The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-09-16
]. L. ALCORNs
Secession Record!

as the especial champion Of the Disfran-
chisers2
The tale is a plain one, and shall be
related unyarnished as it IS told in the
journals of the Mississippi State Conyen-
ton of 1861, which passed the ordinance
Of secession.
First, let Us premise by stating what
the record will presently show, that he
was elected delegate from Coahoma,
to the convention not as q Enionist, but
az a co-operationist; that il to say. hewas
pledged to carry Mississippi out Of the
Union in the event ceartain number of
the Southern States would go with her.
His Unionism amounted to that and
nothing more.
Thus elected, he took his seat in the
Convention, and the first we hear of him
after his defeatfor the Presidency of the
body is xexplained in the following ex-.
tract from the proceedings:
Mr. Lamar offered the following resolu-
ton which was adopted
Resolved that a committee of 10 be appoin-
ted TO prepare and report as speedily as pos
sible, an ordinance providing for the with
drawai of the State Of Mississippi from the
! present Federal Union with view TO the
establishment of a new Confederacy to be
composed of the seeding States.
The President appointed the following
gentlemen as said Committee;
I-Q G. Lamar, of Lafayette, G. r. Clay
ton. of Lowndes, w. p. Harris, of Kinds,
s. j. Gholson, of Monroe. d.. L. AtcOrR,
/ (Whig) of Coahoma, and 10 others.
The next we hear of Mr.. Alcorn is re-
ported in the following proceedings:
Mr. Walter, of Marshall, offered the fol-
flowing resolutions:
Resolved, That the Committee on Consti-
tutional Amendments be instructed to re-
port as soon as possible after its appoint
ment an amendment to the Constitution of
this State authorizing it TO b0Troic money .fo;'
ne purpose Of military defense and to pledge
ne ruth Of The STATE for the repayment Of the
loan.
a discussion ensued wherein,
Mr.. AIc0rn said he tcas prepared TO 90 aotth
him tohO goes togtl,est to realize DtOHey for the
defense Of The state. The Constitution poin-
ted out the mode in which it should be
amended. submitted to and voted on by the
people. He held, however, that this Con-
rention has pIeRGSy pO1eer-thdt IT'S ordinances
7cere ADORE the Constitution, that we must
governed by it, then we must stand by it in
all its details. liz HAD NO HEsTTANCY TO
VOTE UPON AN ORDINANCE TO PLACE THE
STATE oN AWAR FOOTING.
The object of the motion was to OBJ
tain means to resist the authority of the
Union; and Mr.. Acorn Che had not
then become GeneraD ''was willing to go
with him who goes farthest' ''to put the
State ON a war footing" in order to make
a successful fight against the flag. The
State had not then voted itself out of the
Union, and Mr.. Aleorn had not the plea
that he was governed in his action by the
will of the majority He was for taking
time by the forclock.
On the memorable 9th of January,
the committee of fifteen, of which Mr..
Alcorn was member, through their
Chairman, reported the Ordinance of
Secession.
Pending the consideration OF this Or
dinance, Mr.. Yerger, of Washington
county, offered the following as a substi-
tute:
An ordinance providing for the final set
Element and adjustment of all difficulties
between the free and slave States of the
United States by securing further Constitu-
tional guarantees seithtn the present Union.
The preamble to this ordinance recited
the ''unfriendly and unconstitutional leg
'islation of a majority in the Northern
Estates, evineing fixed and determined
hostility" to the Southern States-and
cited among other acts of this sectional
majority, the election of Dir. Lincoln,
who was alleged to have been committed
to the dogma of the 'irrepressible con-
flict" between the sections-and moreover
that it was the opinion OF the Conven-
ton that a further continuance of the
State of Mississippi in the Union, was in
compatible with the interests of the State
unless additional guarantees should be
given by amendments to the Constitution
of the United States DC And it con-
cluded with proposition for the holding
of a Convention of all the Southern
States ''at Lexington, KY, on the 10th
of February next, for common consulta-
ton with view to the adjustment of the
difficulties, DC.
Be it known that this was the extrem
est Union ground taken in the Conven-
ton. 1t was the only mode suggested of
settling the trouble and averting disun-
ion. The vote ON the substitute stood as
follows:
NAYs-Mr. President, Messrs. Alcol7a, &c. |
&c.,-7S.
lh-. Aleor, was not even willing to have
a conference of the Southern States to |
consult in reference to a plan of adjust
ment. When he declared that he was
for putting the State on war footing" |
and ''would go as far as the farthest" he |
meant business, and hence he voted |
against the proposition of Mr.. Yerger
We extract further from the journal |
Gin secret session. as follows:
Mr. Alcorn submitted the following:
Sec. = Be it ordained that this Ordinance
shall not 60 into effect until at least the |
States of Alabama. Georgia, Florida and |
Louisiana shall, through their respective l
resolve to secede from the Fed /
eral Union, and resume their sovereignty
and independence.
This proposition set forth III. 4lcora's
Disunion idea. 1t claimed for the States
the sovereign power TO secede at their OPP
ton, and did not want Mississippi TO with
draw except in company with four other
States. He did not want to stay in else
he would not have voted against the prop
1sition of Mr. Yerger The object he
y. ...1 IN