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