CONFEDERATE STATES. 



141 



go to my country !' Offers of this sort come 

 pouring in upon the Government from all parts 

 of the country. 



" Bat the Government does not require con- 

 tributions from individuals ; she has the means 

 within herself of sustaining this war. No do- 

 nations are necessary, except for the equipment 

 of your own volunteers, and those you can and 

 will provide for. But I tell you what you may 

 do. Those of you who raise large crops of cot- 

 ton, when your cotton is ready for market, give 

 it to your Government at its market value, re- 

 ceive" in return its bonds, and let it sell your 

 produce to Europe for the specie to sustain our 

 brave ' boys' in Virginia, This was agreed on 

 at Montgomery, and we promised to throw out 

 the suggestion, that the people might think about 

 it. I raise some cotton, and every thing above 

 my necessary expenses my Government shall 

 have. When this was proposed in Congress, a 

 gentleman from Mississippi rose np and said 

 that he did not raise cotton ; it was his misfor- 

 tune not to be able to help his country in that 

 manner. ' But,' said he, ' I will go home and 

 canvass my section, and every man that I meet, 

 who raises cotton, sugar, and rice, I will per- 

 suade him to sell it to his Government.' " 



On the next evening the Vice-President, Mr. 

 Stephens, being at Atlanta, also made an ad- 

 dress, in which the plan of the Government is 

 more fully unfolded : 



"The time for speech-making has passed. 

 The people have heard all that can be said. The 

 time for prompt, vigorous, and decisive action 

 is upon us, and we must do our duty. Upon 

 the surface affairs appear to be quiet, and I can 

 give you no satisfaction as to their real con- 

 dition. It is true that threats of an attack on 

 Pensacola have been made, but it is uncertain 

 whether any attack will be made. As you 

 know, an attack was made at Sewall's Point, 

 near Norfolk, but the vessel making it was re- 

 pulsed and disabled. But the general opinion 

 and indications are that the first demonstration 

 will be at Harper's Ferry, and that there, where 

 John Brown inaugurated his work of slaughter, 

 will be fought a fierce and bloody battle. As 

 for myself, I believe that there the war will be- 

 gin, and that the first boom of cannon that 

 breaks upon our ears will come from that point. 

 But let it begin where it will, and be as bloody 

 and prolonged as it may, we are prepared for 

 the issue ! 



" Some think there will be no war ; as to that 

 I know not. But whatever others wanted, the 

 object of the Confederate Government is peace. 

 Come peace or war, however, it is determined 

 to maintain our position at every hazard and at 

 every cost, and to drive back the myrmidons of 

 Abolitionism. 



" We prefer and desire peace if we can have 

 it ; but if we cannot, we must meet the issue 

 forced upon us. We must meet Lincoln and 

 his myrmidons on their own ground, and on 

 their own terms on constitutional principles. 



" So far our progress has been all that we 



could expect. A Government has been organ- 

 ized, executive departments and offices sup- 

 plied, all needful laws passed, and all necessary 

 arrangements made to meet any contingency. 

 At the head of our Government is President 

 Davis, who led the Mississippi Rifles at Bnena 

 Vista, and whose flag never yet trailed in the 

 dust. This noble and true son of the South 

 goes to Richmond to take command in person 

 of our soldiers there, and to lead them upon the 

 battle-field against all the military power and 

 the talent they can summon even to their 

 veteran chieftain, Gen. Scott himself. Whether 

 brought to a bloody conflict or not, we are pre- 

 pared. Our people everywhere are full of en- 

 thusiasm, and strong in their determination 

 never to submit to the rule of Lincoln." 



The views of President Davis, expressed in 

 his message to Congress on the 29th of April, 

 were repeated in a letter to commissioners from 

 Maryland. The Legislature of that State had 

 appointed commissioners to visit Montgomery, 

 and suggest to the Confederate Government 

 the cessation of the hostilities now impending, 

 until the meeting of Congress at Washington in 

 July, in order that the Congress might, if pos- 

 sible, arrange for an adjustment of the existing 

 troubles by means of negotiations rather than 

 the sword. Similar commissioners were sent 

 to Washington. The reply was dated May 

 25th, at Montgomery : 



" The Government of the Confederate States 

 is at a loss how to reply without a repetition 

 of the language it has used on every possible 

 occasion that has presented itself since the 

 establishment of its independence. 



" In deference to the State of Maryland, how- 

 ever, it again asserts, in the most emphatic 

 terms, that its sincere and earnest desire is for 

 peace, and that while the Government would 

 readily entertain any proposition from the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States, tending to a 

 peaceful solution of the present difficulties, the 

 recent attempts of this Government to enter 

 into negotiations with that of the United States 

 were attended with results which forbid any re- 

 newal of proposals from it to that Government. 



" If any further assurance of the desire of 

 this Government for peace were necessary, it 

 would be sufficient to observe, that being form- 

 ed of a confederation of sovereign States, each 

 acting and deciding for itself, the right of 

 every other sovereign State to assume self- 

 action and self-government is necessarily ac- 

 knowledged. 



" Hence conquests of other States are wholly 

 inconsistent with the fundamental principles 

 and subversive of the very organization of this 

 Government. Its policy cannot but be peace 

 peace with all nations and people." 



The Confederate Congress, in compliance 

 with the call of the President, assembled at 

 Montgomery on the 29th of April. During its 

 adjournment the Constitution, framed for the 

 establishment of a permanent Government of 

 the Confederate States, had been ratified by the 



