CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA. 269 CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE. Works at Richmond, was capable of tiiniiiig out the hirger types of field guns, aiid it was not until the close of the war that operations were well under way for equipping the South with suitable aniuiunition and arms ])lants. More- over, such minor supplies as leather were very limited and at times quite unavailable, and throughout all branches of activity were appar- ent the very unusual dilBculties under which the Confederacy was obliged to carry on its work of administration and of warfare. The conditions jjrevailing at the end of such a struggle, and the results of the termination of such a conlliet ap- peared more tangibly in the following years of Keeonstruction, when the energies of the de- feated were directed toward the economic re- generation of the South as well as to its political reorganization. See also Sl.weky and Recon- struction, and the articles on the various States mentioned. BiGLiocR-^PiiY. Important works by South- erners are: J. Davis, Rise and Fall of the Con- federate Ooverntnent (2 vols.. New York, 1881) ; A. ir. .Stephens, Constitutional Mew of the War Between the States (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1870) ; and the several works of E. A. Pollard, especially his Lost Cause (New York, 1867). Ihere is a short bibliography in A. B. Hart, Guide to American History, sec. 209 (Boston, ISCO), and a paper, "ilaterials for the History of the Government of the Southern Confederacy," in the American- Historical i^ocicty Papers (New York, 1890). A recent and valuable work on financial and industrial matters, by J. C. Schwab, is The Confederate iStates of America (New Y'ork, 1901). Consult also Callahan, Diplomatic History of the Southern Confederacy (Baltimore. 1001). CONFEDERATE VETERANS, United. A patriotic society organized in New Orleans, La., in 1889. The objects of the society are to unite in a general federation all associations of Con- federate veterans now in existence or hcrcr.fter to be formed ; to gather authentic data for an impartial history of the war between the States; to preserve relics and mementos; to cherish the lies of friendship formed during the war; to aid veterans and their widows and orphans; and to keep alive the memory of the dead. Membership is extended to all surviving soldiers or sailors of the Confederate service. The local organizations, which are called camps, are nearly 1500 in niunber, and are organized in three departments, as follows: The Army of Northern Virginia De])arlment ; the Army of Tennessee Depart- ment ; and the Trans-Mississippi Department. The badge or recognition button, worn in the lapel of the coat, is a square miniature Confed- erate flag. ^Membership is estimated to be up- ward of G.5.000. The Confederate Veteran, Nash- ville, Tenn., is the official organ of the associa- tion. CONFEDERATE VETERANS, United Sons of. A patriotic society organized in Rich- mond. Va.. in 1896. The objects of the society are to gather authentic .data for a history of the Civil War, written from a Southern stand- point; to collect historic relics; and to establish an accurate record, so far as may be, of the .ser- vices of every Confederate veteran. ^Membership is accorded to the male descendants of Con- federate veterans with an honorable military rec- ord. The society is organised into camps, dis- tributed throughout the Southern States, and comprising three departments, as follows: Army of Northern Virginia Department; Army of Ten- nes.see Department; Trans-Mississippi Depart- ment. Annual reunions are held, at which the representatives of local camps meet, forming the general society of the organization. The total membership is estimated to be about 10,000. In 1902 this society purchased Beauvoir, the home of Jcflerson Davis, and it will he used as a home for Confederate veterans. CONFEDERATION (Lat. eonfadcratio, from confcrderare, to unite in a league, from eo7H-, together -f focderare, to make a league, from fmdus, league; coimected with Lat. fides, faith, from fidere, to believe, Gk. TreiSciv, peithein, to persuade. Got. bidjan, OHG. hittan, Ger. bitten, to request, AS. biddan, Engl. bid). An alliance of nations. States, or princes; according to Wool- sey (Introduction to International Law, sec. 104), a union more or less complete of two or more States which before were imlependent. The New England Confederation (1043-84) is the earliest example of confederation in America. In 1777 the Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, in which are set forth the principles of government which were a few years later embodied in the Constitution of the United States, with such additions as were neces- sary "in order to form a more perfect union." !Most of the Latin-American republics have come into being on a basis of confederation. In 1815 t!ie German Confederation was formed, to replace the Holy Roman Empire, which confederation had been dissolved in 1806. The North German Confederation (1866-70) preceded the establish- ment of the German Empire, by whose original Constitution all the States of Germany "form an eternal union for the protection of the realm and the care of the welfare of the German people." The Swiss Confederation, comprising at present twenty-two autonomous cantons, had its origin in 1291 in the union of the cantons of Uri, Schwvz, and Lower Unterwalden. CONFEDERATION, Articucs of. See United States. CONFEDERATION, German. See Germany. CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE. A league of German princes formed in 1800 under the protection of Napoleon. The first to seek the French alliance were the Electors of Bavaria and Wiirttemberg, who, in recompense for their ser- vices, were elevated to the dignity of kings by the Peace of Presburg, December 26, 1805. At Paris on July 12. 1806, sixteen German princes formally signed an act of confederation, dissolving their connection with the German Empire, and ally- ing themselves with France. These princes were the kings of Bavaria and Wiirttemberg. the Arch-Chancellor Dalberg, the Elector of Baden, the Duke of Cleves and Berg (.Joachim Murat), the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, the princes of Nassau-Usingen, Nassau-Weilburg, Hohenzol- lern-Hechingen, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Salra- Salm and Salm-Kyrburg. the Duke of Arenbcrg, the princes of Isenburg-Birstein and Liechten- stein, and the Count of Leyen. The princes justi- fied their conduct by enumerating the vices of the constitution of the German Empire, promised to aid Napoleon in his wars with an army of 6.3,000 men, and called upon the other princes of
