Il8 EMPLOYMENT OF THE PLEBISCITE [416 



was passed' in Alabama in secret session, yeas 6i, nays 39, 

 but the proposition to submit the ordinance to the people 

 was lost by a vote of 53 to 47."' 



In Texas the ordinance of secession passed by a vote of 

 166 to 7 and, when actually submitted to the people, was, 

 on the 23rd of February, 1861, approved by 34,794 votes 

 for and 11,235 against the measure.^^ 



In Arkansas an act calling for a state convention was 

 passed the Legislature on January 16, 1861. The popular 

 vote on the question of calling the convention was, 27.412 

 for, and 15,826 against it. The convention met on March 

 4. On the 1 8th of March the ordinance of secession was 

 rejected by a vote of yeas 35, nays 39. It was then agreed 

 to submit the question of secession to the vote of the people 

 on the first Monday in August. But before that day ar- 

 rived the convention reconsidered its former action and on 

 May 6 passed the ordinance by yeas 69, nays i." 



The North Carolina Legislature passed a bill for a state 

 convention on January 30, 1861. This bill provided that no 

 secession movement would be valid unless adopted by refer- 

 endum. On February 28, the election of the delegates to 

 the convention took place. The vote was against the calling 

 of a convention by a majority of 662. However, the Gov- 

 ernor, favoring the secession of the State, called the Legis- 

 lature in extra session. On May i, the latter voted for 

 another election of delegates to a second state convention. 

 The election took place on the 13th and the delegates con- 

 vened at Raleigh on the 20th. On the following day the 

 secession ordinance was adopted and the Confederate Con- 

 direct vote of the electorate, that is to say, a plebiscite. In this con- 

 nection see Roger S. Hoar, Constitutional Conventions, Their Na- 

 ture, Powers, and Limitations, Boston, 1917, especially chapters iv, 

 X, and xi. 



8^ Ibid., p. 4. The secession ordinances in South Carolina, Georgia, 

 Mississippi, and Florida were passed in state conventions convened 

 by special elections to consider the question of secession. There 

 was no popular ratification of the ordinances by referendum in these 

 states (ibid., pp. 2-4). 



"« Ibid., p. 4. 



07 Ibid. 



