Appendix VII: The Southern Congressional Manifesto of December 14, 1860

The following text is an exact transcription of the historic manifesto titled "Address of Certain Southern Members of Congress to Our Constituents," presented in Washington, D.C., on December 14, 1860. Documented in Nicolay and Hay’s foundational text, "Abraham Lincoln: A History" (Vol. II, p. 436), Texas Senator Louis T. Wigfall was among its signatories and is often credited with helping draft it, though sole authorship is not established.

ADDRESS OF CERTAIN SOUTHERN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 1860.

The argument is exhausted. All hope of relief in the Union through the agency of committees, Congressional legislation, or constitutional amendments is extinguished, and we trust the South will not be deceived by appearances or the pretense of new guarantees. In our judgment the Republicans are resolute in the purpose to grant nothing that will or ought to satisfy the South. We are satisfied the honor, safety, and independence of the Southern people require the organization of a Southern Confederacy—a result to be obtained only by separate State secession—that the primary object of each slave-holding State ought to be its speedy and absolute separation from a Union with hostile States.

Congressional Signatories:

• J. L. Pugh of Alabama | David Clopton of Alabama | Sydenham Moore of Alabama

• J. L. M. Curry of Alabama | J. A. Stallworth of Alabama | J. W. H. Underwood of Georgia

• L. J. Gartrell of Georgia | James Jackson of Georgia | John J. Jones of Georgia

• Martin J. Crawford of Georgia | Alfred Iverson (U.S. Senator) of Georgia | George S. Hawkins of Florida

• T. C. Hindman of Arkansas | Jefferson Davis (U.S. Senator) of Mississippi | A.G. Brown (U.S. Senator) of Mississippi

• Burton Craige of North Carolina | Thomas Ruffin of North Carolina | John Slidell (U.S. Senator) of Louisiana

• J.P. Benjamin (U.S. Senator) of Louisiana | J. M. Landrum of Louisiana | Louis T. Wigfall (U.S. Senator) of Texas

• John Hemphill (U.S. Senator) of Texas | J. H. Reagan of Texas | M. L. Bonham of South Carolina

• Wm. Porcher Miles of South Carolina | John McQueen of South Carolina | John D. Ashmore of South Carolina

• Wm. Barksdale of Mississippi | O. R. Singleton of Mississippi | Reuben Davis of Mississippi

Of the 30 southern congressional representatives who signed the December 1860 secessionist manifesto (demanding the formation of a Southern Confederacy), only the four representatives from South Carolina actually resigned or withdrew from Congress in December 1860.

Because South Carolina was the first state to declare its secession on December 20, 1860, its delegation immediately exited:

• M. L. Bonham of South Carolina

• Wm. Porcher Miles of South Carolina

• John McQueen of South Carolina

• John D. Ashmore of South Carolina

What happened to the rest?

The remaining men listed on the manifesto did not resign until their respective home states officially seceded in early 1861.

Mississippi · January 9, 1861 · Jefferson Davis, A.G. Brown, Wm. Barksdale, O. R. Singleton, and Reuben Davis withdrew on January 21, 1861.

Florida · January 10, 1861 · George S. Hawkins withdrew on January 21, 1861.

Alabama · January 11, 1861 · J. L. Pugh, David Clopton, Sydenham Moore, J. L. M. Curry, and J. A. Stallworth withdrew on January 21, 1861.

Georgia · January 19, 1861 · J. W. H. Underwood, L. J. Gartrell, James Jackson, John J. Jones, Martin J. Crawford, and Alfred Iverson withdrew on January 23, 1861.

Louisiana · January 26, 1861 · John Slidell, J.P. Benjamin, and J. M. Landrum withdrew on February 4, 1861.

Texas · February 1, 1861 · J. H. Reagan resigned his House seat in January 1861. Louis T. Wigfall stayed in the Senate until March 23, and he and John Hemphill were expelled on July 11, 1861.

Arkansas · May 6, 1861 · T. C. Hindman remained in Congress until his term expired on March 3, 1861.

North Carolina · May 20, 1861 · Burton Craige and Thomas Ruffin remained in office until their terms expired on March 3, 1861.

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