The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government | Page 4

Domain.--Principles asserted by Massachusetts, New York,
Virginia, and other States.--The Charleston Forts.--South Carolina
sends Commissioners to Washington.--Sudden Movement of Major

Anderson.--Correspondence of the Commissioners with the
President.--Interviews of the Author with Mr. Buchanan.--Major
Anderson.--The Star of the West.--The President's Special
Message.--Speech of the Author in the Senate.--Further Proceedings
and Correspondence relative to Fort Sumter.--Mr. Buchanan's
Rectitude in Purpose and Vacillation in Action.
CHAPTER III.
Secession of Mississippi and Other States.--Withdrawal of
Senators.--Address of the Author on taking Leave of the
Senate.--Answer to Certain Objections.
CHAPTER IV.
Threats of Arrest.--Departure from Washington.--Indications of Public
Anxiety.--"Will there be war?"--Organization of the "Army of
Mississippi."--Lack of Preparations for Defense in the
South.--Evidences of the Good Faith and Peaceable Purposes of the
Southern People.
CHAPTER V.
Meeting of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate
States.--Adoption of a Provisional Constitution.--Election of President
and Vice-President.--Notification to the Author of his Election.--His
Views with Regard to it.--Journey to Montgomery.--Interview with
Judge Sharkey.--False Reports of Speeches on the Way.--Inaugural
Address.--Editor's Note.
CHAPTER VI.
The Confederate Cabinet.
CHAPTER VII.
Early Acts of the Confederate Congress.--Laws of the United States

continued in Force.--Officers of Customs and Revenue continued in
Office.--Commission to the United States.--Navigation of the
Mississippi.--Restrictions on the Coasting-Trade
removed.--Appointment of Commissioners to Washington.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Peace Conference.--Demand for "a Little Bloodletting."--Plan
proposed by the Conference.--Its Contemptuous Reception and
Treatment in the United States Congress.--Failure of Last Efforts at
Reconciliation and Reunion.--Note.--Speech of General Lane, of
Oregon.
CHAPTER IX.
Northern Protests against Coercion.--The "New York Tribune," Albany
"Argus," and "New York Herald."--Great Public Meeting in New
York.--Speeches of Mr. Thayer, ex-Governor Seymour, ex-Chancellor
Walworth, and Others.--The Press in February, 1861.--Mr. Lincoln's
Inaugural.--The Marvelous Change or Suppression of Conservative
Sentiment.--Historic Precedents.
CHAPTER X.
Temper of the Southern People indicated by the Action of the
Confederate Congress.--The Permanent Constitution.--Modeled after
the Federal Constitution.--Variations and Special
Provisions.--Provisions with Regard to Slavery and the
Slave-Trade.--A False Assertion refuted.--Excellence of the
Constitution.--Admissions of Hostile or Impartial Criticism.
CHAPTER XI.
The Commission to Washington City.--Arrival of Mr. Crawford.--Mr.
Buchanan's Alarm.--Note of the Commissioners to the New
Administration.--Mediation of Justices Nelson and Campbell.--The
Difficulty about Forts Sumter and Pickens.--Mr. Secretary Seward's

Assurances.--Duplicity of the Government at Washington.--Mr. Fox's
Visit to Charleston.--Secret Preparations for Coercive Measures.--Visit
of Mr. Lamon.--Renewed Assurances of Good Faith.--Notification to
Governor Pickens.--Developments of Secret History.--Systematic and
Complicated Perfidy exposed.
CHAPTER XII.
Protests against the Conduct of the Government of the United
States.--Senator Douglas's Proposition to evacuate the Forts, and
Extracts from his Speech in Support of it.--General Scott's
Advice.--Manly Letter of Major Anderson, protesting against the
Action of the Federal Government.--Misstatements of the Count of
Paris.--Correspondence relative to Proposed Evacuation of the Fort.--A
Crisis.
CHAPTER XIII.
A Pause and a Review.--Attitude of the Two Parties.--Sophistry
exposed and Shams torn away.--Forbearance of the Confederate
Government.--Who was the Aggressor?--Major Anderson's View, and
that of a Naval Officer.--Mr. Horace Greeley on the Fort Sumter
Case.--The Bombardment and Surrender.--Gallant Action of ex-Senator
Wigfall.--Mr. Lincoln's Statement of the Case.

PART IV.
THE WAR.
CHAPTER I.
Failure of the Peace Congress.--Treatment of the
Commissioners.--Their Withdrawal.--Notice of an Armed
Expedition.--Action of the Confederate Government.--Bombardment
and Surrender of Fort Sumter.--Its Reduction required by the Exigency

of the Case.--Disguise thrown off.--President Lincoln's Call for
Seventy-five Thousand Men.--His Fiction of
"Combinations."--Palpable Violation of the Constitution.--Action of
Virginia.--Of Citizens of Baltimore.--The Charge of Precipitation
against South Carolina.--Action of the Confederate Government.--The
Universal Feeling.
CHAPTER II.
The Supply of Arms; of Men.--Love of the Union.--Secessionists
few.--Efforts to prevent the Final Step.--Views of the People.--Effect
on their Agriculture.--Aid from African Servitude.--Answer to the
Clamors on the Horrors of Slavery.--Appointment of a Commissary-
General.--His Character and Capacity.--Organization, Instruction, and
Equipment of the Army.--Action of Congress.--The Law.--Its
Signification.--The Hope of a Peaceful Solution early entertained;
rapidly diminished.--Further Action of Congress.--Policy of the
Government for Peace.--Position of Officers of United States
Army.--The Army of the States, not of the Government.--The
Confederate Law observed by the Government.--Officers retiring from
United States Army.--Organization of Bureaus.
CHAPTER III.
Commissioners to purchase Arms and Ammunition.--My Letter to
Captain Semmes.--Resignations of Officers of United States
Navy.--Our Destitution of Accessories for the Supply of Naval
Vessels.--Secretary Mallory.--Food-Supplies.--The Commissariat
Department.--The Quartermaster's Department.--The Disappearance of
Delusions.--The Supply of Powder.--Saltpeter.--Sulphur.--Artificial
Niter-Beds.--Services of General G. W. Rains.--Destruction at Harper's
Ferry of Machinery.--The Master Armorer.--Machinery secured.--Want
of Skillful Employees.-- Difficulties encountered by Every Department
of the Executive Branch of the Government.
CHAPTER IV.

The Proclamation for Seventy-five Thousand Men by President Lincoln
further examined.--The Reasons presented by him to Mankind for the
Justification of his Conduct shown to be Mere Fictions, having no
Relation to the Question.--What is the Value of Constitutional Liberty,
of Bills of Rights, of Limitations of Powers, if they may be
transgressed at Pleasure?--Secession of South Carolina.--Proclamation
of Blockade.--Session of Congress at Montgomery.--Extracts from the
President's Message.--Acts of Congress.--Spirit of the People.--
Secession of Border States.--Destruction of United States