Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/388

350 These coercive demonstrations beginning during the last days of 1860 and openly pressed in January, 1861, were made known through many sources to the people of the South, and very rapidly increased the strength of the secession movement. The governors of the South sea board States being fully informed of the purpose of the administration to hold and to garrison the forts on their coasts, took possession of such of them as could be reduced to possession without bloodshed. Elections for delegates to State conventions were held in several States, during these threatening movements of the Federal administration, resulting in the secession of Mississippi January 9th, Florida and Alabama January 11th, Georgia January 19th and Louisiana January 26th. So well satisfied in the beginning of this year were the Southern members of Congress as to the hopelessness of any compromise and the purpose of the new secretary of war to use all the force he could command to coerce the States that certain senators from Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and Florida held a meeting in Washington, on January 5th, and agreed to a set of resolutions asking for instructions from their respective States whether they should remain in Congress until the 4th of March, and also declared themselves in favor of immediate State secession, and the early formation of a Confederacy. Mr. Jacob Thompson, secretary of the interior, resigned his office January 8th, as also did Governor Thomas, of Maryland, secretary of the treasury, and General Dix was appointed to the place. The new Cabinet was now composed of Messrs. Black, Dix, Holt, Toucey, Stanton and King, who served in apparent harmony to the end of the term.

The affairs of the United States were in such disorder that on January 8th, the President sent to Congress a message urging its attention to the helplessness of the executive. The treasury was empty and lenders demanded twelve per cent interest; the army was chiefly