the day of the confederacy-第6章

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close　of　the　year　the　Confederate　armies　were　approaching
general　efficiency；　for　all　their　enormous　handicap；　almost　if
not　quite　as　rapidly　as　were　the　Union　armies。　And　the　one　great　
event　of　the　year　on　land；　the　first　battle　of　Manassas；　or　Bull
Run；　was　a　signal　Confederate　victory。

To　be　sure　Davis　was　severely　criticized　in　some　quarters　for
not　adopting　an　aggressive　policy。　The　Confederate　Government；
whether　wisely　or　foolishly；　had　not　taken　the　people　into　its
confidence　and　the　lack　of　munitions　was　not　generally
appreciated。　The　easy　popular　cries　were　all　sounded：　〃We　are
standing　still！〃　〃The　country　is　being　invaded！〃　〃The　President
is　a　do…nothing！〃　From　the　coast　regions　especially；　where　the
blockade　was　felt　in　all　its　severity；　the　outcry　was　loud。

Nevertheless；　the　South　in　the　main　was　content　with　the
Administration　during　most　of　the　first　year。　In　November；　when
the　general　elections　were　held；　Davis　was　chosen　without
opposition　as　the　first　regular　Confederate　President　for　six
years；　and　Stephens　became　the　Vice…President。　The　election　was
followed　by　an　important　change　in　the　Southern　Cabinet。　Benjamin
became　Secretary　of　War；　in　succession　to　the　first　War
Secretary；　Leroy　P。　Walker。　Toombs　had　already　left　the
Confederate　Cabinet。　Complaining　that　Davis　degraded　him　to　the
level　of　a　mere　clerk；　he　had　withdrawn　the　previous　July。　His
successor　in　the　State　Department　was　R。　M。　T。　Hunter　of
Virginia；　who　remained　in　office　until　February；　1862；　when　his
removal　to　the　Confederate　Senate　opened　the　way　for　a　further
advancement　of　Benjamin。

Richmond；　which　had　been　designated　as　the　capital　soon　after　the
secession　of　Virginia；　was　the　scene　of　the　inauguration；　on
February　22；　1862。　Although　the　weather　proved　bleak　and　rainy；
an　immense　crowd　gathered　around　the　Washington　monument；　in
Capitol　Square；　to　listen　to　the　inaugural　address。　By　this　time
the　confidence　in　the　Government；　which　was　felt　generally　at　the
time　of　the　election；　had　suffered　a　shock。　Foreign　affairs　were
not　progressing　satisfactorily。　Though　England　had　accorded　to
the　Confederacy　the　status　of　a　belligerent；　this　was　poor
consolation　for　her　refusal　to　make　full　recognition　of　the　new
Government　as　an　independent　power。　Dread　of　internal　distress
was　increasing。　Gold　commanded　a　premium　of　fifty　percent。
Disorder　was　a　feature　of　the　life　in　the　cities。　It　was　known
that　several　recent　military　events　had　been　victories　for　the
Federals。　A　rumor　was　abroad　that　some　great　disaster　had　taken
place　in　Tennessee。　The　crowd　listened　anxiously　to　hear　the
rumor　denied　by　the　President。　But　it　was　not　denied。　The　tense
listeners　noted　two　sentences　which　formed　an　admission　that　the
situation　was　grave：　〃A　million　men；　it　is　estimated；　are　now
standing　in　hostile　array　and　waging　war　along　a　frontier　of
thousands　of　miles。　Battles　have　been　fought；　sieges　have　been
conducted；　and　although　the　contest　is　not　ended；　and　the　tide
for　the　moment　is　against　us；　the　final　result　in　our　favor　is
not　doubtful。〃

Behind　these　carefully　guarded　words　lay　serious　alarm；　not　only
with　regard　to　the　operations　at　the　front　but　as　to　the
composition　of　the　army。　It　had　been　raised　under　various　laws
and　its　portions　were　subject　to　conflicting　classifications；　it
was　partly　a　group　of　state　armies；　partly　a　single　Confederate
army。　None　of　its　members　had　enlisted　for　long　terms。　Many
enlistments　would　expire　early　in　1862。　The　fears　of　the
Confederate　Administration　with　regard　to　this　matter；　together
with　its　alarm　about　the　events　at　the　front；　were　expressed　by
Davis　in　a　frank　message　to　the　Southern　Congress；　three　days
later。　〃I　have　hoped；〃　said　he；　〃for　several　days　to　receive
official　reports　in　relation　to　our　discomfiture　at　Roanoke
Island　and　the　fall　of　Fort　Donelson。　They　have　not　yet　reached
Me。。。。　The　hope　is　still　entertained　that　our　reported　losses
at　Fort　Donelson　have　been　greatly　exaggerated。。。。〃　He　went
on　to　condemn　the　policy　of　enlistments　for　short　terms；　〃against
which；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　steadily　contended〃；　and　he　enlarged
upon　the　danger　that　even　patriotic　men；　who　intended　to
reenlist；　might　go　home　to　put　their　affairs　in　order　and　that
thus；　at　a　critical　moment；　the　army　might　be　seriously　reduced。
The　accompanying　report　of　the　Confederate　Secretary　of　War
showed　a　total　in　the　army　of　340；250　men。　This　was　an　inadequate
force　with　which　to　meet　the　great　hosts　which　were　being
organized　against　it　in　the　North。　To　permit　the　slightest
reduction　of　the　army　at　that　moment　seemed　to　the　Southern
President　suicidal。

But　Davis　waited　some　time　longer　before　proposing　to　the
Confederate　Congress　the　adoption　of　conscription。　Meanwhile；　the
details　of　two　great　reverses；　the　loss　of　Roanoke　Island　and　the
loss　of　Fort　Donelson；　became　generally　known。　Apprehension
gathered　strength。　Newspapers　began　to　discuss　conscription　as
something　inevitable。　At　last；　on　March　28；　1862；　Davis　sent　a
message　to　the　Confederate　Congress　advising　the　conscription　of
all　white　males　between　the　ages　of　eighteen　and　thirty…five。　For
this　suggestion　Congress　was　ripe；　and　the　first　Conscription　Act
of　the　Confederacy　was　signed　by　the　President　on　the　16th　of
April。　The　age　of　eligibility　was　fixed　as　Davis　had　advised；　the
term　of　service　was　to　be　three　years；　every　one　then　in　service
was　to　be　retained　in　service　during　three　years　from　the　date　of
his　original　enlistment。

This　statute　may　be　thought　of　as　a　great　victory　on　the　part　of
the　Administration。　It　was　the　climax　of　a　policy　of
centralization　in　the　military　establishment　to　which　Davis　had
committed　himself　by　the　veto；　in　January；　of　〃A　bill　to
authorize　the　Secretary　of　War　to　receive　into　the　service　of　the
Confederate　States　a　regiment　of　volunteers　for　the　protection　of
the　frontier　of　Texas。〃　This　regiment　was　to　be　under　the　control
of　the　Governor　of　the　State。　In　refusing　to　accept　such　troops；
Davis　laid　down　the　main　proposition　upon　which　he　stood　as
military　executive　to　the　end　of　the　war；　a　proposition　which
immediately　set　debate　raging：　〃Unity　and　cooperation　by　the
troops　of　all　the　States　are　indispensable　to　success；　and　I　must
view　with　regret　this　as　well　as　all　other　indications　of　a
purpose　to　divide　the　power　of　States　by　dividing　the　means　to　be
employed　in　efforts　to　carry　on　separate　operations。〃

In　these　military　measures　of　the　early　months　of　1862　Davis's
purpose　became　clear。　He　was　bent　upon　instituting　a　strong
government；　able　to　push　the　war　through；　and　careless　of　the
niceties　of　constitutional　law　or　of　the　exact　prerogatives　of
the　States。　His　position　was　expressed　in　the　course　of　the　year
by　a　Virginia　newspaper：　〃It　will　be　time　enough　to　distract　the
councils　of　the　State　about　imaginary　violations　of
constitutional　law　by　the　supreme　government　when　our
independence　is　achieved；　established；　and　acknowledged。　It　will
not　be　until　then　that　the　sovereignty　of　the　States　will　be　a
reality。〃　But　there　were　many　Southerners　who　could　not　accept
this　point　of　view。　The　Mercury　was　sharply　critical　of　the　veto
of　the　Texas　Regiment　Bill。　In　the　interval　between　the　Texas
veto　and　the　passing　of　the　Conscription　Act；　the　state
convention　of　North　Carolina　demanded　the　return　of　North
Carolina　volunteers　for　the　defense　of　their　own　State。　No　sooner
was　the　Conscription　Act　passed　than　its　constitutionality　was
attacked。　As　the　Confederacy　had　no　Supreme　Court；　the　question
came　up　before　state　courts。　One　after　another；　several　state
supreme　courts　pronounced　the　act　constitutional　and　in　most　of
the　States　the　constitutional　issue　was　gradually　allowed　to
lapse。

Nevertheless；　Davis　had　opened　Pandora's　box。　The　clash　between
State　and　Confederate　authority　had　begun。　An　opposition　party
began　to　form。　In　this　first　stage　of　its　definite　existence；　the
opposition　made　an　interesting　attempt　to　control　the　Cabinet。
Secretary　Benjamin；　though　greatly　trusted　by　the　President；
seems　never　to　have　been　a　popular　minister。　Congress　attempted
to　load　upon　Benjamin　the　blame　for　Roano