INTERESTING REVELATIONS. 435 Yet, the Southern Executive and his agents incessantly reviled the President and Congress of the United States for their "usurpations and their disregard of the Constitution!" It was Satan anathematizing Gabriel. Danton, being asked to define the best policy to insure the success of the French Revolution, answered: "Be audacious!" The Southern leaders had learned a lesson from Danton, Southern Currency. was not so well prepared as was desirable, still she was better prepared than most of her Southern sisters better perhaps than any one of them. For some time anterior to the secession she had been engaged in the purchase of arms of different kinds, ammunition, and other necessary articles, and in mounting artillery, in anticipation of the event which subsequently occurred. * "Prior to the secession of the State, indeed, from the commencement of my Gubernato- at the time we made the purchase of five thousand muskets from the Federal Government we desired to purchase ten thousand additional, but the authorities declined to sell them to us, although five times the number were then in the Arsenal at Washington." We need not refer to the legislation of the Confederate Congress up to the date of Davis' installation, (February 22d, 1862.) It was chiefly devoted to strengthening the hands of the Government and the War Department.dition to repel the assaults of the Federal Executive. The utter failure of its schemes for raising means of the "National Loan" fund, the Cotton and Produce loan fund, &c.-compelled the direct resort to Government issues of script, bonds and demand notes, in quantities to meet the requirements of their exchequer. These were floated if not funded, and their value soon became apparent in the rise of every species of property except that of slaves and taxable estate. These appeared to depreciate in price, in proportion to their liability, the first to escape and the second to taxation. The blockade had little to do with the prices of home produce. That soon reached enormous prices-in Confederate money, reminding us of the days when a hat full of Continental currency was paid for a dinner. These "purchases" were, it will be understood, in addition to the large amount of arms in the Arsenal, supplied by the Federal Government. Secretary of War, Floyd, was busy during the spring and summer of 1860 in dispatching to the Southern State Arsenals their quotas for 1861 as well as for 1860. Evidence, also, is not wanting to show that, during the summer of 1860. not only State authorities but leading men of the South made large purchases in the North of rifles, revolvers and English muskets. These purchases were very secretly made, and the amount of arms so secured may never be correctly ascertained; but, that it was large was evident from the generous supply of good field arms held by the several rebellious States at the moment their quotas were put in service. Of artillery only a small supply was available until the Harper's Ferry seizure and the Norfolk (Gosport) Navy Yard disaster placed the rebels in possession of a superb field and fort armament. So inefficient was the destruction of property at Norfolk that Governor Letcher confessed the great portion of the ammunition "used in the war" was secured there. That Norfolk "disaster" certainly was a Godsend to the rebels. Without it the entire South could not have mustered a dozen effi The messages of Governors Letcher, of Virginia (Dec. 2d), Brown, of Georgia (Nov. 19th), Moore, of Louisiana (Nov. 28th), and the inaugural address of Pettus, of Mississippi, of Pickens, of South Carolina, (November 10)-all breathed the spirit of resistance to the last extremity. Some of the revelations made by Letcher were particularly significant, as showing that the Southern leaders had, as early as the summer of 1860, resolved upon their course; and, so far as secresy would permit, had prepared the materiel for a successful defense against coercion. He said: "For this struggle, so suddenly commenced, Virginia had for some time been making such preparations as her means enabled her to make; and although she❘cient batteries over and above what was Interesting Revela tions. "It is to be regretted that Fortress Monroe is not in our possession; that it was not as easily captured as the with the force then in the Fortress, it would be useless to attempt its capture without a large force, thoroughly equipped and well appointed. At no time previous to the secession of Virginia had we a military organization sufficient to justify an attempt to take it, and events since that occurrence demonstrate very clearly that with our military organiza tion since, and now existing, it has not been deemed prudent to make the attempt." As Virginia did not secede until April 17th, 1861, the Governor's confessions are refresh Navy Yard and Harper's Ferry. As far back as the ingly redolent of the treason which presided over Virginia's destiny. Macbeth's witches would have to learn new powers of incantation to preside fittingly over the artifice and diabolism which the conspirators against the General Government practiced in the incipient stages of the revolution. Were the Great Poet now alive with what zest would his quick intuitions seize upon the conspirators for his dramatis personx ! 8th of January last, I consulted with a gentleman whose position enabled him to know the strength of that fortress, and whose experience in military matters enabled him to form an opinion as to the number of men that would be required to capture it. He represented it to be one of the strongest fortifications in the world, and expressed his doubts whether it could be taken, unless assailed by water as well as by land, and simultaneously. He stated, emphatically and distinctly, that CHAPTER VL THE MEETING OF THE FEDERAL CONGRESS (DECEMBER, 1861.) ANTI SLAVERY ELEMENT. Ꮇ Ꭱ . LINCOLN'S CONSERVATISM. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE AND DEPARTMENT REPORTS. LEGISLATION OF THE SESSION. Assemblage of Congress. Assemblage of Con gress. THE Federal Congress is understood, "assumed (XXXVII. 2d Session) as the responsibility," and sembled at Washington, himself modified the reMonday, December 2d, 1861. Its organization port, excising its entire conclusion and subwas not followed by the reception of the Pre- stituting in its stead the closing paragraph sident's annual Message and the accompany- as it was submitted to Congress. ing department reports. The delay in their transmission was understood to arise from the discovery, in the Report of the Secretary of War, of passages enunciating a policy in regard to slaves fleeing to the Federal lines, which the Executive was not ready to adopt. A cabinet meeting was called on the subject, Monday afternoon, at which the President a stand against the "radical" programme, expressed his dissent. Mr. Cameron regarded his original recommendations of vital importance and is reported to have been unwilling to modify them. Whereupon Mr. Lincoln, it The first day's session made manifest the strong set of the current in the direction of negro emancipation and confiscation of rebel estates. Cameron's original report, in a great degree, represented this feeling, and became its official exponent. When it was ascertained that the President had determined to make the two Houses betrayed unmistakeable signs of the ferment to follow. In the Senate, Mr. Trumbull, of Illinois, as spokesman of the State which Mr. Lincoln called his own, gave Assemblage of Con gress. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. F437 The President's Message. be unfortunate and injurious to notice of a resolution to confiscate the property of persons in rebellion and to give freedom to persons in the Slave States. In the House, several resolutions looking to the same end were offered. The spirit of anti-slavery, taking alarm at the slow progress of our arms, and viewing the peculiar institution' as the right hand of the rebellion, had silently yet decidedly gathered its forces for an assault upon the "Border State policy," which aimed to prosecute the war so as to leave slavery unharmed. Here came the shadow of a palpable issue; and the President soon found opponents to his "conserva-preservation of the Union. If we could dare to betive" policy even in those who were his supporters in a vigorous prosecution of the war. The second session of the Thirty-seventh Congress therefore assumes an importance in the history of the war second only to the memorable session of 1860-61. It inaugurated the great movement which, while it made the war one for the restoration of the Union to its old integrity and solidarity, also made it a war against the principle of human slavery. Though not avowed, this yet was the actual, form which the opposition to the Border State policy assumed; and it consummated its final triumph in the passage of the Emancipation act of 1862, and the issue of the Decree of January 1st, 1863. The President's Mes sage. "In the midst of unprecedented political troubles, we have cause of great gratitude to God for unusual good health and most abundant harvests. lieve that foreign nations are actuated by no higher principle than this, I am quite sure a second argument could be made to show them that they can reach their aim more readily and easily by aiding to crush this rebellion than by giving encouragement to it. The principal lever relied on by the insur gents for exciting foreign nations to hostility against us, as already intimated, is the embarrassment of commerce. Those nations. however, not improbably saw from the first that it was the Union which made as well our foreign as our domestic commerce. They can scarcely have failed to perceive that the effort for disunion produces the existing difficulty, and that one strong nation promises more durable peace, and a more extensive, valuable and reliable commerce, than can the same nation broken into hostile fragments. "It is not my purpose to review our discussions The Message and reports with foreign States, because, whatever might be were sent in on the morning their wishes or dispositions, the integrity of our of December 3d. We sub-country and the stability of our Government mainly join such portions of these documents as have depend, not upon them, but on the loyalty, virtue, historical significance and value: patriotism and intelligence of the American people. The correspondence itself, with the usual reserva tions, is herewith submitted. I venture to hope it will appear that we have practiced prudence and liberality toward foreign powers, averting causes of irritation, and, with firmness, maintaining our own rights and honor. Since, however, it is apparent that here, as in every other State, foreign dangers necessarily attend domestic difficulties, I recommend that adequate and ample measures be adopted for maintaining the public defenses on every side. While, under this general recommendation, provision for defending our coast line readily occurs to the mind, I also, in the same connection, ask the attention of Congress to our great lakes and rivers. It is believed that some fortifications and depots of arms and munitions, with harbor and navigation improvements, at well-selected points upon "You will not be surprised to learn that, in the peculiar exigencies of the times, our intercourse with foreign nations has been attended with profound solicitude, chiefly turnmg upon our own do mestic affairs. A disloyal portion of the American people have, during the whole year, been engaged in an attempt to divide and destroy the Union. A nation which endures factions domestic divisions is exposed to disrespect abroad, and one party, if not both, is sure, sooner or later, to invoke foreign intervention. Nations, thus tempted to interfere, are not always able to resist the counsels of seeming expediency and ungenerous ambition, although measures adopted under such influences seldom fail to The President's Message. The President's Mes sage. these, would be of great impor- | the commanders of sailing ves- "I ask attention to the views of the Secretary of War, expressed in his Report, upon the same general subjects. "I deem it of importance that the loyal regions of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina be connected with Kentucky and other faithful parts of the Union by railroad; I therefore recommend, as a military measure, that Congress provide for the construction of such road as speedily as possible. "Kentucky will, no doubt, co-operate, and, through her Legislature, make the most judicious selection of a line. The Northern terminus must connect with some existing railroad, and, whether the route shall be from Lexington or Nicholasville to the Cumberland Gap, or from Lebanon to the Tennessee line in the direction of Knoxville, or on some still different line, can easily be determined. Kentucky and the General Government co-operating, the work can be completed in a very short time, and when done it will be not only of vast present usefulness, but also a valuable, permanent improvement, worth its cost in all the future. "The operations of the Treasury during the period which has elapsed since your adjournment, have been conducted with signal success. The patriotism of the people has placed at the disposal of the Government the large means demanded by the public exigencies. Much of the National loan has been taken by citizens of the industrial classes, whose confidence in their country's faith, and zeal for their country's deliverance from its present peril, have induced them to contribute to the support of the Government the whole of their limited acquisitions. This fact imposes peculiar obliga. tions to economy in disbursement and energy in action. "The revenue from all sources, including loans, for the financial year ending on the 30th of June, 1861, was $86,835,900.27, and the expenditures for the same period, including payments on account of the public debt, were $84,578,834.47, leaving a balance in the Treasury on the 1st of July, of $2,257,065.80. For the first quarter of the financial year ending on the 30th of September, 1861, the July 1st, were $102,532,509.27, and the expenses $98,239,733.09, leaving a balance on the 1st of October, 1861, of $4,292,776.18. "Some treaties, designed chiefly for the interests of commerce, and having no grave political importance, have been negotiated, and will be submitted to the Senate for their consideration. Although we have failed to induce some of the commercial pow-receipts from all sources, including the balance of ers to adopt a desirable melioration of the rigor of maritime war, we have removed all obstructions from the way of this humane reform, except such as are merely of temporary and accidental occurrence. I invite your attention to the correspondence between her Britannic Majesty's Minister, accredited to this Government, and the Secretary of State, relative to the detention of the British ship Perthshire, in June last, by the United States steamer Massachusetts, for a supposed breach of the blockade. As this detention was occasioned by an obvious misapprehension of the facts, and as justice requires that we should commit no belligerent act not founded in strict right as sanctioned by public law, I recommend that an appropriation be made to satisfy the reasonable demand of the owners of the vessel for her detention. 66 * By the act of the 5th of August last, Congress authorized the President to instruct the commanders of suitable vessels to defend themselves against and to capture pirates. This authority has been exercised in a single instance only. For the more effectual protection of our extensive and valuable commerce in the Eastern seas, especially, it seems to me that it would also be advisable to authorize "Estimates for the remaining three quarters of the year, and for the financial year of 1863, together with his views of the ways and means for meeting the demands contemplated by them, will be submitted to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury. It is gratifying to know that the expenses made necessary by the rebellion are not beyond the resources of the loyal people, and to believe that the same patriotism which has thus far sustained the Government will continue to sustain it till peace and union shall again bless the land. "I respectfully refer to the report of the Secre tary of War for information respecting the numer ical strength of the army, and for recommendations having in view an increase of its efficiency, and the well being of the various branches of the service intrusted to his care. It is gratifying to know that the patriotism of the people has proved equal to the occasion, and that the number of troops tendered greatly exceeds the forces which Congress authorized me to call into the field. I refer with pleasure to those portions of his report which make The President's Mes sage. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. 439 The President's Message. to do it, not because I had any allusion to the creditable degree of discipline already attained by our troops, and to the excellent sanitary condition of the entire army. The recommendation of the Secretary for an organization of the militia upon a uniform basis is a sub-exercise of power. But the powers of Congress, I ject of vital importance to the future safety of the country, and is commended to the serious attention of Congress. The large addition to the regular army, in connection with the defection that has so considerably diminished the number of its officers, gives peculiar importance to his recommendation for increasing the corps of Cadets to the greatest capacity of the Military Academy. "The Report of the Secretary of the Navy presents in detail the operations of that branch of the service, the activity nnd energy which have characterized its administration, and the results of measures to increase its efficiency and power. Such have been the additions, by construction and purchase, that it may almost be said a Navy has been created and brought into service since our difficulties commenced. Beside blockading our extensive coast, squadrons, larger than ever before assembled under our flag, have been put afloat, and performed deeds which have increased our naval renown. suppose, are equal to the anomalous occasion; and therefore I refer the whole matter to Congress, with the hope that a plan may be devised for the administration of justice in all such parts of the insurgent States and Territories as may be under the control of this Government, whether by a voluntary return to allegiance and order, or by the power of our arms; this, however, not to be a permanent institution, but a temporary substitute, and to cease as soon as the ordinary courts can be reestablished in peace. "I ask attention to the report of the Postmaster General, the following being a summary statement of the condition of the Department: "The revenue from all sources during the fiscal year, ending June 30, 1861, including the annual permanent appropriation of $700,000 for the trans "I would invite special attention to the recommendation of the Secretary for a more perfect organization of the Navy, by introducing additional grades in the service. The present organization is defective and unsatisfactory, and the suggestions submitted by the Department will, it is believed, if adopt-portation of free mail matter, was $9,049,296.40, ed, obviate the difficulties alluded to, promote the harmony and increase the efficiency of the Navy. "One of the unavoidable consequences of the present insurrection is the entire suppression in many places of all ordinary means of administering civil justice by the officers and in the forms of existing law. This is the case in whole or in part in all the insurgent States, and as our armies advance upon and take possession of parts of those States, the practical evil becomes more apparent. There are no courts nor officers to whom the citizens of other States may apply for the enforcement of their lawful claims against citizens of the insurgent States, and there is a vast amount of debt constituting such claims. Some have estimated it as high as $200,000,000, due in large part from insurgents, in open rebellion, to loyal citizens, who are even now making great sacrifices in the discharge of their patriotic duty to support the Government. Under these circumstances I have been urgently solicited to establish by military power courts to administer summary justice in such cases. I have thus far declined being about two per cent. less than the revenue for "The present insurrection shows, I think, that the extension of this District across the Potomac river, at the time of establishing the Capital here, was eminently wise; and, consequently, that the relinquishment of that portion of it which lies within the State of Virginia was unwise and dangerous. I submit for your consideration the expediency of regaining that part of the District, and the restoration of |