Feb. 22, 1862. |
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| James A. Seddon. |
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elected by the people,1 commenced its session under the “Permanent Constitution of the Confederate States.”
In this assembly all of the slave-labor States were represented excepting Maryland and Delaware.2 The oath to support the Constitution of the Confederate States was administered to the “Senators” by R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, and to the “Representatives” by Howell Cobb, of Georgia.
Thomas Bocock, of Virginia, was elected “Speaker.”
On the following day the votes for “President” of the Confederacy were counted, and were found to be one hundred and nine in number, all of which were cast for Jefferson Davis.3 Three days afterward
he was inaugurated President for six years. He chose for his “Cabinet” Judah P. Benjamin, of Louisiana, as “Secretary of State ;” George W. Randolph, of Virginia, “Secretary of War ;” S. R. Mallory, of Florida, “Secretary of the Navy ;” C. G. Memminger, of South Carolina, “Secretary of the Treasury ;” and Thomas H. Watts, of Alabama, “Attorney-General.”
Randolph resigned in the autumn of 1862, when James A. Seddon, a wealthy citizen of Richmond, who figured conspicuously in the Peace Convention at Washington,4 was chosen to fill his place.
The Confederate Congress passed strong resolutions in favor of prosecuting the war more vigorously than ever, and declared, by joint resolution, that it was the unalterable determination of the people of the Confederate States “to suffer all the calamities of the most protracted war,” and that they would never.
“on any terms, politically affiliate with a people who were guilty of an invasion of their soil and the butchery of their citizens.”
With this spirit they did prosecute the war on land, and by the aid of some of the British aristocracy, merchants, and shipbuilders they kept afloat piratical craft on the ocean, that for a time drove most of the carrying trade between the United States and Europe to British vessels.
We have already noticed the commissioning of so-called “privateers” by the Confederate Government, 5 and some of their piratical operations
1 In most instances these elections were as much the voice of the people as was that held in Virginia, in accordance with the following proposition of a leading paper in Richmond in the interest of the conspirators:--“It being necessary to form a ticket of electors, and the time being too short to call a Convention of the people, it was suggested that the Richmond editors should prepare a ticket, thus relieving the people of the trouble of making selections. The ticket thus formed has been presented. Among the names we find those of Wm. L. Goggin, of Bedford, and R. T. Daniel, of Richmond; E. H. Fitzhugh, of Ohio County; John B. Edmunds, of Halifax, and C. W. Newton, of Norfolk City. Every district in the State is embraced in this editorial report.”
2 For a list of the members of the Provisional Congress see page 468.
3 The votes were as follows:--Alabama, 11; Arkansas, 6; Florida, 4; Georgia, 12; Louisiana, 8; Mississippi 9; North Carolina, 12; South Carolina, 8; Tennessee, 13; Texas, 8; Virginia, 18.
4 See chapter X., volume I.
5 See page 872, volume I.
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