A LITTLE BRIEF AUTHORITY THE history of the Confederacy, when it
shall be fully and fairly written, will appear the story of a
dream to those who shall read it, and there are parts of it at
least which already seem a nightmare to those of us who helped
make it. Founded upon a constitution which jealously withheld
from it nearly all the powers of government, without even the
poor privilege of existing beyond the moment when some one of
the States composing it should see fit to put it to death, the
Richmond government nevertheless grew speedily into a despotism,
and for four years wielded absolute power over an obedient and
uncomplaining people. It tolerated no questioning, brooked no
resistance, listened to no remonstrance. It levied taxes of an
extraordinary kind upon a people already impoverished almost to
the point of starvation. It made of every man a soldier, and
extended indefinitely every man's term of enlistment. Under
pretense of enforcing the conscription law it established an
oppressive system of do