The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-01

her westerly section, mas been creuiheu with love of reckless risks on the turf and at the card table. Yet we never gambled to the million limit, until our Northern brethren set the example, though we did play rather reckiessly. am quite ready to admit that any man who loses a i've, by too much confidence in the virtue of three queens, is a gambler and should be haled from his club and pnished by 1aw--pnoral and statute. know. too. that the other fellow, who wins three millions on the rise of cotton which was never planted, or pork which was never >pigged. is a Christian gentle. man, and should have his deserved villa. wife and automobile.
 These Southern scamps in the sos gambled as they fought. man to man, and with what they had in their hands. I fear l must admit that they did 1t often and recklessly. But that they eambled constantly at Montgomery IS not founded on fact speak ex cathedre. I was there and chanced to be thrown in with the fastest os ths fast set. There was, as l say, much drinking and much jockeying for place and favor, but the constant activity of the brain, the suspense, the Keen contest and watch upon the roe crowu- ing down to border and port, Iett no room for the real gambler. It was different at Richmond. a few years later, with her larger and more mixed population, but whatever their other sins, the sucking paladlns ana statesmen at the Nursery had nigher stakes to play for than those they found about the green cloth.
 .The Congress at Montgomery look ed like the one at Washington on "a smaller scale. There was the same want of dignity and serious work. the same ease of position. with nat on head and feet on desk; the same buzz of all sorts of talk, even many or the same men in the lobby taking ary smokes from unlit cigars.
 .It was easy to distinguish the poll tician -by-trade from the rosy and un- comfortable novices. secession was supposed to have been the result or aggressions and corruptions. wnicn most of these legislators had peen ut terIy powerless to prevent, even hao them. Yet wornout politicians, Who had years before been promoted from servants to "sovereigns," noated high unon the present surge and rank oio Washing gton leayen threatened to per meats every pore of the new Govern ment. .s. Union, separately and at different pe' riods, by the act or a.. tions, the old political oosses of ascb seceder controlled those bodies
 When the states connected themselves with the Confederacy and their repre- sentatIves were sent to it's Congress. these same men secured election, little reuard to fitness and ability controfi- ing the excited electors.
 ssma1l wonder, then. that the action of such a Congress was inadequate to
 If the time demanded anything. it was the prompt organization of an army, with an immediate basis or TOT eign credit to arm. equip and clothe it, Next to this was urgent need for simple and readily managed machinery in the different departments of the !, Government. Neither of these deside- rata could be secured by their few earnest promoters, from those with whom the popular will of the new na- tion, or the want of that, had diluted her councils Few indeed of the Con- gressmen dared look the realities of the issue in the face and that minority was powerless 10 accomplish anytniHs practical.
 fThis was the provisional govern ment. framed closely on the Washing ton model, with Jefferson Davis, Presi- dent: Alexander H. Stephens, Vice. President, and this cabinet: Secretary of State, Robert Toombs. of Georgia: Leroy Pope Walker, of War; s. R. Mallory, of Florida, of the Navy; Charles G. Memminger. of South Car olina, of the Treasury; Judah P. Ben iamin. Attorney General; John H. Rea- gan. of Texas. Postmaster General. The public seemed content with the se- lections in the main. The Postofiice and the Department of Justice seemed to them nearly as useful as the State portfolio, at that juncture; but to, the War Office every eye was turned and looked askance at the man there. Gen. erai L., P. Walker was not widely known outside of Alabama, put those who did know him prophesied that he would soon stagger under the respon- sibilities that would weigh upon him In the event of war. Many declared that he was only man Of straw, sei up by Mir. Davis simply that he might exercise his own well known love for military matters.
 "Want of public trust in this vital branch was not strengthened by MT. Walkers speech after the raising oi the new flag. From the balcony of the Exchange Hotel I heard him pledge the excited crowd that he would raise il over ''Faneuil Hall in the city of Bos- tom"
 Such. briefly touched upon, were conditions at Montgomery when In early April. 1861, Governor Pickens oi South Carolina, telegraphed that the washington government had tele- Rraphed the decision to resupply Fort Sumter Peaceably If we can--forcibly if we mustr
 Deep and intense excitement held Montgomery in it's grasp during those succeeding days, when news came that Beauregard had fired on the fort, on April 12. Business was suspended, all stores were closed and the people col lected in groups in the streets and be- fore the newspaper and government offices. Various and strange were the snecuIations as to the Issue of the fight and its consequences; but the convie- tion came like a thunderclap. even to those most skeptical. that there was to be war!''