the day of the confederacy-第5部分

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used　the　political　philosophy　taught　them　by　South　Carolina。　But
it　was　a　mental　weapon　in　political　debate；　it　was　not　for　them
an　emotional　fact。

And　yet　these　men　of　the　Southwest　had　an　ideal　of　their　own　as
vivid　and　as　binding　as　the　state　ideal　of　the　men　of　the　eastern
coast。　Though　half　their　leaders　were　born　in　the　North；　the
people　themselves　were　overwhelmingly　Southern。　From　all　the
older　States；　all　round　the　huge　crescent　which　swung　around　from
Kentucky　coastwise　to　Florida；　immigration　in　the　twenties　and
thirties　had　poured　into　Mississippi。　Consequently　the　new
community　presented　a　composite　picture　of　the　whole　South；　and
like　all　composite　pictures　it　emphasized　only　the　factors　common
to　all　its　parts。　What　all　the　South　had　in　common；　what　made　a
man　a　Southerner　in　the　general　sensein　distinction　from　a
Northerner　on　the　one　hand；　or　a　Virginian；　Carolinian；　Georgian；
on　the　othercould　have　been　observed　with　clearness　in
Mississippi；　just　before　the　war；　as　nowhere　else。　Therefore；　the
fulfillment　of　the　ideal　of　Southern　life　in　general　terms　was
the　vision　of　things　hoped　for　by　the　new　men　of　the　Southwest。
The　features　of　that　vision　were　common　to　them　allcountry
life；　broad　acres；　generous　hospitality；　an　aristocratic　system。
The　temperaments　of　these　men　were　sufficiently　buoyant　to　enable
them　to　apprehend　this　ideal　even　before　it　had　materialized。
Their　romantic　minds　could　see　the　gold　at　the　end　of　the
rainbow。　Theirs　was　not　the　pride　of　administering　a
well…ordered；　inherited　system；　but　the　joy　of　building　a　new
system；　in　their　minds　wholly　elastic；　to　be　sure；　but　still
inspired　by　that　old　system。

What　may　be　called　the　sense　of　Southern　nationality　as　opposed
to　the　sense　of　state　rights；　strictly　speaking；　distinguished
this　brilliant　young　community　of　the　Southwest。　In　that
community　Davis　spent　the　years　that　appear　to　have　been　the　most
impressionable　of　his　life。　Belonging　to　a　〃new〃　family　just
emerging　into　wealth；　he　began　life　as　a　West　Pointer　and　saw
gallant　service　as　a　youth　on　the　frontier；　resigned　from　the
army　to　pursue　a　romantic　attachment；　came　home　to　lead　the　life
of　a　wealthy　planter　and　receive　the　impress　of　Mississippi；　made
his　entry　into　politics；　still　a　soldier　at　heart；　with　the
philosophy　of　state　rights　on　his　lips；　but　in　his　heart　that
sense　of　the　Southern　people　as　a　new　nation；　which　needed　only
the　occasion　to　make　it　the　relentless　enemy　of　the　rights　of　the
individual　Southern　States。　Add　together　the　instinctive　military
point　of　view　and　this　Southern　nationalism　that　even　in　1861　had
scarcely　revealed　itself；　join　with　these　a　fearless　and　haughty
spirit；　proud　to　the　verge　of　arrogance；　but　perfectly　devoted；
perfectly　sincere；　and　you　have　the　main　lines　of　the　political
character　of　Davis　when　he　became　President。　It　may　be　that　as　he
went　forward　in　his　great　undertaking；　as　antagonisms　developed；
as　Rhett　and　others　turned　against　him；　Davis　hardened。　He　lost
whatever　comprehension　he　once　had　of　the　Rhett　type。　Seeking　to
weld　into　one　irresistible　unit　all　the　military　power　of　the
South；　he　became　at　last　in　the　eyes　of　his　opponents　a　monster；
while　to　him；　more　and　more　positively；　the　others　became　mere
dreamers。

It　took　about　a　year　for　this　irrepressible　conflict　within　the　
Confederacy　to　reveal　itself。　During　the　twelve　months　following
Davis's　election　as　provisional　President；　he　dominated　the
situation；　though　the　Charleston　Mercury；　the　Rhett　organ；　found
opportunities　to　be　sharply　critical　of　the　President。　He
assembled　armies；　he　initiated　heroic　efforts　to　make　up　for　the
handicap　of　the　South　in　the　manufacture　of　munitions　and
succeeded　in　starting　a　number　of　munition　plants；　though
powerless　to　prevent　the　establishment　of　the　blockade；　he　was
able　during　that　first　year　to　keep　in　touch　with　Europe；　to
start　out　Confederate　privateers　upon　the　high　seas；　and　to
import　a　considerable　quantity　of　arms　and　supplies。　At　the
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
th