Page:Harris Dickson--The unpopular history of the United States.djvu/146

The Unpopular History of the United States that it is only raw troops who presume to dictate to their lawful commanders.

In the North volunteers rushed to arms in numbers far exceeding the needs of the government.

Both the Union and Confederacy repeated the blunder of short enlistments. Confederate troops began pouring into Virginia and moving towards the Potomac. Washington City was practically in a state of siege. Owing to the weakness of the Federal military system, President Lincoln made of himself a virtual dictator, and assumed to exercise the war powers of Congress. By proclamation on the 3rd of May he increased the land and naval forces by more than 80,000 men.

My son, folks in this country do a lot of gossiping about military dictatorships which might result from a competent standing army. Dictatorships do not come that way. Twice in similar circumstances, when Congress has been too feeble or negligent to provide a competent national defense, dictatorial powers were conferred upon George [128]