ies of attacks upon his Administration. Nor
can there be any doubt that the popular faith in Lee was used as their
trump card. To that end, a bill was introduced to create the office of
commanding general of the Confederate armies. The bill was generally
applauded, and every one assumed that the new office was to be given
to Lee. On the day after the bill had passed the Senate the Virginia
Legislature resolved that the appointment of General Lee to supreme
command would "reanimate the spirit of the armies as well as the people
of the several States and... inspire increased confidence in the final
success of the cause." When the bill was sent to the President, it was
accompanied by a resolution asking him to restore Johnston. While Davis
was considering this bill, the Virginia delegation in the House, headed
by the Speaker, Thomas S. Bocock, waited upon the President, informed
him what was really wanted was a change of Cabinet, and told him
that three-fourths of the House would support a resolution of want of
confidence in the Cabinet. The next day Bocock repeated the demand in a
note which Davis described as a "warning if not a threat."

The situation of both President and country was now desperate. The
program with which the Government had entered so hopefully upon this
fated year had broken down at almost every point. In addition to the
military and administrative disasters, the financial and economic
situation was as bad as possible. So complete was the financial
breakdown that Secretary Memminger, utterly disheartened, had resigned
his office, and the Treasury was now administered by a Charleston
merchant, George A. Trenholm. But the financial chaos was wholly beyond
his control. The government notes reckoned in gold were worth about
three cents on the dollar. The Government itself avoided accepting them.
It even bought up United States currency and used it in transacting the
business of the army. The extent of the financial collapse was to be
measured by such incidents as the following which is recounted in a
report that had passed under Davis's eye only a few weeks before
the "threat" of Bocock was uttered: "Those holding the four per cent
certificates complain that the Government as far as possible discredits
them. Fractions of hundreds cannot be paid with them. I saw a widow
lady, a few days since, offer to pay her taxes of $1,271.31 with a
certificate of $1,300. The tax-gatherer refused to give her the change
o