126 



CONFEDEKATE STATES. 



The subsequent progress of events has served 

 to show how accurate was the intelligence, and 

 how deliberate was the inception of the plot 

 devised against the integrity of the Union and 

 the stability of the Government ; for the events 

 which have marked the progress of secession 

 since that time have been but the fulfilment of 

 the programme prescribed by this Senatorial 

 caucus. The leaders of the disunion movement 

 did " assume to themselves the political power 

 of the South." They did control " all political 

 and military operations." Forts, arsenals, and 

 custom-houses were seized in obedience to tele- 

 graphic orders. {See FORTS.) State Conven- 

 tions did pass ordinances of immediate and 

 separate secession. A Convention of delegates 

 from the seceding States was held at Montgom- 

 ery in pursuance of the plan proposed, and these 

 delegates were arbitrarily appointed by the 

 several State Conventions whose members had 

 been elected with no reference whatever to any 

 such ulterior functions. (See CONGRESS, CON- 

 FEDERATE.) "Defections from the army and 

 navy " were openly rewarded by promotions 

 in the "Southern service." 



The principal features in all these proceedings 

 in the different States were these : they were 

 prompt, conducted in secret sessions, and after- 

 wards enforced by the State authorities. The 

 people had no calm, deliberate voice in the 

 matter. In some instances the authority call- 

 ing the State Convention expressly forbid the 



others who are well known, that there can be no doubt fof 

 its authenticity. 



"WASHINGTON, January 7, 1861. 



MY DEAR SIE : On the other side is a copy of resolutions 

 adopted at a consultation of the Senators from the seced- 

 ing States, in which Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, 

 Texas, Mississippi, and Florida were present. The idea of 

 the meeting was that the States should go out at once and 

 provide for the early organization of a Confederate Govern- 

 ment, not later than the 15th of February. This time is 

 allowed to enable Louisiana and Texas to participafo. It 

 seemed to be the opinion that if we left here, farce, loan, 

 and volunteer tills might be passed, which would put Mr. 

 Lincoln in immediate condition for hostilities ; whereas, by 

 remaining in our places until the 15th of March, it is thought 

 we can keep the hands of Mr. Buchanan tied, and disable 

 the Republicans from effecting any legislation which will 

 strengthen the hands of the incoming Administration. 



The resolutions will be sent by the delegation to the 

 President of the Convention. I have not been able to find 

 Mr. Mallory this morning. Hawkins [the Representative 

 from Florida] is in Connecticut. I have, therefore, thought 

 it best to send you this copy of the resolutions. 



In haste, yours truly, D. L. YULEE. 



J. 8. FINNEGAN, Sovereign Convention. 



Resolved, That in our opinion, each of the Southern 

 States should, as soon as may be, secede from the Union. 



Resolved, That provision should be made for a Conven- 

 tion to organize a Confederacy of the seceding States, the 

 Convention to meet not later than the 15th of February, at 

 the City of Montgomery, in the State of Alabama. 



fiezolved, That in view of the hostile legislation that is 

 threatened against the seceding States, and which may be 

 consummated before the 4th of March, we ask instructions 

 whether the delegations are to remain in Congress until 

 that date for the purpose of defeating such legislation. 



Jtesol-red, That a Committee bo and are hereby appointed, 

 consistingof Messrs. Davis, Slidell, and Mallory, to carry out 

 the objects of this meeting. 



In accordance with these resolutions, the ordinances of 

 secession were passed as follows : Mississippi, January 9th ; 

 Alabama and Florida, January llth; Louisiana, January 

 26th ; Texas, February 1st. The Confederate Congress met 

 at Montgomery on February 4th, and President Davis was 

 inaugurated February 18th. 



passage of an ordinance of secession which 

 should be binding, unless it was ratified by the 

 people. 



On the 19th of January a committee in the 

 Mississippi Legislature reported a series of reso- 

 lutions to provide for a Southern Confederacy 

 and the establishment of a Provisional Govern- 

 ment. On this same day, Gov. Pickens, of 

 South Carolina, sent by telegraph the follow- 

 ing despatch to the Commissioner, A. B. Jack- 

 son, from that State to Mississippi : " Please 

 urge Mississippi to send delegates to the Mont- 

 gomery meeting of States, at as early a day as 

 possible say 4th February to form imme- 

 diately a strong Provisional Government. It 

 is the only thing to prevent war, and let that 

 Convention elect immediately a Cominander- 

 in-Chief for the se'ceding States." 



The State Conventions of South Carolina 

 and Alabama urged the Montgomery Congress, 

 and hence, in the Conventions of all the seced- 

 ing States, delegates were appointed to this 

 Congress. Among others was Howell Cobb, 

 of Georgia, who resigned his position of Secre- 

 tary of the Treasury of the United States on 

 the 10th day of December, 1860. 



So loyal, however, were the people of some 

 of the States, and particularly Louisiana, to the 

 Union, that notwithstanding all the steps ,of 

 disunion, they still hoped the end would be 

 a reunion. They looked to the fact that the 

 border States remained in the Union as an 

 assurance that they, through the mediation of 

 these States, could be received back after the 

 delirium of secession was over. They openly 

 declared that if, as people of the Gulf States, 

 they could obtain the assurance of a faithful en- 

 forcement of the Constitution, in some such form 

 as the Crittenden bill suggested, they would co- 

 erce the seceders. They said that at that time 

 there was in favor of the Union and the clearly 

 guaranteed rights of the South under the Con- 

 stitution of the United States, a vast majority 

 of the people of the Gulf States ; and that a 

 compromise on such a basis would put down 

 all who should exclaim against its provisions. 



These sentiments in favor of reconstruction 

 were rebuked in the most decided manner by 

 the Georgia State Convention. That body re- 

 fused to vote for any person as a member of 

 the Confederate Congress, until he had given 

 assurance that he would, under no contingency, 

 favor reconstruction. It has been stated that 

 the authorities of each State aided the efforts 

 of the Conventions by enforcing the ordinance 

 of secession. These efforts were thoroughly 

 clone. All the United States property, whether 

 forts, arsenals, custom-houses, or light-houses, 

 was taken. Not a vestige of the authority of 

 the Federal Government was suffered to re- 

 main excepting the Post-Office Department. 

 On the 4th of February the delegates to the 

 Confederate Congress assembled at Montgom- 

 ery, in Alabama. (See CONGRESS, CONFEDER- 

 ATE.) Their first duties consisted in preparing 

 a form of organization for themselves and the 



