^! U i [TTur-.v. : No. l.l 
 
 HOUSE OF REPRESENTAT1 " r >>rrt 10, 1863.— "Read first 
 
 and second times, ami referred to Committee on Foreign Relations, 
 and ordered to be printed. 
 
 [By Mr. Barksdalk.] 
 
 JOnSTT KESOLUTIONS 
 
 On tho subject of the war, and in regard to the free navigation of the 
 
 Mississippi River. 
 
 1 Whereas, The earnest efforts made by the Government of the 
 
 2 Confederate States, immediately upon its organization, " to estab- 
 
 3 lish friendly relations between it and the Government of the 
 
 4 United States, and to settle all.questicns of disagreement between 
 
 5 them upon principles of right, equity and good faith, " having 
 
 6 proved unavailing by reason " of the refusal of the Government of 
 
 7 the United States to hold intercourse with the . Commissioners 
 
 8 appointed by the Confederate Government for the purposes afore- 
 
 9 said, or to listen to any proposals 'for a peaceful solution of all 
 
 10 causes of deferences between them;" And lohereas, The Govern- 
 
 11 ment of the United States having waged war against the Confcd- 
 
 12 erate States with a purpose to reduco them to tho condition of 
 
3 
 
 13 conquered provinces, and having conducted it contrary to the 
 11 rules of civilized nation?, and the sacred rights of humanity, by 
 
 15 the practice of every barbarity "which malice and depravity could 
 
 16 suggest, with a ferocious, determination "to sacrifice to disap- 
 
 1? pointed vengeance what their injustice lost and their power can- 
 
 * 
 
 18 not regain ;" And whereas, During a fierce, and devastating strug- 
 
 19 gle of two years, it has pleaced the Divine Ruler of the imivprse 
 
 20 to thwart the plans of the wicked authors of the war, and to 
 
 21 bless the armies of the Confederate States with favorable results 
 
 .. 
 
 22 on the field on battle ; And whereas, The conviction of the people 
 
 23 of the Confederate States in the justice of their cause is unabated, 
 
 24 and their confidence in its final trfcimph unshaken, therefore 
 
 1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Cdn- 
 
 2 federate States, That necessity alone having forced the people of 
 
 3 these States to take up arms to maintain their right of self gov- 
 
 4 crnment, and in obedience td the principle of self preservation, 
 
 5 which., with nations, as with individuals, is the first law of nature, 
 
 6 they will continue to make whatever sacrifice may be required 
 
 7 for the attainment of these just ends. 
 
 -e*o ■ , ... , . • , ■ 
 
 1 Resolved, That movements having been inaugurated in several 
 
 ILc 1o , . . , ; 
 
 2 of the United States looking to an accommodation of the differ- 
 
 3 ence3 existing between the beligerents, it is the true policy of the 
 
 4 Confederate States Government to accord a respectful considera- 
 
 lo flohj — . . ! ; ... . . ..... . . R ^isaa, '.SI 
 
 5 tion to any proposition having that" object m view, provided ltis 
 
3 
 
 6 consistent with the design to preserve its separate and distinctive 
 
 7 national character, which may be submitted by the duly consti- 
 
 8 tuted authorities of any of said States. 
 
 1 Be it further resolved. That whenever any one or more of the 
 
 2 said States bordering on the Mississippi River shall desist from 
 
 3 this unprovoked war upon the Confederate States, the Govern- 
 
 4 ment of these States is prepared to waive, for the benefit of the 
 
 5 said States, its right, according to the well settled principle of 
 
 6 international law, to the sole and exclusive navigation of that 
 
 7 portion of the said stream which flows within the limits of its 
 S territories, and to secure to them the free navigation thereof by 
 treaty stipulation as they have already provided for by legal 
 
 10 enactment.