Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1.

“ [258] nations,” if they could not hope to avoid war, they might at least expect that posterity would acquit them of having needlessly engaged in it. “Doubly justified,” he said, “by the absence of wrong on their part, and by wanton aggression on the part of others,” there could be no doubt of success. The world must have their “agricultural productions” (meaning cotton), and mutual interest would invite good — will and kind offices, especially from the manufacturing and navigating States of the Union. “If, however,” he said, “passion or lust of dominion should cloud the judgment or inflame the ambition of those States, we must prepare to meet the emergency, and maintain, by the final arbitrament of the sword, that position which we have assumed among the nations of the earth.” He declared that they had separated from the old Union from necessity, and not from choice. Having done so, they must prepare to stand alone; and he recommended the immediate organization of an army and navy. He suggested privateering or piracy as an arm of strength for them. “Besides the ordinary remedies,” he said, “the well-known resources for retaliation upon the commerce of an enemy will remain to us.” He closed by invoking the protection of the Almighty, while they should be performing the work of destroying the noble fabric of free institutions erected by the fathers. At the close of the address, the oath of office was administered to Davis by Howell Cobb, the President of the Convention.

In the evening, after the inauguration, Davis, in imitation of the custom at the National Capital, held a levee at Estelle Hall; and Montgomery was brilliantly lighted up by bonfires and illuminations. A spacious mansion was soon afterward provided for Davis and his. family, and it became distinguished as the “White House of the Southern Confederacy.” ¹

Davis chose, from among the most active of his fellow-conspirators, fitting agents to assist

>the “white House” at Montgomery.

him in his nefarious work, and ostentatiously titled them in imitation of the National Government. He called Robert Toombs to act as “Secretary of State ;” Charles G. Memminger, as “Secretary of the Treasury;” Le Roy Pope Walker, as “Secretary of War ;” Stephen R. Mallory, as “Secretary of the Navy,” and John H. Reagan, as “Postmaster-General.” Afterward, Judah P. Benjamin was appointed to be “Attorney-General.” William M. Browne, late editor of the Washington Constitution,