ything
practical. But their constant pressure finally forced from the
reluctant legislature a few first steps toward reduction of the chaos.

The Government was to consist, after the President, of a vice-President
and a secretary for each of the departments of State, War, Navy,
Treasury, Post-Office and Justice; the latter being a combination of
the responsibilities of the Interior Department and the
Attorney-General's office.

Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, had been elevated to the
vice-Presidency, as reconciling the oppositions of "original secession"
and "anti secession." He had long been a prominent politician; was
thoroughly acquainted with all the points of public life; and was, at
this time, quite popular with people of all sections, being generally
regarded as a man of exceptional capacity and great independence.

The portfolio of State was in the hands of another Georgian, Robert
Toombs. In the present posture of affairs, little could be expected
from it, as until the nations of Europe should recognize the South, she
could have no foreign policy. The honorable secretary himself seemed
fully to realize how little onerous was his position. One of the ten
thousand applicants for any and every position approached him for a
place in his department and exhibited his letters of recommendation.

"Perfectly useless, sir!" responded Mr. Toombs with a thunderous oath.
Let us whisper that the honorable secretary was a profound swearer.

"But, sir," persisted the place hunter, "if you will only look at this
letter from Mr. ----, I think you can find something for me."

"Can you get in here, sir?" roared the secretary fiercely, taking off
his hat and pointing into it--with a volley of sonorous oaths--"That's
the Department of State, sir!"

The Post-Office and Department of Justice were, as yet, about as useful
as the State Department; but to the War Office, every eye was turned,
and the popular verdict seemed to be that the choice there was not the
right man in the right place. Mr. Leroy Pope Walker, to whom its
administration was intrusted, was scarcely known beyond the borders of
his own state; but those who did know him prophesied that he would
early stagger under the heavy responsibility that would necessarily
fall upon him in event of war. Many averred that he was only a man of
straw to whom Mr. Davis had offered the portfolio, simply that he might
exercise his own well-known love for military affairs and be