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southern Alabama who as yet do not know what war means； who are
accused of complete hardness of heart towards their suffering
fellow…countrymen and of caring only to make money out of war
prices。
When Davis sent his message to the Southern Congress at the
opening of the session of 1864； the desperate plight of the
middle Gulf country was at once a warning and a menace to the
Government。 If the conditions of that debatable land should
extend eastward； there could be little doubt that the day of the
Confederacy was nearing its close。 To remedy the situation west
of the main Confederate line； to prevent the growth of a similar
condition east of it； Davis urged Congress to revive the statute
permitting martial law and the suspension of the writ of habeas
corpus。 The President told Congress that in parts of the
Confederacy 〃public meetings have been held； in some of which a
treasonable design is masked by a pretense of devotion of state
sovereignty； and in others is openly avowed。。。a strong
suspicion is entertained that secret leagues and associations are
being formed。 In certain localities men of no mean position do
not hesitate to avow their disloyalty and hostility to our cause；
and their advocacy of peace on the terms of submission and the
abolition of slavery。〃
This suspicion on the part of the Confederate Government that it
was being opposed by organized secret societies takes us back to
debatable land and to the previous year。 The Bureau of
Conscription submitted to the Secretary of War a report from its
Alabama branch relative to 〃a sworn secret organization known to
exist and believed to have for its object the encouragement of
desertion； the protection of deserters from arrest； resistance to
conscription； and perhaps other designs of a still more dangerous
character。〃 To the operations of this insidious foe were
attributed the shifting of the vote in the Alabama elections； the
defeat of certain candidates favored by the Government； and the
return in their stead of new men 〃not publicly known。〃 The
suspicions of the Government were destined to further
verification in the course of 1864 by the unearthing of a
treasonable secret society in southwestern Virginia； the members
of which were 〃bound to each other for the prosecution of their
nefarious designs by the most solemn oaths。 They were under
obligation to encourage desertions from the army； and to pass and
harbor all deserters； escaped prisoners； or spies； to give
information to the enemy of the movements of our troops； of
exposed or weakened positions； of inviting opportunities of
attack； and to guide and assist the enemy either in advance or
retreat。〃 This society bore the grandiloquent name 〃Heroes of
America〃 and had extended its operations into Tennessee and North
Carolina。
In the course of the year further evidence was collected which
satisfied the secret service of the existence of a mysterious and
nameless society which had ramifications throughout Tennessee；
Alabama； and Georgia。 A detective who joined this 〃Peace
Society；〃 as it was called； for the purpose of betraying its
secrets； had marvelous tales to tell of confidential information
given to him by members； of how Missionary Ridge had been lost
and Vicksburg had surrendered through the machinations of this
society。*
* What classes were represented in these organizations it is
difficult if not impossible to determine。 They seem to have been
involved in the singular 〃peace movement〃 which is yet to be
considered。 This fact gives a possible clue to the problem of
their membership。 A suspiciously large number of the 〃peace〃 men
were original anti…secessionists； and though many； perhaps most；
of these who opposed secession became loyal servants of the
Confederacy； historians may have jumped too quickly to the
assumption that the sincerity of all of these men was above
reproach。
In spite of its repugnance to the suspension of the writ of
habeas corpus； Congress was so impressed by the gravity of the
situation that early in 1864 it passed another act 〃to suspend
the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases。〃
This was not quite the same as that sweeping act of 1862 which
had set the Mercury irrevocably in opposition。 Though this act of
1864 gave the President the power to order the arrest of any
person suspected of treasonable practices； and though it released
military officers from all obligation to obey the order of any
civil court to surrender a prisoner charged with treason； the new
legislation carefully defined a list of cases in which alone this
power could be lawfully used。 This was the last act of the sort
passed by the Confederate Congress； and when it expired by
limitation ninety days after the next meeting of Congress it was
not renewed。
With regard to the administration of the army； Congress can
hardly be said to have met the President more than half way。 The
age of military service was lowered to seventeen and was raised
to fifty。 But the President was not giventhough he had asked
for itgeneral control over exemptions。 Certain groups； such as
ministers； editors； physicians； were in the main exempted； one
overseer was exempted on each plantation where there were fifteen
slaves； provided he gave bond to sell to the Government at
official prices each year one hundred pounds of either beef or
bacon for each slave employed and provided he would sell all his
surplus produce either to the Government or to the families of
soldiers。 Certain civil servants of the Confederacy were also
exempted as well as those whom the governors of States should
〃certify to be necessary for the proper administration of the
State Government。〃 The President was authorized to detail for
nonmilitary service any members of the Confederate forces 〃when
in his judgment； justice； equity； and necessity； require such
details。〃
This statute retained two features that had already given rise to
much friction； and that were destined to be the cause of much
more。 It was still within the power of state governors to impede
conscription very seriously。 By certifying that a man was
necessary to the civil administration of a State； a Governor
could place him beyond the legal reach of the conscripting
officers。 This provision was a concession to those who looked on
Davis's request for authority over exemption as the first step
toward absolutism。 On the other hand the statute allowed the
President a free hand in the scarcely less important matter of
〃details。〃 Among the imperative problems of the Confederacy；
where the whole male population was needed in the public service；
was the most economical separation of the two groups； the
fighters and the producers。 On the one hand there was the
constant demand for recruits to fill up the wasted armies； on the
other； the need for workers to keep the shops going and to secure
the harvest。 The two interests were never fully coordinated。
Under the act of 1864； no farmer； mechanic； tradesman； between
the ages of seventeen and fifty； if fit for military service；
could remain at his work except as a 〃detail〃 under orders of the
President： he might be called to the colors a