Address from Gen. Floyd.
The following address ‘"To the people of Western Virginia"’ has just been issued by Gen. Floyd: Headquarters Va., State Line, Wytheville, Aug. 2, 1862.
The recent proclamation of the Governor, calling into the service of the State a portion of her reserved militia, has been published to her people.--This proclamation was necessitated by the determination of the Northern Government to crush the Southern States, and first of all Virginia — a determination evinced by the late call of Lincoln for six hundred thousand additional troops--three hundred thousand to be raised by voluntary enlistment and three hundred thousand by draft.
The inducements of plunder and rapine held out by the Northern Government to its soldiery, the confiscation and appropriation of Southern property, now openly proclaimed, seconded by the coercion of a draft, will speedily put into the field this immense additional force.
In anticipation of this result the Governor has wisely and patriotically determined to call to the defence of the State, for a period of 12 months, a portion of her reserved militia.
With such a force as the enemy will soon have arrayed against us the patriotic citizens of the South, between 35 and 45 years of age, cannot hope, and should not desire, to remain inactive.
The present Conscript act must be and will be extended, by the Confederate Congress now in session, to embrace this class of the militia.
With a view to this end a motion has been already submitted in that body, and referred to its appropriate committee.
To have this class of our citizens in the service is a necessity which the present Congress must recognize, act upon, and that promptly.
Delay on the part of the South in throwing into the field every available man will result certainly in disaster to her homes, the banishment or extermination of her people, and in the loss of her liberty, and of her property.
On the other hand, promptness in calling into the field her entire fighting population, will result, and that speedily, in her independence, and in peace.
These considerations apply with special and peculiar force to Virginia.
Two thirds of her territory are already in possession of the enemy, whose movements under the impetus given them by several hundred thousand fresh troops may become irresistible, and eventuate not only in the permanent establishment of their authority in the districts now held by them, but in the overrunning of the entire State, and in the confliction of her property.
With this issue before them, the militia, to whom the Governor's proclamation is addressed, and who are as much interested in the present momentous struggle as any who have already staked their lives and their all upon its result, will be expected to respond to the appeal of their State with cheerfulness and zeal.
By it the choice is offered them of a twelve months service in the State, or of a three years service, by the extension of the Conscript act, in the army of the Confederate States.
In addition to this, the advantages of a Partisan Ranger service will be extended to the Virginia State Line, and all property taken from the enemy will be equally distributed among those capturing it.
As it is desired that a large portion of the command should be mounted, any embraced in the Governor's call can enter the cavalry service by furnishing their own horses.
The compensation of mounted men in the command will be $24 per month, and the pay of the value of their horses if killed in battle. 