ishes the best evidence
of the temper and spirit which prevailed in the organization of the
Confederate Government. The very first enactment, made on the 9th of
February, 1861--the day after the adoption of the Provisional
Constitution--was this:

"That all the laws of the United States of America in force and
in use in the Confederate States of America on the first day of
November last, and not inconsistent with the Constitution of the
Confederate States, be and the same are hereby continued in
force until altered or repealed by the Congress."[124]

The next act, adopted on the 14th of February, was one continuing in
office until the 1st of April next ensuing all officers connected with
the collection of customs and the assistant treasurers intrusted with
the keeping of the moneys arising therefrom, who were engaged in the
performance of such duties within any of the Confederate States, with
the same powers and functions which they had been exercising under the
Government of the United States.[125]

The Provisional Constitution itself, in the second section of its sixth
article, had ordained as follows:

"The Government hereby instituted shall take immediate steps for
the settlement of all matters between the States forming it and
their other late confederates of the United States, in relation
to the public property and public debt at the time of their
withdrawal from them; these States hereby declaring it to be
their wish and earnest desire to adjust everything pertaining to
the common property, common liabilities, and common obligations
of that Union, upon the principles of right, justice, equity,
and good faith."[126]

In accordance with this requirement of the Constitution, the Congress,
on the 15th of February--before my arrival at Montgomery--passed a
resolution declaring "that it is the sense of this Congress that a
commission of three persons be appointed by the President-elect, as
early as may be convenient after his inauguration, and sent to the
Government of the United States of America, for the purpose of
negotiating friendly relations between that Government and the
Confederate States of America, and for the settlement of all questions
of disagreement between the two Governments, upon principles of right,
justice, equity, and good faith."[127]

Persistent and to a great extent successful efforts were made to inflame
the minds of the people of