Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/539

Rh who fight for home, liberty and independence, to permit any doubt of the result."

No signs appeared anywhere in the beginning of 1864 that the seceded States were willing to abandon the Confederacy unconditionally. In some quarters there were demonstrations in favor of a renewal of attempts to procure peace and restoration of the Union. "But as the friends of reconstruction could promise nothing from the Federal government except submission and emancipation, and as they possessed no control of any political organization which could sustain their views, they seem to have become finally silent." There was in fact a general acceptance of the view that the war must proceed, that political questions were settled, and the result must be left to arms. "We cannot contemplate," says one public appeal of that date, "the coming of the next and fourth campaign of the pending war without solicitude. Our enemies will commence the next campaign with some ad vantages of position which they did not have in the beginning of 1863. It will be incumbent upon us during the current year to call out all our resources and put forth all our strength."

The Confederate Congress, which was now in session at Richmond, was composed of many able statesmen. In the Senate were Clay and Jemison from Alabama; Johnson and Mitchell from Arkansas; Baker and Maxwell from Florida; Hill and Johnson from Georgia; Burnett and Sims from Kentucky; Symmes and Sparrow from Louisiana; Brown and Phelan from Mississippi; Clark from Missouri; Davis from North Carolina; Barnwell and Orr from South Carolina; Haynes and Henry from Tennessee; Oldham and Wigfall from Texas; Hunter and Caperton from Virginia. In the House the members were distinguished for conservatism and ability, among whom were Curry, Clopton, and Pugh, Garland, Trippe, Ewing, Breckinridge, Conrad, Davis, Barksdale, Vest, Ashe, Boyce, Gentry, Vaughn, Bocock, and Boteler. Mr.