Jeff. Davis' Message To The Rebel Congress

Nmv York, A ug. 23. The robol Congrosa met in Riehmond on the 18th inst., on whioh oecsfiion Jefl. Davis Bubinilted his annual ' sage. Ho leuda olF u his usual hypo critica) stylo, and Uien nlludes to the Federal government as robbers, asBuadwinr", &c, ad infinilum. Ho peak.i üf and recommecds rotaliatory ineauras to meet the luto lavvs reoently pasod by tho Federal govornrneot; recomtnends the issuo of more rebel shin piasters, and ailudos to tliu building ol rebel war vessels ut home and abroad, The mes age betrays great signa of we;.kiie6s IQ the lebui governinunt, lor no nntion tl) at has power in ittt hands, ever put forth such argumenta as acquieace u murder, rapine, lc, un der the name of retaliation. After alluding to the sufferings of tho penple and llio gallunliy oí tho troop, he says : Tho vast anny wh c i threatened tlie capital of the (Jonfederaoy, hes been defeated and dr. ven hom the linea ol investment, aud thu eneiuy, repeatedly foiled in its eftorls lor its capture, is now .eeeking to raise new armiea on a soale such as moderu his tory does not record, to efftti-t that simUgatioD of tho South bo uilen proclaimed as ou the evo of a-xomphshrnent. Davis then charges us with rapiñe, wanton dustruolioii ot privatt) property, murder oi captivo?, &c, and Rpe;iks of the contiscation bilí as airqciouft, u hile the moneyed obligatiuns of the (;.:iiederato government are forged by O'tizenu of thu United States, and at Last two Generala of the United Status are cugngtd in exciting servile insurreclion. - Anuihur been foind of instinots so brutal ag to invite tho violonco ol his so!d ory aguinst the women of a enutured city. ïlo metitioDs Gen. Butler subsequently. Davis then say.", to inquirios made of tho Corntnander-Hi-Chief uf the tnnios of the United States, wholher the atl'Oeious conductof so:ne of the mililary cornmandefrt ineets the siii::tii)i ot' ihat government, an an.svver hiid been evaded on the pretext that the inquiry was nsulting, and do metía od remuins for the suppression of these enormilius hut aucli retiibutive justice as it may be found possiblo tu sKeüute, Rotaliation in kind for many ol them ia impracti cable, and I have bad occasion to re mark in a former nio-sage that uoder no excoss of ['ï'ovocution conld our noble-hearted defendL-r.s bo -drivon to wreak vengoatico on an unarmed man or on women and chihlren. But stern aud nxemplary pmushment can, and unist be moled out to tho tnurdurers and felor.s who, disgracing the profession of arms, aeek to rnake of publio war the occasion lor th :■ coiiimission of the most rnonstrous crimes. Decply as vo regret tho eharaoU'E of tho contest into which so are about to be forejd, wo must accept it as an alternative which recent manifestalions give u.s little hope can bo avoidod. Tho exa peration of failure has aroused the worst passions of our enemies, and a largo portion of their people, oven of their cl'jrgymet), is uow engaged in urging an excited populacu the extreme of ferocity, aml nothing remains but to vind Cite onr rights and to tnatn tain our existence by eniployingagainst our foe every enorgyaud every resource at our disposal. Davia recommends ftirlher legislation to make the conscription universal; aleo, the issue oí additional truasury notes; also, some legislat on f r controlluig military tratlfeportation. He says the very largo increaso of forces recently called into the field by the President of the Uni'ed States m;iy r;nder il necessary heráüfrer to extund the provisions oí the conscript law so as to embrace persons between the ages of 35 and 45 years. Tho vigor and efficiency of c.ur present forcu and n ir condition, and tl. e skill and ability which distinguiah thcir leaders, inspire the belief that no furtber enrullment will bo neciissury, bu', a wise foresight requires th;it il a neceesity should binecessity si ou d ba wuddenly developed during (he recessof Congrega, reqiiiring noreased forces for our delen.se, ineans should exist for calling 6uch forces into the field without awaking the re-assembling of the legislativo department of government. The rast of the message ia unimportant. In the rebel Houso of Representatives Mr. Foote. of Tunnessee, oflored a bilí for retalialion purposes. It recites that tho enemy refuso to treat our partizan soldiers as prisoners and have al?o punished innocent privato citizens lor their acts. It próvidos that au officer who may have ordered uch atrocities be put to death if oaptured, an equal nuinber of prisoner, ofiicera to be preferred, taken fioin the enemy to suft'er the fato inrlicted on our captured soldiere or citiüens Also a bilí to punish negroea in arms. It provides that Feden.l armies dood gruously composod of whitj and black thall no; bo held to the privileges oi war or to bo taken prisonors. üt BUob a may be captured, the negroea shall be roturned to their masters or publicly sold and their coinmanders publiclv hung or shot, as may be most con" venient. He also offered a bilí to retalíate for tho seizure of citizeng by the enemy. - It providea that of the prisoners held by us a ntiinber equal to to that oí the citizens seized shwll be held as hostages foi thoir aafety and eubject to liko treatment. Any officer, civil or military, concerued in their eeizuro, shall be imprisoned during the war. All the billa were referred to the Military Committee. Mr. Footo oífered a bilí to provide for raising an additional force of 250,000. Ob his own motion it was luid on the table. Also, an export duty of twenty per cent. on cotton and tobáceo, to aid in indemnifying losses by citizens by tbe enemy.