The story indicated that Georgia's Senator Toombs', pictured at right,
favored immediate secession for the state of Georgia. Mr. Toombs is
the gentleman on the top of the second column in the illustration. We
present the key Harper's Weekly stories on Georgia Secession Below. We
want you to see how the story unfolded just the way the people living then
saw it.
Harper's Weekly January 5, 1861
Senator Toombs for Secession at Once
Mr. Toombs telegraphed
on the 23rd, the following address to the people of Georgia:
"I came here to
secure your constitutional rights, and to demonstrate to you that you can get
no guarantee for those rights from your Northern confederates. The whole
subject was referred to a Committee of Thirteen in the Senate. I was appointed
on the Committee, and accepted the trust. I submitted propositions, which,
so far from receiving decided support from a single member of the Republican
party of the Committee, were all treated with derision or contempt. A vote was
then taken in the Committee on the amendments to the Constitution, proposed
by Hon. J. J. Crittenden, and each and all of them were voted against unanimously
by the Black Republican members of the Committee. In addition to thee
facts a majority of the Black Republican members of the Committee declared distinctly
that they had no guarantees to offer, which was silently acquiesced in by the
other members. The Black Republican members of the Committee of Thirteen
are representative men of the party and section, and, to the extent of my information,
truly represent them.
"The Committee of
Thirty-three on Friday adjourned for a week without coming to any vote, after
solemnly pledging themselves to vote on all the propositions then before
them on that day. It is controlled by the Black Republicans, your enemies,
who only seek to amuse you with delusive hope until your election, that you
may defeat the friends of secession. If you are deceived by them, it shall
not be my fault. I have put the test fairly and frankly. It is decisive
against you now. I tell you, upon the faith of a true man, that all further
looking to the North for security for your constitutional rights in the Union
ought to be instantly abandoned. It is fraught with nothing but ruin to
yourselves and your posterity. Secession by the 4th day of March next
should be thundered from the ballot-box by the unanimous voice of Georgia on
the 2nd day of January next. Such voice will be your best guarantee
for liberty, security, tranquility, and glory.
R. Toombs
- - - - - End of January 5 story - - - -
The January 12th
edition of Harper's Weekly indicates that election returns point to an eminent
secession in Georgia, and some hostile actions in Georgia:
Harper's Weekly January 12, 1861
The Forts Seized in Georgia:
A dispatch from
Charleston states that returns from Georgia indicate that the State has gone
largely for secession.
Forts
Pulaski and
Jackson have positively been occupied by the Georgia State troops, under the
Governor's instructions, and it is said that but for this the fortress would
have been taken by an uprising of the people.
Senator Toombs received
a dispatch on 3rd from Governor Brown, of Georgia, stating that he had ordered
the Georgia troops to occupy Fort Pulaski to prevent the Federal troops from
taking it until the meeting of their Convention. Neither Fort Jackson
nor the arsenal had been taken, and the Governor gave no intimation that he
intended to take them. The Governor issued the order to occupy Fort Pulaski
for the reason that he had learned that the Administration had given orders
to reinforce all the forts in the South. Other forts have undoubtedly
been taken for the same reason. The President, it is understood, did issue
such an order, but it was afterward revoked. The President also received
a dispatch, announcing the occupation of Fort Pulaski by the Georgia troops.
- - - - End of January 12 story - - - -
Harper's Weekly January 26, 1861
The Georgia Secession Convention:
This body met last
week, and duly organized. On the 18th it adopted a resolution declaring
- first, that it is the duty of Georgia to secede from the Union; and second,
appointing a committee to prepare an ordinance of secession. The resolution
was adopted by a vote of 165 to 130.
- - - - End of January 26 story - - - -
As you can see the
news was initially somewhat sketchy, and not many details were offered.
The Key Documents Related to Georgia Secession:
Georgia
Declaration of Secession
Georgia Causes of Secession
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