Page images
PDF
EPUB

The Executive has issued this proclamation, impelled by the belief that public safety required it, and be relies upon the people to sus tain him, and to aid him in discovering and bringing to just and lawful punishment any one who may disregard his duty as therein set forth.

ation to the people of said State, notifying them that all communication of whatsoever character between them and the citizens of the States and Territories now at war with the "Confederate States of America," must be discontinued; that all contracts heretofore made between them are suspended, and all that may be made during the continuance of said war, and until treaties In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed of reciprocity are established, will be void. It my name, and caused the great seal of the will be regarded as treason against the Con-State to be affixed, at the city of Austin, this federate States of America, and against the State of Texas, for any citizen of said State to donate, sell, or in any manner exchange any property or commodity whatsoever with any citizen or citizens of either of said States or Territories now at war with said Confederate States, without special permission from proper authority.

It will also be treasonable for any citizen of Texas to pay any debts now owing by him to a citizen or citizens of either of said States or Territories, or to contract with them any new debts or obligation during the continuance of said war.

The statute of limitations will cease to run, and interest will not accrue during the continuance of war.

If there be citizens of the State of Texas owing such debts, the Executive would suggest that they deposit the amount of the same in the Treasury of the State, taking the Treasurer's receipt therefor. The United States are largely indebted to the State of Texas, and it may be determined by the Legislature of said State at some future time, that such deposits shall be retained until the United States has satisfied the claims now held by Texas against her.

The Executive deems it proper especially to warn all persons from endeavoring to procure title, in any manner, to property situated in Texas, and now claimed by persons who are citizens of either of said States or Territories now at war with said "Confederate States," or of any of the States or Territories not included among those making war upon said Confederate States, and who have joined her enemies, as the Legislature may hereafter deem it proper to provide for the confiscation of such property.

No act of treason or sedition, whether it shall consist in material aid to our enemies, or in language, written, printed, or spoken, which is intended to comfort or encourage them, will be knowingly permitted within its borders.

Citizens of either of the States or Territories now at war with the Confederate States, will no longer be permitted to visit Texas, during the continuance of such war, without passports issued by authority of the Executive of the Confederate States, or of this State. And if any such persons are now within the limits of Texas, they are hereby warned to depart within twenty days of this date, or they will be arrested as spies; and all citizens of the State of Texas are warned from holding any friendly communication whatsoever with such persons.

the eighth day of June, A. D. 1861, and in the year of the independence of Texas the twentysixth, and of the Confederate States the first. By the Governor, EDWARD CLARK. BIRD HOLLAND, Secretary of State.

Doo. 113.

"CONFEDERATE" RESOLUTIONS.

JULY 22, 1861.

AFTER the despatch from Jeff. Davis relating to the battle of Bull Run was read, the following resolutions were offered by Mr. Memminger, of South Carolina, and unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That wo recognize the hand of the Most High God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, in the glorious victory with which he hath crowned our army at Manassas; and that the people of the Confederate States are invited, by appropriate services on the ensuing Sabbath, to offer up their united thanksgiving and praise for this mighty deliverance.

Resolved, That, deeply deploring the necessity which has washed the soil of our country with the blood of so many of her noblest sons, we offer to their respective families and friends our warmest and most cordial sympathy, assuring them that the sacrifice made will be consecrated in the hearts of our people, and will there enshrine the names of the gallant dead as the champions of free and constitutional liberty.

Resolved, That we approve the prompt and patriotic efforts of the mayor of the city of Richmond to make provision for the wounded; and that a committee of one member from each State be appointed to cooperate in the plan.

Resolved, That Congress do now adjourn.

[blocks in formation]

within their borders will, in consequence of State, nor with the citizens of any State. On repeated Northern aggressions, separate them- the other hand, the faith of the United States selves and withdraw from the Federal Govern-is solemnly pledged to the Cherokee nation

ment.

South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana have already, by action of the people, assumed this attitude. Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland will probably pursue the same course by the 4th of March next.

Your people, in their institutions, productions, latitude, and natural sympathies, are allied to the common brotherhood of the slaveholding States. Our people and yours are natural allies in war, and friends in peace. Your country is salubrious and fertile, and possesses the highest capacity for future progress and development, by the application of "slave labor."

Besides this, the contiguity of our territory with yours induces relations of so intimate a character as to preclude the idea of a discordant or separate action. It is well established that the Indian country west of Arkansas is looked to by the incoming Administration of Mr. Lincoln as fruitful fields, ripe for the harvest of abolitionism, free-soilers, and Northern mountebanks. We hope to find in you friends willing to cooperate with the South in defence of her institutions, her honor, and her firesides, and with whom the slaveholding States are willing to share a common future, and to afford protection commensurate with your exposed condition, and your subsisting monetary interests with the general Government.

for the protection of the right and title in the lands, conveyed to them by patent, within their territorial boundaries; as also for protection of all other of their national and individual rights and interests of person and property. Thus the Cherokee people are inviolably allied with their white brethren of the United States in war and friends in peace. Their institutions, locality, and natural sympathies are unequivocally with the slaveholding States. And the contiguity of our territory to your State, in connection with the daily social and commercial intercourse between our respective citizens, forbids the idea that they should ever be otherwise than steadfast friends.

I am surprised to be informed by your Excellency that "it is well established that the Indian country, west of Arkansas, is looked to by the incoming Administration of Mr. Lincoln as fruitful fields, ripe for the harvest of abolitionism, free-soilers, and Northern mountebanks," as I am sure that the laborers will be greatly disappointed if they shall expect in the Cherokee country fruitful fields, ripe for the harvest of abolitionism, &c., and you may rest assured that the Cherokee people will never tolerate the propagation of any such obnoxious fruit upon their soil. And, in conclusion, I have the honor to reciprocate the salutations of friendship. I am, sir, very respectfully, your Excellency's obedient servant, JOHN Ross,

[blocks in formation]

As a direct means of expressing to you those sentiments, I have despatched to you my aideA correspondence was more recently opened de-camp, Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Gaines, to between the rebel commander of Fort Smith confer with you confidentially upon these sub- and Ross. The letter of the former exhibits jects, and to report to me any expressions of the solicitude with which the rebels of Arkankindness and confidence that you may see proper to communicate to the Governor of Ar-sas await the attitude of the Cherokees :kansas, who is your friend and the friend of your people. Respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY M. RECTOR, Governor of Arkansas.

:

HEAD-QUARTERS, FORT SMITH, May 15, 1861. SIR-Information has reached this post to the effect that Senator Lane, of Kansas, is now in that State raising troops to operate on the western borders of Missouri and Kansas. As In response to the above, Ross wrote at some it is of the utmost importance that those inlength, expressing the regret and solicitude of trusted with the defence of the Western fronthe Cherokees for the unhappy relations exist-tier of this State should understand the position ing between the two sections of the country, and hoping for the restoration of peace and harmony. The concluding part of the letter is important, as exhibiting the loyal feelings of the Cherokees to the Federal Government:

The relations which the Cherokee people sustain toward their white brethren have been established by subsisting treaties with the United States Government, and by them they have placed themselves under the "protection of the United States, and of no other sovereign whatever." They are bound to hold no treaty with any foreign power, or with any individual

the enemy is likely to pass, I feel it to be my of the Indian tribes, through whose territory duty, as commanding officer at this post, and in that capacity representing the State of Arkansas and the Southern Confederacy, of which she is a member, respectfully to ask if it is your intention to adhere to the United States Government during the pending conflict, or if you mean to support the Government of the Southern Confederacy; and also whether in your opinion the Cherokee people will resist, or will aid the Southern troops in resisting any such attempt to invade the soil of Arkansas; or if, on the other hand, you think there is any probability of their aiding the United States forces in executing their

hostile designs. I have the honor to be, very | inquiring whether he intended to cooperate respectfully, your most obedient servant, J. R. KANNADY,

Lieut. Col. Commanding, Fort Smith. Hon. JOHN Ross, Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation.

In his reply, Ross, under date of May 17, quotes the interrogatory part of the above, and concludes::

In reply to these inquiries, I have the honor to say, that our rights of soil, of person, and of property, and our relations, generally, to the people and Government of the United States were defined by treaties with the United States Government prior to the present condition of affairs. By those treaties relations of amity and reciprocal rights and obligations were established between the Cherokee nation and the Government of those States. Those relations still exist. The Cherokees have properly taken no part in the present deplorable stato of affairs, but have wisely remained quiet. They have done nothing to impair their rights, or to disturb the cordial friendship between them and their white brothers. Weak, defenceless, and scattered over a large section of country, in the peaceful pursuits of agricultural life, without hostility to any State, and with friendly feelings towards all, they hope to be allowed to remain so, under the soleniu conviction that they should not be called upon to participato in the threatened fratricidal war between the "United" and the "Confederate" States, and that persons gallantly tenacious of their own rights will respect those of others.

with the Northern or Southern States, and hoping to find him and his people allies and active friends. The concluding part of this communication grows more hostile in its tone, and says:-"But if, unfortunately, you prefer to retain your connection with the Northern Government, and give them aid and comfort, we want to know that, as we prefer an open enemy to a doubtful friend."

Again Ross expresses his neutrality in the troubles between the two sections, and says:A residence of more than twenty years in your immediate vicinity can leave no room for doubt as to my friendship for the people of Arkansas; but if my present position does not constitute us 66 as active friends as you might desire us to be, you will not surely regard us as an enemy. You are fully aware of the peculiar circumstances of our condition, and will not expect us to destroy our national and individual rights, and bring around our hearthstones the horrors and desolations of a civil war prematurely and unnecessarily. I amthe Cherokees are-your friends and the friends of your people; but we do not wish to be brought into the fends between yourselves and your Northern brethren.

themselves to us and constrain us to avow a position of strict neutrality. That position I shall endeavor honestly to maintain. The Cherokee Nation will not interfere with your rights nor invade your soil, nor will I doubt that the people of Arkansas and other States will be alike just toward the Cherokee people.

Our wish is for peace; peace at home, and peace among you. We will not disturb it as it now exists, nor interfere with the rights of the people of the States anywhere. War is more prospective than real. It has not been declared by the United or Confederate States. It may If the pending conflict were with a foreign not be. I most devoutly hope it might not be. foe, the Cherokees, as they have done in tinies Your difficulties may be ended soon by compast, would not hesitate to lend their humble promise or peaceful separation. What will cooperation. But, under existing circumstances, then be our situation if we now abrogate our my wish, advice, and hope are, that we shall be rights, when no one else is, or can just now be, allowed to remain strictly neutral. Our inter-bound for them? All these questions present ests all centre in peace. We do not wish to forfeit our rights or to incur the hostility of any people, and ieast of all, of the people of Arkansas, with whom our relations are so numerous and intimate. We do not wish our soil to become the battle-ground between the States, and our homes to be rendered desolate and miserable by the horrors of a civil war. If such war should not be averted yet by some unforeseen agency, but shall occur, my own position will be to take no part in it whatever, and to urge the like course upon the Cherokee people, by whom, in ny opinion, it will be adopted. We hope that all nilitary movements, whether from the North or the South, will be outside of our limits, and that no apprehension of a want of sincere friendship on our part will be cherished anywhere, and least of all by the people of your State.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN ROSS,

Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation. J. R. Kannady, Lieut. Commanding, Fort Smith, Ark, With the above Ross enclosed a letter signed by several residents of Boonsboro', Arkansas,

With my best wishes for you personally, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your friend and obedient servant,

JOHN ROSS,

Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation.

PARK HILL, May 18, 1861.

To Messrs. Mark Bean, W. B. Welch, E. W. McClure,
John Spencer, J. A. L. McCulloch, John M. Lacy, J. P.
Carnahan, and others.

Doc. 115.

[blocks in formation]

wagons, teams, and grain forage for the use of this army.

It is expected that he will have no difficulties whatsoever; that the loyal citizens of your rich county will be glad to have an opportunity thus to furnish supplies for our army, which has so gloriously maintained the independence and sovereignty of Virginia, and driven back in ignominious flight the invaders of her soil.

But, at the same time, all classes of your citizens must contribute their quota; therefore, if necessary, it is expected that constraint must be employed with all who are forgetful of their obligations. By order of

GENERAL BEauregard. Respectfully, Colonel, your obedient servant, THOMAS JORDAN, A. A. Adjutant General. To Colonel A. T. M. Rust, Commandant Militia, Loudon -Leesburg Washingtonian, July 25.

county.

Doo. 116.

LT.-GOV. ARNOLD'S PROCLAMATION. STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &o. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, July 23, 1861.

To the People of Rhode Island :— All hearts are bowed in sorrow at the disastrous result of the battle of the 21st inst., at Bull Run, in Virginia.

The national arms have sustained a temporary defeat. This reverse is the more sad to us that it is accompanied by the loss of so many gallant officers and brave men who held the honor of Rhode Island second only to their love of country.

Colonel John S. Slocum, Major Sullivan Ballon, Captains Levi Tower and Samuel J. Smith, and Lieutenant Thomas Foy, of the Second regiment, and Lieutenant Henry A. Prescott, of the First regiment, have fallen. So far as yet known, this completes the list of fatal casualties among the officers; that of the privates is not yet received.

The State will embalin the memory of these noble men, as it preserves the fame of its heroes of revolutionary days.

Doc. 117.

GENERAL PATTERSON'S MOVEMENT.

CHARLESTOWN, Va., Thursday, July 18, 1861. THE army, under Gen. Patterson, has been rivalling the celebrated King of the French. With twenty thousand men he marched to Bunker Hill, and then-marched back again. What it all means Heaven only knows. I think it would puzzle the spirits of Cæsar, Saxe, Napoleon, Wellington, and all the departed heroes, to make it out. The reason currently assigned is that the enemy had been largely reinforced, and had strongly intrenched himself at Winchester, expecting the attack. The old story. It is said he had over 20,000 men and 22 cannon. I don't believe it, for the simple reason that like all the other reports of the sarno kind which have invariably turned out to be false, it rests entirely upon public rumor. Our scouts and pickets were never sent sufficiently near to ascertain the truth.

But another significant fact about which there is no doubt is, that the enemy had felled trees and placed fences across the road in such a way as to delay and embarrass the march of our army, which showed no desire to meet us.

Another cause to which I hear attributed the failure to march upon Winchester is that the terms of most of the Pennsylvania regiments will expire in about a week, and it was feared they would refuse to advance further after their term had expired. This I believe to be a libel upon the Pennsylvania troops. I do not dispute that many, even the large majority, desire to go home when their terin expires, but that men who voluntarily took up arms at the call of their country would lay them down in the face of the enemy, I do not believe. On the contrary, the fact is notorious that the men now, as heretofore, long to be led against the enemy. I assert, without the fear of contradiction, that had it been left to the troops, their decision would have been unanimous to be led to Winchester.

That there is dissatisfaction and a desire to go home on the part of many, I have already This reverse calls for renewed and vigorous admitted, and their dissatisfaction is to be ateffort on the part of all loyal citizens to main-tributed in a great measure to the course tain the Federal Government.

Therefore, I, Samuel G. Arnold, LieutenantGovernor, do hereby call upon the good people of this State to come forward without delay and volunteer their services in defence of the Constitution and the laws.

Arrangements will at once be made for the commandants of the several military companies to enroll men to serve for three years or during the war, unless sooner discharged. Let the response to this call be prompt, decided, and such as will show that the martial spirit of our State is alike indomitable in victory or defeat. SAMUEL G. Arnold, Lieutenant Governor.

By Ilis Honor's command,
JOHN R. BARTLETT, Secretary of State.

which has been from the first pursued toward these men. They have been hardly used, poorly clothed, poorly fed, compelled to endure day after day the monotonous hardships of camp life. There has been an unconcealed want of confidence in them on the part of the commanding General, and no interest has been taken in their wants, their feelings, or their sufferings. They have seldom been reviewed by him, and scarcely ever addressed, except in the way of rebuke; and we have had none of those stirring addresses, (like Napoleon's or McClellan's,) appealing to the patriotism and arousing the enthusiasm of the men. All this has been from the first ignored, and even a parade made of treating the men as hirelings and inferiors. All this has contributed to pro

solitary horseman, and the march was performed without the occurrence of a single incident worth noting. We arrived here about noon, and I do not think were very warmly received by the inhabitants. This part of the country is strongly tinctured with secessionism. The men say little, but the women (God bless them!) can't keep their tongues quiet, and will let the cat out of the bag.

duce this lukewarmness on the part of the | prise. We met not a single enemy, not even a troops. But I believe the right spirit is still among them, although a little dormant at present, and all that is wanted is a leader in sympathy with the cause and with the men to draw it out. I do not mean in this to preach insubordination. I believe in strict discipline, and so I believe do nine men out of ten who have been a month in the ranks. Men soon learn that when in large masses strict discipline is really for the benefit of all. But discipline is a very different thing from indifference, ill usage, and contempt.

To-day the Second Massachusetts regiment marched for Harper's Ferry, and this whole column, it is expected, will soon be moved there.

-N. Y. Times, July 26.

A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press makes the following statement:

This town contains about 1,500 inhabitants, and is the pleasantest place we have been in since leaving Hagerstown. It contains many But to return to the statement of facts. On fine private residences, but most, indeed all, of Monday morning the army marched in two the principal inhabitants, being secessionists, columns from Martinsburg to Bunker Hill- have left. Their mansions are used by the the second and third divisions taking the Win-chiefs of departments. Gen. Patterson has his chester turnpike and the first division a road head-quarters at the residence of Hunter, parallel to the turnpike and about a mile to Esq., State's Attorney, (and, I believe, a nephew the left. Each regiment carried its own pro- of the Senator.) Col. Crossman, Deputy Quarvisions, (and wagons, of course,) and had a termaster-General, has his at the residence of supply for five days only. Occasionally we an officer in the secession army, whose name I could see the enemy's pickets galloping off, cannot just now think of. and three were captured and one killed. When near Bunker Hill we passed their encampment, and on arriving learned that about 500 rebel cavalry had passed through, some hours before our arrival, toward Winchester. No other force was between Martinsburg and Winchester, and there had been none there for a week. The report and prevailing belief the HAGERSTOWN, MD., July 25, 1861. day we arrived, and until late the next day, SIR-You will confer a favor upon the were that the enemy were preparing to leave friends of justice by giving space to the accomWinchester. In the evening, however, it leaked panying statement. I make this request in beout that information had been brought to head- half of Pennsylvania, whose commanding Genquarters that Johnston had been largely rein-eral has been accused of dereliction of duty. forced from Strasburg, and was intrenching himself as though determined to make a stand at Winchester. Then came the order to be ready to march at daybreak, and the men and many of the officers thought, of course, it was to be upon Winchester. But those doubted who knew that no sufficient supplies had been brought for an advance far into the interior, and who had observed that all day Sunday the large trains that had been for a week hauling the supplies to Martinsburg were hauling them back to Williamsport.

The following is based upon the information of citizens of Berkeley county, Virginia, well known to me, who, having been impressed in the rebel force, deserted therefrom:

At the time the first advance into Virginia was ordered General Johnston's force numbered over 14,000 men, and had attached to it a park of splendid artillery. General Patterson's command did not exceed 11,000 men, and he had not over eight pieces of artillery, which latter were taken from him, coinpelling the return of our army to Maryland. The second advance was made by 9,000 men, and not over ten guns. General Patterson knew from information derived from scouts, deserters, &c., that Johnston's force exceeded his own, and the result of a battle with him was deemed by the General and army officers more than doubtful. Upon our arrival at Bunker Hill we had not one man more than 18,000 men. This calculation is based on the assumption that each regiшent numbered 700 fighting men. This, however, is too liberal an estimate, and after deducting the sick, and the camp guards, it will The army marched in one column from be seen that we could not have brought more Bunker Hill to this place, Gen. Cadwalader's than 14,000 men into the field Our artillery division in front, Col. Thomas' brigade the ad-numbered eighteen guns, all of a small calibre, vance guard, and Gen. Keim's division bring-with the exception of four pieces. We had ing up the rear, flanking companies and cavalry five companies of cavalry.

It was amusing to hear the remarks of the men as they were marching out the Charlestown road. They seemed to know that they were not marching the direct route to Winchester. Some said the enemy had put up intrenchments on the road, and this direction was taken to get in his rear. Others thought that only a portion were taking this route, and that other divisions of the army were marching on the direct road. Even after arriving at Charlestown there were many who thought they were on the way to Winchester.

being thrown out on both sides to prevent sur- Despatches from the War Department showed

« PreviousContinue »