Finally, that the intent of the President of the United
States, already developed, to invade our soil, capture our forts,
blockade our ports, and wage war against us, rendered it necessary to
raise means to a much larger amount than had been done, to defray the
expenses of maintaining independence and repelling invasion.
A brief summary of the internal affairs of the Government followed, and,
notwithstanding frequent declarations of the peaceful intentions of the
withdrawing States had been made in the most solemn manner, it was
deemed not to be out of place to repeat them once more; and, therefore,
the message closed with these words: "We protest solemnly, in the face
of mankind, that we desire peace at any sacrifice, save that of honor.
In independence we seek no conquest, no aggrandizement, no concession of
any kind from the States with which we have lately been confederated.
All we ask is to be let alone--that those who never held power over us
shall not now attempt our subjugation by arms. This we will, we must,
resist to the direst extremity. The moment that this pretension is
abandoned, the sword will drop from our grasp, and we shall be ready to
enter into treaties of amity and commerce that can not but be mutually
beneficial. So long as this pretension is maintained, with a firm
reliance on that Divine Power which covers with its protection the just
cause, we must continue to struggle for our inherent right to freedom,
independence, and self-government.
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