240 



CONFEDERATE STATES. 



ing are some of the mottoes ; they were writ- 

 ten in large and singularly well-formed letters, 

 at different points in the city, extending even 

 to the suburbs on Church Hill, and show a 

 literary merit that could hardly be ascribed to 

 blackguards, and is seldom found in mere 

 rowdy scrawls on the street corners : 



" Nationals, to the rescue ! " 



" Nationals, arise and gird on your strength !" 



" Unionists, it is time to assert your rights! " 



" Too many stars on the flag ! " 



" The Scorpion of Secession it has stung it- 

 self! " 



" The South the land of the white man ! ' 



" The Northern advance it is the tread of 

 the freeman," &c. 



It was declared to be the work of traitors, 

 and demands were made for the appointment 

 of a vigilance committee as required " by the 

 most conservative and precious interests of so- 

 ciety." At the same date one of the daily 

 prints of the city, made the following state- 

 ment: "Our Tennessee exchanges give^ us 

 gloomy prospects for the future in that part of 

 the Confederacy. Several leading journals in- 

 timate plainly that there is really a threaten- 

 ing state of idolatrous love of many of these 

 people for the old Union." 



A letter from the interior of Tennessee, pub- 

 lished at this time in the city of Memphis, 

 stated thus : " The condition of the interior 

 counties is not improved by the lapse of time. 

 The people apprehend an immediate advance 

 of the Northmen, and traitors to the South 

 evince their joy in every village and neighbor- 

 hood. The Unionists are making demonstra- 

 tions in many of the northern counties, and 

 even at Memphis there were exhibitions of joy 

 at the arrival of the news from Beech Grove. 



" In the remote counties many have been 

 shot at night in their own houses, who adhered 

 to the fortunes of the South." 



On the part of those who had been the prin- 

 cipal actors in accomplishing the secession of 

 the Confederate States, the same determined 

 purpose was still manifested. This is illus- 

 trated by the following address to the people 

 of Georgia by their representatives in the Pro- 

 visional Congress, which was issued on the 

 31st of January : 



FELLOW CITIZENS: In a few days the Provisional 

 Government of the Confederate States will live only in 

 history. With it we shall deliver up the trust we Have 

 endeavored to use for your benefit, to those more di- 

 rectly selected by yourselves. The public record of 

 our acts is familiar to yon, and requires no further ex- 



Elanation at our hands. Of those matters which policy 

 as required to be secret, it would be improper now 

 to speak. This address, therefore, will have no per- 

 sonal reference. We are well assured that there ex- 

 ists no necessity for us to arouse your patriotism, 

 nor to inspire your confidence. We rejoice with you 

 in the unanimity of our State, in its resolution and its 

 hopes. And we are proud with you that Georgia has 

 been "illustrated," and we doubt not will be illustrat- 



results in the field are familiar to you, and we will not 



recount them. To some important facts we call your 

 attention : 



First. The moderation of our own Government, and 

 the fanatical madness of our enemies, have dispersed 

 all differences of opinion among our people, and 

 united them forever m the war of independence. In a 

 few border States a waning opposition is giving way 

 before the stern logic of daily developing facts. The 

 world's history does not give a parallel instance of a 

 revolution based upon such unanimity among the 

 people. 



Second. Our enemy has exhibited an energy, a 



Eerseverance, and an amount of resources which we 

 ad hardly expected, and a disregard of constitution 

 and laws which, we can hardly credit. The result of 

 both, however, is that power, which is the character- 

 istic element of despotism, and renders it as formi- 

 dable to its enemies as it is destructive to its subjects. 

 Third. An immense army has been organized for 

 our destruction, which is being disciplined to the 

 unthinking stolidity of regulars. With the exclusive 

 possession of the seas, our enemy is enabled to throw 

 upon the shores of every State the nucleus of an army. 

 And the threat is made, and doubtless the attempt 

 will follow in early spring to crush us with a giant's 



rasp by a simultaneous movement along our entire 

 orders. 



Fourth. With whatever alacrity our people may 

 rush to arms, and with whatever energy our Govern- 

 ment may use its resources, we cannot expect to cope 

 with pur enemy either in numbers, equipments or 

 munitions of war. To provide against these odds we 

 must look to desperate courage, unflinching daring, 

 and universal self-sacrifice. 



Fifth. The prospect of foreign intervention is at 

 least a remote one, and should not be relied on. If it 

 comes, let it be only auxiliary to our own preparations 

 for freedom. To our God and ourselves aloue we 

 should look. 



These are stern facts, perhaps some of them are 

 unpalatable. But we are deceived in you if you 

 would have us to conceal them in order to deceive 

 you. The only question for us and for you is, as a 

 nation and individually, What have we to do ? We 

 answer : 



First. As a nation we should be united, for- 

 bearing to one another, frowning upon all factious 

 opposition and censorious criticisms, and giving a 

 trustful and generous confidence to those selected as 

 our leaders in the camp and the council chamber. 



Second. We. should exert every nerve and strain 

 every muscle of the body politic to maintain our 

 financial and military he'althfulness, and by rapid 

 aggressive action, make our enemies feel, at their 

 own firesides, the horrors of a war brought on by 

 themselves. 



The most important matter for you, however, is your 

 individual duty. What can you do? 



The foot of the oppressor is on the soil of Georgia. 

 He comes with lust in his eye, poverty in his purse, 

 and hell in his heart. He comes a robber and a mur- 

 derer. How shall you meet him? With the sword, at 

 the threshold ! With death for him or for yourself! 

 But more than this let every woman have a torch, 

 every child a firebrand let the loved homes of our 

 youth be made ashes, and the fields of our heritage be 

 made desolate. Let blackness and ruin mark your de- 

 parting steps, if depart you must, and let a desert 

 more terrrible than Sahara welcome the Vandals. Let 

 every city be levelled by the flame, and every village 

 be lost in ashes. Let your faithful slaves share your 

 fortune and your crust. Trust wife and children to the 

 sure refuge and protection of God preferring even 

 for these loved ones the charnel house as a home than 

 loathsome vassalage to a nation already sunk below 

 the contempt of the civilized world. This may be 

 your terrible choice, and determine at once and with- 

 out dissent, as honor and patriotism and duty to God 

 require. 



FELLOW CITIZENS : Lull not yourselves into a fatal 

 security. But prepare for every contingency. This 



