GEORGIA. 



339 





etrations of joy were made at the Capital, in- 

 cluding the firing of cannon, torch-light pro- 

 cessions, sky-rockets, music, speeches, &c. In 

 Augusta there was an illumination with fire- 

 works, ringing of bells, and firing of cannon. 



A substitute was introduced for the ordi- 

 nance of secession, bufwas lost. It was also 

 moved to postpone the operation of the ordi- 

 nance to March 3d. This motion failed. Subse- 

 quently a preamble and resolution were adopted, 

 the object of which was to remove the unfavor- 

 able impression created by the large vote given 

 in opposition to the ordinance of secession. The 

 preamble was in these words : 



Whereas, as a lack of unanimity in this Convention 

 on the passage of the ordinance of secession indi- 

 cates a difference of opinion amongst the members of 

 the Convention, not so much as to the right which 

 Georgia claims or the wrongs of which she complains, 

 as to a remedy and its application before a resort to 

 other means for redress ; and whereas, it is desirable 

 to give expression to that intention which really exists 

 among all the members of the Convention to sustain 

 the State in the course of action which she has pro- 

 nounced to be proper for the occasion ; therefore, &c. 



The resolution required every member to 

 sign the ordinance. This was adopted unan- 

 imously. 



Before the Convention, proceeded to sign the 

 ordinance, a resolution was offered, proposing 

 to submit it to a vote of the people, through the 

 proclamation of the Governor, and that the 

 question should be "secession" or "no seces- 

 sion " at the ballot-box. If a majority of votes 

 were for secession, then the ordinance was to 

 take effect, and not otherwise. The resolution 

 was rejected by a large majority. 



The ordinance was then signed by all present. 

 The response to the resolutions of the New 

 York Legislature was made by the passage of 

 the following resolution : 



Be it unanimously resolved by the people of Georgia, 

 in Convention assembled, as a response to the resolu- 

 tions of New York, that we highly approve of the pa- 

 triotic and energetic conduct of our Governor in taking 

 possession of Fort Fulaski by the Georgia troops, and 

 request him to hold possession until the relations be- 

 tween Georgia and the Federal Government shall be 

 determined "by this Convention; and that a copy of 

 this resolution is hereby ordered to be transmitted to 

 the Governor of Xew York. 



The resolution was unanimously adopted. 



Resolutions were adopted on the 22d, declar- 

 ing that Georgia would demand her share of 

 the public property ; another, pledging the 

 State to pay the carriers for the transportation 

 of the mails. An ordinance was passed, provid- 

 ing for the execution of the sentences of the 

 Federal Courts, and for the execution of pro- 

 cesses issued by the same courts, and to pre- 

 serve indictments. Another to continue in 

 force all the Federal laws in reference to the 

 African slave trade was, after an amendment 

 declaring it not to be piracy, but substituting 

 imprisonment in the penitentiary, unanimously 

 adopted. An ordinance was also reported re- 

 lating to the inter-State slave trade ; also an- 

 other revoking the Federal jurisdiction over all 



lands ceded by the State, and authorizing the 

 payment for fortifications, arsenals, and also for 

 all improvements and stores. 



On the 25th, a report was offered, that no 

 State should be admitted into a Southern Con- 

 federacy unless it be a slaveholding State, and 

 any State thus admitted subsequently abolish- 

 ing slavery should be expelled from the Union. 



When it was proposed that Commissioners be 

 sent to slaveholding States, objection was made 

 against including Delaware. 



Subsequently, on the 28th, an ordinance con- 

 tinuing the existing revenue laws was lost ; and 

 the ordinance, substantially that of the South 

 Carolina Convention, was adopted after a long 

 and animated debate. The vote was yeas 130, 

 nays 116. 



Representatives to the Montgomery Congress 

 were appointed on the 24th. Before voting, an 

 assurance was given to the Convention, that 

 none of the candidates were in favor of form- 

 ing a Government having in view an imme- 

 diate or ultimate union with the Northern 

 States'. No such idea could be entertained. 

 All were for the establishment of a Southern 

 Confederacy on the basis of the old Constitu- 

 tion, and never, under any circumstances, to 

 connect themselves with the Northern States. 



Notwithstanding this unanimity in the Con- 

 vention, there was a great reaction in some 

 parts of the State, and the flag of the United 

 States was kept flying without regard to the 

 ordinance of the Convention. This was done 

 also in North Alabama, and in portions of Missis- 

 sippi and Louisiana, Fears were expressed by 

 former members of Congress from Georgia, that 

 the reaction might be greatly increased on the 

 popular mind in the Gulf States, if a compro- 

 mise was effected satisfactory to the Border 

 States. 



Two regiments were ordered by the Conven- 

 tion to be organized as the army for the Re- 

 public of Georgia, over which a number of offi- 

 cers were appointed by the Governor, chiefly 

 those who had resigned from the army of the 

 United States. 



On the 7th of March, the Convention re- 

 assembled at Savannah, after a brief adjourn- 

 ment. A resolution to take an oath to support 

 the Provisional Constitution was offered and 

 rejected. 



Mr. Robertson, of Macon, wished to wait till 

 the permanent Constitution was adopted, and 

 Mr. Fouche saw no necessity for swearing at 

 all ; he was opposed to it in the abstract. Be- 

 sides, this was a convention of the sovereign 

 people, and above all Constitutions. 



A resolution that the people of Georgia, in 

 Convention, heartily approve of the election of 

 Messrs. Davis and Stephens to the Presidency 

 and Vice-Presidency, was adopted. 



On the 12th, the Convention transferred the 

 forts, arms, arsenals, and munitions of war to 

 the Confederate States. An ordinance was also 

 passed, appropriating half a million of dollars to 

 support the Government, and authorizing th 



