The leader., 1899-06-14
MISSISSIPPI SECESSION CONVENTION
Read at the Meeting of the State Historical Society
January z, 1898.
From southern Home Journal

IS. IL was composed OF a. delegates from u
counties. David Holmes, territorial governor,
was elected president and Louis winston seere-
tary The constitution under which the state
was admitted to the Union was adopted. The
new state came within six votes OF being named
the state of Washington. Five of Its members
became governors of the state and three OF
them rest In the cemetery in Jackson-Poindex-
ter, Brandon, scott.
Ths next convention was held in the "town"
OF Jackson II assembled on the 10th OF Sep
TENDER 1882 in the old capitol where the Hard
ing building now stands Abram NJ. Scott was
then governor. 1t met pursuant to an act oil the
legislature, passed December i6, 1851, so that
The delegates thereto were chosen In the sue
ceeding fall. Forty eight delegates represented
"a counties and + districts. Rutiltus X fray
was chosen president and John II. Mallory was
elected secretary. A new constitution was
finally adopted on the 18th OF october, ana
President Pray, In his parting address. said:
1--WE have greatly enlarged the liberties OF the
people our children, who are to succeed us In the
government, Will find themselves unshackled by
the immutable laws of precedent"
The next convention was held in the hall oil
the present house OF representatives pursuant
TO u act Of the legislature to provide ior con
yenfton OF the people of the state of mississippi,
approved November 80, 1850. II assembled on
Monday. November 10, 1851. Fifty six counties
we're represented by SO delegates. Cornelius
Carmack, Of Tishomingo, was chosen president
and Fleming l.. swan secretary. In the roll OF
delegates appear such well-known names as
William l.. Sharkey, William A. Lake, John W.
{. Watson, David w. Hurst, Jason Niles, James
L. Alcorn, Amos X. Johnston. Charles Clark.
Wiley r. Harris. Syyanus Evans, William
Barksdale Samuel Benton, William X. Cannon.
Jefferson Wilson, James ). Bailey Orlando
Davis James A. Ventress, K. H. Golladay.
The act calling the convention directed that II
should proceed to consider the then existing
relations between the government OF the nlted
States and the people Of the State OF Mississippi.
to devise and carry into effect the best means OF
redress for the past and obtain security for the
future and to adopt such measures for vindicat-
ing the sovereignty of the state and the protec-
ton Of its institutions as shall appear to them
to be demanded"
The intensely Union Wing sentiment OF the
convention vas expressed in the election of its
officers Thomas Palmer, publisher of the Flag
of the Union, was elected printer, receiving ~
of the So votes cast-Barksdale and Jones being
his competitors. In the election for governor,
al the same time delegates were chosen, ana
when 81 III votes were cast, Henry 5. Foote re-
ceyed majority OF 999 over Jefferson DAVIS.
Tie committee OF thirteen, of which Mr.. Ven
tress was chairman, whose report was adopted
by vote OF 50 to -, reported: That the people
of Mississippi. in a spirit OF Cancellation and
compromise, have maturely considered the ac'
tiop of congress embracing series of meas
ures-for the admission of California as a State
into the nion the organization of territorial
government for Utah and New Mexico, the es-
tabishment of the boundary line between the
latter and the state of Texas the suppression
of the slave trade in the District OF Columbia,
and the extradition of fugitive slaves; and con
nected with them. the rejection OF the PROPOSE
ton to exclude slavery from the Territories of
the United States and to abolish it in the Dis
trict of Columbia and whilst they do not en-
tirely approye will abide by 1t as a permanent
adjustment of this sectional controversy so
long IA the same in all It's features shall be
faithfully adhered TO and enforced; that we
nerc,iye nothing in the above recouuted legisla-
tion of the congress of The nited states which
should he permItted to disturb the friendly and
neaceful relations existing between the govern
msnt of the |, nited States and the government
and u.ople Of the State of Mississippi"
The committee concluded by expressing the
opinion that the call of the convention was un-
autborizrd Inv the npople and that the act of
tho legislature in perpmptoriIy ordering a con-
vention of the people without first submitting
/ to them the question whether there should be a
| acopver,ion or no convention was an unwar.
ranted assumntion of pnwer nv the legislature
at war with the shirt of repubIcan institutions
an ancroachment upon the rights of the people
and can never he rightfully invoked as prece-
dent
The convention was in session seven days
Rutnis of III. secession Convention of 1861 |
desire more esn,clallv to sneak in this paper
"A I renortea Inc proceedinvs and debates of
that convention and AS was the oniy person.
secret sessi,ns | ought tn he able tn saw soms-
tbino about II The debates of that convention
ara aim in manuscript The convention was
COMPLIMENTARY enough To Subscribe for an edl-
| tion of NV renorr hut other and more serious
business occupicd the attention of most of us
| during the unpleasan,ncss that followed An
that have been able To do is 10 take care Of the
record thus made. 1t QUAINT vet 10 be published
mat il may he preserved
II would be interesting and perhaps sppropri-
ate to discuss the causes that led TO the assem-
| hing If that conven,ion A f.w cxtrscts from
| inc messayes of three Mlssissippi eoyernorx
will Indicate how The issues involved wrr,
| viewed by our p.ople
Thr MESSAGE nj Gov ucRae IN IN. lacIslatnr.
| /, Dacou,bar 1875 ia dayotad .ltoos,bsr 70 .
discussion of the sectional issues mat thep agi
| t,tsd tho country He WAS daxotad "a tho
| I,nion hut declared that "the Union ia no, The
mere haprinp together of the states at ths will
| If the maturity nor their adhesion nv tn. co.r
civ. newer of force # is the rnion of tho
| states 90 equal under the cons,itut,nn rigid
| adherence 70 State rights and strict constrnc.
tion of the c,nstitntion viii narn.tuata tho oov.
| .,nmsnt forever"
| rho nrs,,ar nor,ior ~, tho oov.rnor,s ,,aa
s.ge ,o the LEGISLATURE in Novemb.r Is,o was
| devoted to Federal relations Mr. Ruch,n,n'.
-. - ,o,,.;, .. =, -. 49,, a., - -,
| the time. Indicated that his Successor in ths
| nr.sidential o,,ce vouId hs chos.n unnn MOI,
| form nladgsd 10 the restriction or .hol,iop ~
| .,,varv The govarnor tbareforo Recommended
that son the election of an ahoIition nresidem,
| ,he folIovino resolution of tho D.moora,io
Marty of IN, State should he ,plIv mn, in toroa.
"Pasn,yad rho, in tho s,,on, ~ M o,ootfo.,
| y, uack Rsnuhlic,n c,,dida,s to rho 80
| dano, nv tho snnr,as ~ fo,a nor,ior =, ~
Irn,nn on,r 10 ruIa ,ha rha,a ,T.,,.S
St,,es mon ,ha ayoust nosa of hat go
| ;z,,ion uississInn, viii, - I'd !, .s tao,asa
,inn or hnstiIitv and will, hoId hsrsa,, in raaa,
. - $50 -, -. "