CHAPTER IX. PROGRESS OF THE REVOLUTION. THE SECESSION OF MISSISSIPPI, FLORIDA, ALABAMA, GEORGIA AND TEXAS. THE ORDINANCES. CONCURRENT PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTIONS. SEIZURES OF FORTS, ARSENALS, REVENUE-CUTTERS, CUSTOM-HOUSES, MINT, ETC., ETC. DEFECTION OF SOUTHERN OFFICERS IN THE ARMY AND NAVY. Mississippi. The scond section abrogates the Article in the State Constitution requiring all public officers to swear to support the Constitution of the United States. The third section continues in force all State and Federal laws not inconsistent with the ordinance. The fourth section relates to the formation of a Southern Confederacy, to be composed of the Seceded States. THE Mississippi State | eral Union, and shall henceforth be a free, sovereign, Convention assembled at and independent State." Jackson, Monday, January 7th. Prior to organization a majority of the delegates assembled in caucus, and adopted a resolution requesting the President of the Convention, when elected, to appoint a committee to draft the Ordinance of Secession. This early expression indicated the sentiments of the Convention. The Convention assembled at noon, and, after a brief ballotting, organized permanently by electing A. J. Barry, of Lowndes, President. A resolution soon passed that a Committee of Fifteen be appointed by the President with instructions to prepare and report, as speedily as possible, an Ordinance of Secession, providing for the immediate withdrawal of Mississippi from the Federal Union, with a view of estab lishing a new Confederacy, to be composed of the Seceding States. This Committee, chosen Tuesday, reported Wednesday, in secret session, the Ordinance of Secession, which was adopted, on that day, by a vote of 84 to 15. It was as follows: "The people of Mississippi, in Convention assembled, do ordain and declare, and it is hereby ordained and declared, as follows, to wit: The Commissioner from South Carolina addressed the Convention, Friday. The Governor issued, on Friday, a call to the military of the State to be in readiness at a moment's warning. The Convention formally recognized (January 11th) South Carolina as sovereign and independent. The action of the Convention created great enthusiasm among the people. There were those, however, who viewed the act as revolutionary and unconstitutional under the organic law of the State. The Convention assumed supreme authority in the matteradopting the ordinance, and instituting a new order of things without any reference to the people. This most undemocratic proceeding awakened much determined opposition; but, this opposition had to give way before the violent tone and imperative spirit of the unconditional secessionists. The Natchez Courier, of January 10th, thus adverted to the illegality of the Convention's proceedings: "That all the laws and ordinances by which the said State of Mississippi became a member of the Federal Union of the United States of America be, and the same are hereby repealed; and that all obligations on the part of said State or the people thereof to observe the same be withdrawn, and that The Constitution of the State is what we are the said State shall hereby resume the rights, func- sworn to obey. It prescribes the method of its own tions, and powers which by any of said laws and ordi- alteration. That method has not been followed, and nances were conveyed to the Government of the said yet the Constitution will be essentially altered. UnUnited States, and is dissolved from all the obliga-questionably the people of the State can revolution. tions, restraints, and duties incurred to the said Fed-ize. A majority of them can call a Convention to 44 provide a new Constitution. But the question of ⚫ Convention or no Convention' has never been submitted to them. It is also possible that a Convention can be called by the Legislature without the assent of the people, though in our opinion a very questionable proceeding; but its acts, in that case, can be valid only when they have received the affirmative vote of the people. Of the 70,000 voters of Mississippi, not 45,000 voted for members of the Convention; and of these only a lean majority, or one falling far below the expectations of the disunion leaders, voted for immediate Secession candidates." Not the least remarkable facts of all that wild, irrational revolution, were the overriding of the State Constitutions and of a total repudiation of the voice of the people. Not one of the Gulf States, first in revolution, submitted the ordinances of secession to a vote of the people! Not a single State of those which first organized the new "Confederacy" allowed the people one particle of authority or voice in the matter! The Conventions decreed as summarily, as arbitrarily, as relentlessly as the French Chambers of Deputies, obeying the behests of Napoleon. Napoleon's usurpations received the sanction of the French people just as completely as the usurpations of the State Conventions and the "Confederate Congress" received the sanction of the people of the Slave States.* Florida. Although the Florida State Convention assembled January 3d, it was not until January 11th that the Ordinance of Secession passed. On the 7th, as preliminary to the act, Judge McIntosh introduced the following: This was adopted by a vote of 62 to 5. On the same day the Commissioners for Alabama and South Carolina addressed the Convention. Judge McIntosh's resolution succeeded their addresses. The Ordinance of Secession passed January 10th, by a vote of 62 to 7. It read as follows; "We, the people of the State of Florida in Con vention assembled, do solemnly ordain, publish, and declare that the State of Florida hereby withdraws herself from the Confederacy of States existing under the name of the United States of America, and from the existing Government of the said States; and that all political connection between her and the Government of said States ought to be, and the same is hereby totally annulled, and said Union of declared a Sovereign and independent nation; and States dissolved; and the State of Florida is hereby that all ordinances heretofore adopted, in so far as they create or recognize said Union, are rescinded; and all laws, or part of laws, in force in this State, in so far as they recognize or assent to said Union, be and they are hereby repealed." This was engrossed and signed on the 11th. It was followed by great popular demonstrations of approval in the way of gunfiring, displays of flags, illuminations, popular meetings, &c. On the 12th, the Pensacola Navy-yard, Dry-dock, Store - houses, and, afterwards, Forts Barrancas and McRae, were seized by order of the Governor of Florida. About one hundred armed men from Alabama and Florida appeared at the Yard on the morning of the 12th, and demanded of Commander Armstrong the peaceable surrender of the posts. This was complied with, and the troops with their arms and baggage were transferred to a United States vessel of war "Whereas, All hope of preserving the Union upon for transportation North. The entire proterms consistent with the safety and honor of the Slaveholding States has been finally dissipated by perty of the Government at Pensacola thus the recent indications of the strength of the Anti-passed into the possession of the revolution Slavery sentiment of the Free States; therefore, "Be it resolved by the people of Florida, in Convention assembled, That it is undoubtedly the right of the several States of the Union to withdraw from the said Union at such time and for such cause as in the opinion of the people of such State, acting in their sovereign capacity, may be just and proper; and, in the opinion of this Convention, the existing causes are such as to compel Florida to proceed to exercise that right." See Chap. X. "The People Overruled." ists the fort on Santa Rosa Island al ne excepted. This surrender was justified y officer Armstrong, at his Court Martial trial a few weeks subsequently, by the fact of his leading officers, Capt. Renshaw and Commander Farrand, cooperating with the revolutionists. They were Mr. Floyd's chosen agents for the act. [The Court, we may here say, dismissed the officer for the surrender. Beyond question he could have held possession until, at least, ALABAMA'S ORDINANCE OF SECESSION. 195 prompt and decided measures for their future peace and security: Therefore, be it declared and ordained by the people of the State of Alabama, in Convention assembled, that the State of Alabama now withdraws itself from the Union known as the United States of America, and henceforth ceases to be one of the said United States, and is, and of right ought to be, a sovereign, independent State. "SEC. 2. And be it further declared by the people of the State of Alabama, in Convention assembled, that all powers over the Territories of said State, and over the people thereof, heretofore delegated to the Government of the United States of America, be, a portion of the property in the yard and | United States by many of the States and people of forts had been secured. Lieut. Slemmer, a the Northern section, is a political wrong of so inNorthern man, in temporary command at sulting and menacing a character as to justify the Fort McRae, discovering the treachery, re- people in the State of Alabama in the adoption of solved not to surrender. He hurriedly arranged to evacuate McRae, and proceeded, with his company of eighty men, to Fort Pickens, on Santa Rosa Island, a very heavy fortification, with a double tier of casemates. Aided by the marines from the Sloop of War Wyandotte, he immediately began to prepare for an expected assault on the land side of the fort, where it was comparatively defenseless. His reply to the demand to deliver up the fort was:-"I have orders from my Government to defend this fort, and I shall do so to the last extremity." Slemmer soon obtained most of the artillerymen from Fort Barrancas, and secured a few of the loyal men from the Navy-yard, who disdained to accede to the infamous "parole" given by their officers. Working night and day, he was soon able to keep at bay the "combined" forces sent by the revolutionists to take the fort. Flag officer, Capt. Renshaw, and Commander Farrand, were both deeply implicated in the surrender. They both were in league with the conspirators, and really betrayed the post into their hands. Their names are embalmed in the "black roll" of the Government, whose honor they betrayed.] Alabama. The Alabama State Convention assembled at Montgomery, Monday, January 7th. On the 8th, the South Carolina Commissioners addressed the Convention. A Committee of Thirteen was appointed on that day, to consider the action proper for the State. Secret sessions were resolved upon. The Ordinance was reported, January 11th, and passed by a vote of 61 to 39. The instrument, as engrossed, read: "An Ordinance to dissolve the Union between the State af Alabama and other States united under the compact and style of the United States of America. and they are hereby withdrawn from the said Gov ernment and are hereby resumed and vested in the people of the State of Alabama. "And as it is the desire and purpose of the people of Alabama to meet the Slaveholding States of the South who approve of such a purpose, in order to frame a provisional or a permanent government upon the principles of the Government of the United States; be it also resolved by the people of Alabama, in Convention assembled, that the people of the States of Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Missis sippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri, be, and they are hereby invited to meet the people of the State of Alabama by their Delegates in Convention, on the 4th day of February next, in Montgomery, in the State of Alabama, for the purpose of consultation with each other, as to the most effectual mode of securing connected, harmonious action in whatever measures may be deemed most desirable for the common peace and security. "And be it further Resolved, That the President of this Convention be and he is hereby instructed to transmit forthwith, a copy of the foregoing preamble, ordinance and resolutions to the Governors of the several States named in the said resolutions. "Done by the people of Alabama, in Convention assembled at Montgomery, this eleventh day of Janary, eighteen hundred and sixty-one." Prior to the assembling of the Convention, the Arsenal below Mobile, and Fort Morgan, commanding the channel to Mobile bay, were seized (January 4th) by order of Governor Moore. In the arsenal were 20,000 stand of arms, 1,500 barrels of powder, and a large stock of munitions, equipments, body arms, &c., all very providently transferred by Mr. the Compact of Government entitled the Constitution "We, the people of the State of Georgia in Con- Floyd, from the manufacturing depots in the Georgia. Convention in 1788, whereby the Constitution of the said Constitution, are hereby repealed, rescinded "And we do further declare and ordain that the A motion to postpone the operation of the Ordinance to the 3d of March was lost by about thirty majority. A resolution was [Although somewhat anticipating the chronological allotment of this chapter, we shall, in order to group the "original seven" seceded States, in a consecutive narrative of their action, here advert to the proceedings of the Conventions of Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.] The Georgia Convention assembled at Milledgeville Wednesday, January 16th. George W. Crawford was elected permanent President. After organization a Committee was named, to wait upon Mr. Orr, Commis- further adopted continuing in force the Fedesioner from South Carolina, and Mr. Shorter, ral laws of revenue, and the postal systemCommissioner from Alabama, to request them Georgia, like South Carolina, being quite to communicate their mission. These gentle-willing to "suffer" the General Government's men delivered addresses before the Convention, Thursday, in advocacy of immediate secession and the formation of a Southern Confederacy. Friday, the session was in secret. A test vote was had by the introduction of a resolution, declaring the right and necessity for secession from the Federal Union, which was carried by a majority of thirty-five. Herschel V. Johnson introduced, as a substitute for this resolution, others, looking to cooperation and a Convention of Southern States at Atlanta, in February. This sub-numbers of Unionists and Co-operationists stitute was rejected by a stronger vote than were both infamously and illegally treated. was given for the original resolution. During The resolution, of course, raised a storm. It the very anxious and exciting debate which was scarcely to be expected that men elected followed, Mr. A. H. Stephens, seeing how by violence and "stuffed" boxes, would subfully determined the Convention was on semit to an exposition of their own infamy, or cession, advised that it be immediate. This would acknowledge the arbitrary course being advice really gave his "conservative" influ- pursued to place the State at the entire ence to the immediate action party, led by disposition of Mr. Toombs and his violent Messrs. Toombs and Howell Cobb. The coadjutors. Ordinance of Secession was introduced Satur day morning, and passed at two p. m., by a "tyranny" as far as to allow it to lose money A substitute for the Ordinance, in a series of resolutions drawn up by Herschel V. Johnson, was offered by Benjamin Hill, Esq., a leading and influential " Conservative." The purport of the resolutions was; "Declaring the State of Georgia in danger-first, from the aggressions of the North, and secondly, 2 GEORGIA'S ORDINANCE OF SECESSION. 197 "Resolved, unanimously, As a response to the resolutions of the Legislature of the State of New-York, that this Convention highly approves of the ener gia, in taking possession of Fort Pulaski, by the Georgia troops; that this Convention request him Georgia with the Federal Government shall be determined, and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of New-York." The Ordinance of Secession was signed, Monday, by most of the members, including A. H. Stephens, Judge Linton Stephens, Benj. Hill, and ex-Governor Johnson. These gentlemen had prepared, and introduced, Monday afternoon, the following, which was adopted, almost unanimously:— to hold possession of said fort until the relations of from the withdrawal of other States, whereby "After a strong, even violent, discussion, this than that which passed the test vote of Friday. this Convention, on the passage of the Ordinance of Secession, indicates a difference of opinion existing among the members of this Convention, which is owing not so much to the rights which Georgia "Whereas, The lack of unanimity in the action of ter, virtually declared war; and Whereas, the forts, and property of the United States Government in Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, have been unlaw. fully seized with hostile intentions; and Whereas, further:Senators in Congress avow and maintain their treasonable acts, Therefore 66 Resolved, If the Senate concur, that the Legisla ture of New-York profoundly impressed with the va lue of the Union, and determined to preserve it unimpaired, hail with joy the recent firm, dignified and patriotic special message of the President of the United States, and that we tender to him through the Chief Magistrate of our State whatever aid in men and money he may require to enable him to enforce the laws and uphold the authority of the Federal Government; and that, in defense of "the more many savage wishes from the outsiders when it be perfect Union" which has conferred prosperity and came known." Monday, Mr. Toombs introduced the following resolution, in response to the resolutions passed by the New-York Legislature, January 11th-a copy of which had been transmitted to the Governors of all the States*: The New York Legislature resolutions were as follows: Whereas, The insurgent State of South Carolina, after seizing the Post-office, Custom-house, moneys, and fortifications of the Federal Government, has, by firing into a vessel ordered by the Government to convey troops and provisions to Fort Sun happiness upon the American people, renewing the pledge given and redeemed by our fathers, we are ready to devote “our fortunes, our lives and our sacred honor" in upholding the Union and the Constitution. Resolved, That the Union-loving Representatives and citizens of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee, who labor with devoted courage and patriotism to with. hold their States from the vortex of Secession, are entitled to the gratitude and admiration of the whole people. |