bv vicorous effort in jjhe development of all our resources for defence; w their leaders at have aistinguished the past, we have every reason to expect that this will be the closing year of the war. The war, whioh, in its inception, was waged for coercing us backinto the Union, having failed to accomplish that purpose, passed into a second stage in which it was attempt ed to conquer and rule -these States at dependent provinces. Defeated in this second design, our enemies have evidently entered upon another, which can have no other purpose than re verge and thirst for blood and plunder of private prop erty. But however implacable they may be, they can have neither the spirit nor tho resources 'required for a fourth jear of a struggle1 ancheered by any hope ofsuccess, kept alive sole ly for the indulgence of mercenary and wicked passions, and demanding so exhaustive an expen diture ol blood and money as has hitherto been imposed on their people. The advent of peace wnl be hailed with joy. Our desire for it has never been concealed. Our efforts to avoid the war, forced on us, as it was, by the lust of con quest and the insane passions of our foes, are known to mankind, uut earnest as has been our wish for poaoe and great as have been mr sacri fices and sufferings during the war, the determi nation of this people has with each succeeding month become more unalterably fixed, to endure any sufferings and continue any 8acrifices,however prolonged, until their right to self-government and the sovereignty and independence of these States shall have been triumphantly vindicated and firmly- established. In this connection, the occasion seems not un suitable for some reference to the relations between the Confederacy and the neutral powers of Eu rope since the separation of these States from the former TJnfonv ' four of the States now members of the Confed eracy, were recognized by name as independent J ovoroigntiM fn a treaty of peace,concluded in the year iim, wun one oi tne wo greet maritime powers of Western Europe, and had been, prior to that period, allies in war of the other. In the year IT 78 they formed a Union with nine other StaTes under articles of Confederation. Dissatis fied with that Union, three of them, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, together with eight of the States now members of the' United States, seceded from it in 1789 and these eleven seceding States1 formed a second union, although by the terms of the ArtidaWf Confederation express pro vision was .made that the first union should be perpetual. Thair right to secede, notwithstand mg this provision, was neither contested by the States from which they separated, nor made the LoWect of discussion with anr third l&lmm M tafnu power. Whan, at a later period, North Carolina acceded to that second anion, and when, still later, the other aeven States, now members of this Con federacy, became also members of, the same Union, it was upon the recognized footing of equal and Independent sovereignties, nor had it than entered Into the minds of men that sovereign States could be oomTjelled. bv force, to remain members of a confederation into which they had entered of their own free will, if, at a subsequent period, tbe defense .of their safety and honor should, in their judgment, justify withdrawal. The experience of the past had evinced tbe futili ty of any renunciation of such inherent rights, and accordingly the provision for perpetuity contain ed ia tho Articles of Confederation of 1778 was omitted In the Constitution of 189. When, therefore, in 1861 eleven of the Stales again thought proper, for reasons ratisfactory to them selves, to secede from the second union, and to form a third one under an amended Constitution, they exercised a right which,'bcing inhoren', re quired no justification to foreign nations, and i which international law did not permit them to queeuon. iu usages oi intercourse between na- tions do, however, require that official commnni- cation be made to friendly powers oi all organic changes in. the constitution of States, and there "as obvious propriety in giving prompt assurance of our desire to continue amicable relations with all mankind. It was under the influence of these to Europe Commissioners charged with the duty of visiting the capital of the different powers, formal diplomatic intercourse. - -a -niynMyiiw illl UiaVUWUUE VI UIOIO Prior, however, to the arrival abroad of those Commissioners, the. United Stales had commen ced hostilities against the Confederacy by des patching a secret expedition for the reinforce. H80.1 Sumter, after an. express promise ff, t uZTJ J7 j r cmv- uey 1 naJ mAAmma-tA mfflmnn Mlufii l IK. AIT, " i - wm w hi uiuar i Jfi SHff 1?uaP amai i ToooiiKm agaiaat Ue remaining States of the Union, ana threatening Europe with nwifesii! - u mir uiniuHun it u snouid tmt a-. .a'h.vtncr an independent ex- woniea'TRiio - -o - , - th. ore- fctence. , It soon TJ tensions were nos ccmaww " . r - hd -urd M,they wre known to beat home .nord TCnrowi ret learned what reliance w XXrjr . f Cabinet at Wash : r ' - - . inton. Th8 delegation oiw thise SUtes to the Federal Gevernme.ti wpre sent tham in foreign intercourse, had led Europe 2 the grave enSr of supposing that their sepa rate sovereignty and independence i had Jwen merged into one common sovereignty and naa cesiSoto have distinct existence. Under the influence of this error, which all appeals' to reason and historical fact wero vainly usad to dispel, , out Commissioners were met by the declaration tbat foreign governments could not assume to judge between the conflicting representations.of the two parties ai to the true nature of their previous mu tual relations. The governments of Great Bri tain and France accordingly signified their deter mination to confine themselves to recognizing the setf-eyidenl fact of the existence of a war, and to maintaining a strict neutralityduring its progress. Some of the other po wers of JSurope pursued the same coarse of policy, and it became apparent that by stme understanding, express or tacit, Eu rope had decided to leave the initiative in all ac tion touching tte contest on this continent to the powers just named, who were recognized to have the largest intercuts jnvolved, both by reason of proximity aad of the extent and intimacy of their commercial relations with tho States' ngagd in war. - v : It is manifest that the course of action adopted by Europe while based on. an apparent refusal to determine .the question, or to fide With either par ty, was in point of fact an actual decision against our rights and in favor of the groundless preten saonsof tbe-United States. It was a refusal to treat us ai an independent government. If we wera todepenaenc iwl, uio; reiusat w enieruiiD wUh'us the same "intctnatlonal intercouse as was maintained with , our enemy was-unjust, and was injurious in its- effects, whatever may have been the motive wnicn prompted u. xeiiner was af . . 3 TkT 1 . !i in accordance with the high moral obligations of that international code whose chief sanction is the conscience of sovereigns and the publio opinion of mankind, that those eminent powers should de cline the performance of a duty peculiarly incum bent on them, from any apprehension of the con sequonoc to themselves. UTe immediat wd necessary result of their declining the responsi- bllity of a decision which must have oeen adverse to the extravagant pretensions of the united States, was the prolongation of hostilities to -which our enemies were thereby encouraged, and which have resulted in notmtog out scenes of carnage and devastation on this continent, anuof misery and suffering on the other, suchas have scarcely a parallel in history. Had those powers prompt ly admitted our right to bo treated as ail other in deDendent nations, none can doubt that the mora! effect of' such action would havo been to dispel the delusion under which the United States have per sisted in their efforts to accomplish our subjuga tion. J o the contued hesitation of the same pow ers in rundering this act of simple justice .towards this Confederacy, is still duo the continuanco o the calamities which mankind suffers from the in terruption of its peaceful pursuits, both in the old and the new worlds. There are other matters in which less than jus tice has been rendered to this pooWie by neutral Europe, and undue advantage conferred on the aggressors in a wicked war. At the inception o hostilities the inhabitants fihe Confederacy were almost exclusively agriculturist?; those of the United States, to-a great extent, mechanics and merchants. Wehad no i commercial marine wfailo their merchant vessels covered the ocean We were without a navy, while they had power tui noeis. ue advantage wnicn tney possessed for inflicting -tnjjry on our coasts and harboat was thus counterbalanced in some measure by. the exposure of their commerce to attack by private armed vessels, it was known to Europe that within a very fow years, past the United States had peremptorily refused to accede to proposals lor abolishing privatoering, on the ground, as al lodged by thorn, that nations owjiing poworfu fleets would thoreby obtain undue advantage over those possessing inferior naval forces. Yet no sooner was war flagrant between the Confoderacv and me united mates, than tbe maritime powers of Europe issued orders prohibiting either party from bringing prizes into their ports. Thi$ pro hibition, directed with apparent impartiality against both belligerents, was in reality, effective against the Confederate States alone, for they alone could find a hostile comu.erce on the ocean. Merely nominal against the United States, the prohibition operated with-intense severeity on the Confederacy, by depriving it of the only means of maintaining, with some approach to equality; its struggle on the occean against the crushing supe riority of naval force possessed by its enemies. The value and efficiency of the weapon 'which was thus wrested from our grasp by the combin ed action of neutral European pewers,in favor of a nation which professes openly its intention of ravaging their commerce by privateers in any future war, is strikingly illustrated by the terror inspired among thecommercal classes ot the Uni ted Skates by a single cruiser of the Confederacy. One national steamer, commanded by officers and manned by a crew whojare debarred, by the dos- ureof neutral ports, from the opportunity of cans Ing captured vessels to be oondumni. in their f vor as prizes, has sufficed to double the rates of marine insurance in Northern ports and consign to forced inaction numbers of Northern vessels, in addition to the direct damage inflicted by cap tures at sea. How difficult, then, to overestimate the effects that must have been produced by the hundreds of private armed vessels that would have swept the seas in pursuit of th3 com mere a of our enemy, if the means of disposing of their prizes had not been withheld by the action of neutral Europe.: But it is especially in relation to the so-called blockade of our coasa that the policy of European powers has been so shaped as to cause tbe greatest injury to the Confederacy, and to confer signal advantages on the United States. The im portance of this subject requires some develop ment. Prior to the year 1856 the principles, regula ting this subject were to be gathered from the Writings of eminent publicists, the decisions of admiralty courts; international treaties, and the usages of nations. The uncertainty and doubt which, pre vailed in reference to the true rules of maritime law, m time of war, resulting from the discordant and Often conflicting principles an nounced from such varied and independent sources, had become a grievous evil to mankind Wheth- vet a blockade was allowable against a port not in vested oy land as well as by sea; whether a block ade was valid by sea if the investing fleet was merely sufficient to render ingress to the blocka- uou pwr -evioenuy aangerous," or whether it was further required lor its legality that it should be sufiident"really to prevontjuocess," ang numa eroas other similar questionsbad remained doubt- iui ana undecided. S S a.-ll. . t . .ajiimattxi oy uenigniy nonorable desire to put an end Mto differences of opinion between neu trals and belligerents, which may occasion serious difficulties and even confiict," (I quote the official iuKu6-,; me uwe greax rowers of Europe, to gwaer witn Sardinia and Turkey, adopted, in me louuwing -solemn declaration" of prin ciples r m Fivateering u, and remains abolished. 2. The neutral flag covets enemy's goods, with the exception of contraband oi war. -neutral goods, with the exception of con traband of war, ara not liable to capture under I J - 4.-Blockades, in order in ha v.in,i;, u. efiecuve; that is to say, maintained by a farce suf ficient really to prevent access to the coast of the enemy. Not only did this solemn declaration announce to the world the principles to which the signioe lowers agreed to conform io 'future wars, tuitU contained a clause to which those powers gaveim mediate effect, and which provided that the w 1 PrtS to the Congresa of Paris Under tim n vitaUon .every indepeent Slate i0 Lurope yielded iu assent; ateast, no iasnce tt known to ma of mMmI'. .u . 7? -np? - SUtes, while declining tot tK pr tjon-which prohibited, privateering, declared that the three remaining - ' - r. ; accordanca with their own views of. international Tf itanVfl ia known in history of the adop tion of rules lMfc.1r'l!ffrtS of like solemnity, wnu use hbsbiuihj, pleimg the faith ofar P?5fJJ?;...-.r iv.tAnfAAruv was formed. and Twben neutral powers, while d?1 ffaAtoiand for admission into the family .of r,tinna. recoffnized it as beUiger,ant power, . i5.:i.?n,n "Prance made informal propo sals about the same time that their own Tights as neutrals shtuld be guaranwaa oy wr belligerents, to the decisrairon oi prmwp. made by the Uongress oi m -mo ?? " was addressed to our sense of justice, d there fore metimmediaje favorable response in the rts-. nlntions of the Provisional uongrww m August, 1864, bT whlehll PJJS nounced by tne v;ongress oi xr nw0-t--as the guide of our conduct during tbw'warj' witn the sole exception of that relative to-privateering; As the right to make use of privWeers vm one in which neutral nations naa, aa w uni pnxju war, no Interest ; as it was a right wnicn mw United States had refused o abandon and which thev remained at liberty to employ against us as it was a right of which we were already in -actual enjoyment, and wbieh we could no do ex pected to renounce flagrante oeuo agama n u-vAr-Arv nossessiner an overwhelming superiority of naval forcessit was reserved with entire confi dence that rieutral nations could' not fail to per ceive that just reason existed fyr the reservation. Nor was this confidence misplaced, ior tne om cial documents published by the British Govern ment, usually called f Blue' Books," contain the expression of tbe satisfaction of that government with -the conduct ot the officials w bo conducted successfully tho delicate business confided to thoir charee. These solemn declarations or principle, inia - m a irupliod agreement between the Confederacy and the two powers jusv named, nave oeen sunerea to remain inoperative against the menaces and out rages on neutral rights, commuted by the United States with unceasing and jtrogressing arrogance during the whole period of the war. Neutral Europe remained passive when tne unjiea states, a nanral forca imuffioent to blockade, effeC tively, the coast of a single Stat proclaimed a paper blockade of thousands of miles of coast, extending from the capes of the Chesapeake to those ot Florida, and encircling tbe Gulf of Mexico from Key West to the month of the Rio Grande. Compared with this monstrous preten sion of tho United States, the blockades known in history, undef we names of the Berlin and Milan decrees, and the British orders in Council in the years 1806 aad 1807, sink into'signiflcancel Yet those blockades were justified .by tho -powers that declared them, on the sole ground tbat they ware retaliatory ; yet those blockades have since been condemned by the publicists of those very powers as violations of ternatfonal law : yet r those blockades evoked angry remonstrances from neutral powers, amongst which tbe Umtod States were the most conspicuous ; yet those blockades became the chief cause of the war belwaen Great Britain and tbe United Sates in 1812 ; yet those blockades were one of the principal motives that led to the declaration or the Congress of Paris in 1856, In the fond hope of imposing an enduring check on the very abuse of maritime power which is now renewed by the United States in 1861 and 1862, under circumstances and with .features of aggravated wrong without precedent in historv The records of our State Department contain the evidence of tbe repeated and formal' remon strances made by this Government to neutral powers against the recognition of this bloekudo. It"has been shown by evidence not capable of contradiction, and which has been furnished in part by the officials of neutral nations, that the few ports of this Confederacy, before which any naval forces at all have been stationed, have been invested so inefficiently tbat hundreds of entries have been effected into thorn since the declaration of the blockade; tbat our enemies have them selves admitted the inefficiency of their blockade in tho most forcible manner, by repealed official complaints ot the sale, to us, of goods contraband of war, a sale which could not possibly affect their interests if their pretended blockade was sufficient "really to prevent access" to our coast that they have gone farther and havo alleged their inability to render their paper blockade effective as the ex cuse for tho odious barbarity of destroying the en trance to one of our harbors by sinking vessels loaded with stone in the channel ; that our com merce with foreign nations bas been intercepted, not by the effective investment of .our ports, nor by the seizure of ships in the attempt to enter them, but by the capture on the high seas of neu tral vessels by the cruisers of our enemies when ever supposed to be bound to any point on our extensive coast, without enquiry whether a sin gle blockading vessel was to bo found at such point: tbat blockading vessels have left the parts at which thev were stationed for distant exnodi- tions, have been absent for many days and have returned, without notice either of the cessation or renewal or tno biocKade : in a word, that every prescription of maritime law, and every right of neutral nations to trade with a bellige rent under the sanction of principles heretofore universally 'respected; have been systematical ty and persistently violated by the United states. Neutral Europe has received our remonstrances and has submitted In almost unbroken silence to all the wrongs that the United- States have cho sen to inflict on its commerce. The Cabinet of Great Britain, ho ever, has not confined itself to such implied acquiescence in these breaches of international law as results from simple inaction, but has, in a published despatch of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, assumed to make a change in tbe principle enunciated by the Con gress of Paris, to which! the faith of the British Government was considered to be pledged; a change. too important and too prejudicial to the interests of the Confederacy to bo overlooked, and againsl which I have directed solemn protest to be made, after a vain; attempt to obtain satis factory explanations 'from tho British Govern ment. In a published 1 despatch from her Ma jesty's Foreign Office, to her Minister at Wash ington, under date of the 11th February, 1862, occurarthe following passage : "Her Majesty's -Government, however, are of opinion (hat assuming that the hlockade was duly notified and also that a number of ships is station ed and remains at the entrance of a port sufficient really to prevent access to U; or to create an evident danger of entering U ot leaving it. and that these- sun uv uv voiuatarny permit ingress or egress, the fact that variotn ships may have Buocaufullw escaped through It (as in the particular instance here referred to) will not of itself prevent the Diooxaue irom being an effectual one by interna tiopallaw." ! . ane words which I have italicised, are an ad dition made by the British Government of it. Tn authority to a principle the exact terms of wuicu were samea witn ceiiDeratiom by the com mon consent of civilized nations, and by impli3d Convention with thia Government aa afw.... plained, and their effect Is clearly to re-open to the prejudice of the Confederacy one of the very disputed Questions on tha law rr wv-A which the Congress of parU professed to settle. Tha importance of this change is readily illustrat ed by taking ona of our ports as an examnl w,".!,6111 entering the port of """"6'"' tna prcsence or a blockading force, and by this test the blockade is effective.-- j-flir7 """v V f enx ey tne blockad- ,. ,, . . iur steamers are con- uwj.vurias ana departing, so that tried bv b.Ioekad VQe5tive.and -r . . wuufc va tois point is so hWroomJor Soubt that J; TT" u1" WUI ,oauco riush Govern paiDfal impressions that would result from its lan. guage, if left unexplained. , i f From the for eeoins remark m iit that during nearly two years of stroll iVhinh every energy of our countrv h& KnT . mamtainihg iU ver y exUtence, the neutral nations uaye pursued a policy which nomin ymjmitisX iMbeeaficatii most fayor- w vur spvmtm ana' mosa detrimental to us The exercise 'Ot the' neutral right of refusing- entry into their ports to prizes takerr by both bel ligerents was eminently nurtful to the Confedera- cy. - it was sternly aseprted and maintained. ' The exereise Of tbef neutral right of commerce with a belligerent whese ports are not blockaded by fleet .sufficient really to prevent access to a m, would have been eminently hurtful to the cfuiwu ovates. i. was oompiaisantiy abandoned. - The dutv of nmlnl RlntiM In topaiva iih wm. diality and recognize jwith respect any new con- leaerauon mat independent State! may think proper to form was too clear to admit of denial, but Its postponement was eminently bonaficial to the United States and; detrimental to the Confed eracy, it was postponed. In thi review four relations with the neutral nations of Europe.! it has been mv nnrnnnn tr ' point out distinctly that this Govornmont has no complaint to maxq mat moso nations declared their neutrality. Itoould nether expect nor desire more. The complaint ia, that the neutralitv h-i been rather nominal than real, and that recofrniA.! neutral rights have booh alternately assorted and waived in such manner as to boar wiih great severity on us, and (to confersignal ad vantage on oar enemy. . 1 I have hitherto retrained from calling to your attention this condition of our relations with f..r. eign powers for various reasons. Tho chief ot these was the lear tnat a statement of our just grounds of complaint- against a coursn of; policy so injurious to our interests might bo raiaconsUu ed intsah appeal for aid. Unequal as we were, in, mere numlers fnd available resources, to' our enemies, we were conscious oT powers of resis tance, in relation to which Europe was incredu lous, and our remonstrances woro therefore , pecu liarly Hablo to be misunderstood. Proudly soil -relianL the Confederiacy knowirfg full well tbo character of the contest into which it was forced, with full trust in the superior qualities ol ils,popu- latiOT,osttprEM,valoi' of its soldiars,-thc supe rior skill or its lieneraia, ana aoovo an in tuo jus tice ol itscause, felt no need tappaal for tho main tenance of its rights jto other earthly aids, and iu began, and has continued this struggle with tho calm confidence ever inspired in those who with consciousness nf right can invokothe Divine ble s'ng on their cana. This confidenca has been 8o assured thai w hvenaver yielded to despon dency under defeat, nor do we feel undue elation lat tbe present brighter prospect ot lfe succossful it- Sue tO Our COUtrat. Al ls, turcivre, uvuuuauuur jusw grounds of complaint can no longer be misinter preted that l tay uem cieany oeiore you. xt soems to me now proper to give yea the informa tion, and although no immediate results may bo attained, it is well that truth should be preserved and recorded. It is weir-that thoso who are to fol low us should understand the full nature and character of the traroiendous conflict in which tbe blood of our peopla has been poured out like wa ter, and in which they have resisted unaided tha the shock of hosts which would have sufficed to overthrow many of the powers which by their iies itation in according our rights as an independent, nation imply doubt ojf our ability to maintain our national existence.! It may be, too, that if in future times, unfriendly discussions not now anticipated shall unfortunately arise between this Confederacy and some European power, tho re flection of our forbearance under the 'grievances which 1 havo enumerated, may bo evoked with -happy in flubneo in preventing any serious distur bance of peaceful relations. It would not bo proper to close my romar.s on the subject of our i foreign relations without ad vertijia to the fact that tfie correspondence between I the Cabinets of franco, Great Britain, and lUmbia, recently published, indicates a gratifying advance in the appreciation) by those Grovornmeats of ttie tru interests of nrinKiud as involved in the war on thia Continent.! It is to tho onlighteued rulr of the French nation that tho public fooling of Europe is indebted for the first official exhibition of its sympathy for" the sufferings endured by tbiH people with so much! heroism, of its horror at the awful carnago with which the progress of the war ha3 been marked, land of its desiro for a spoedy peace. The clear nod direct iniimalion contained in the language of tho French i.oto, that our abil ity to maintain our independence has beon ful ly established was not controvortad by tho answer of either of the Cabinets to whioh it was address ed. It is indeed difficult to conceive a just ground -for a longer delay aob this sutyoct nftor reading tho following statement of facts contained in tho letter emanating from tbe Minister of his Impe rial Majesty : 'There has been 'established;, from the very beginning of this war, an equilibrium of forces between tlfoj belligerents, which has since been almost constantly maintained, and after the spilling of so much blood, they are to-day, in this respect, inasiluatiOnj which has not sensibly chang ed. Nothing authorizes the prevision that more decisive military operations will shortly occur. According to the last advices received in Kurojvo, the two armies weri, on the contrary, in a condi tion which permutcjd neither to hope within a snort delay advantages sufficiently marked to turn the. baranoe definitively, and to accelerate the conclusion of 'pteaco." As this Government has never professed ( the ntention of conqoerin the United States, but has simply assertod its abil ity to defend itself (against boing conquerod by that power, we smjay safely cocld. that tUe claims of this Corefejierecy to its just place in the family of nations cabnot long be withheld, after so frank and format an admission of lla coacity to cope, on equal terms, with its aggressive foe, and to maintain itself against their attempts to:, obtain decisive results by arms. It is mv nainfiil duty asrain to inform von of tho renewed examples of evary conceivable atroc ity committed by the armod forces of the United States, at different points within the Confederacy, . and which must sump indelible infamy not only on the perpetrator ,j but on their superiors, who, having the power to cnecK ineso outrages -on hu manity, numerous and well authenticated as thev have been, have mot yet, In a single instance ot which I am aware, inflicted punishment on the wrong doers. Since mv last communication to you, one General McNeill murdered seven pris oners of war in cold blood, and tho demand for his punishment has remained unsatisfied. The Government of the iUnited States, after promising examination and Explanation ia relation to the charges made against General Benjamin F, Butler, nas, oy its subsequent silence, after repeated ef forts on my part to obtain sotno. answer on the subject, not only admitted his guilt, but sanctioned it by acquiescence, and I have accordingly branded this critainal a an outlaw, and" di roc-led his execution in Tex oiation of bis crimes if he should fail into, the bands of any of our force?. ivecenuy i nave received apparently authentic in telligence or another general by the name of Alill- roy, who baa tasoed Orders in Western Virginia for the payment of money to him by the iuhali tants, accompanied! by the most savage tiireata ot Shooting every reoujsant, besides burning his houg, and threatening similar atrocities against any ot our citizens who shall fail td betray their country by giving hinv ffotnpt notice of the approach ol any of our; forces, and this, subject has a'so bc.-n submitted jto the siuperior miliury authorities c f the United States, with but faint hope tbat they will evince any diajprobation of tbe act. un mauity shudders SvtTlbe appalling atrocities whu-li are being daily mujUipiiod -under tho sanction vt those who haveobtained temporary pos3' -power in the United States, and wbo arrfsi .ma king its once fair name a by-word of rpro.-t- u among civilized mfn. Not even the natural in dignation Inspired by this conduct shoj-M a.-J ; us, however, so wjiust as to attribute to tu U1M UI tUO UWUIU j . w . . -. i I potism that nowre,gn w.tn n-" lOrcnacu i' the city r of Wasniingun, a w - igui its conduct of the s war. Thore uiut necesiarn very many, perhaps a exist among our...-. -.. , - n lic. . irttt majority, wbX,,at wbo cannot bo held wtoUy guiHI- wK Pitting their contmu- anca withou. o T.L7 Vi.k t....ijAi .... Kilo .vtirna.i ui lud xwi ceived, containing a prociamawon uav a-, a., kf th nraseal month, signed by thj Prasidehtbf the? lnited iJiatea, in which hj or ders and Mares 111 slaves within ten of the Ttea oftheCoafeiecy U be. free, except suc h as are found wUhi4 rtaUi di-txicU now occupied iapa?tbytharmlceeaoftiMawyv i . We mil weU leave tt ta Um uUnctao that V . - - . - --. " . r-i '.it
The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 21, 1863, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75