bly of this State, ratifying amendments
of the said Constitution, are hereby repealed, and the Union now
subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name
of 'The United States of America,' is hereby dissolved."

This action was taken in Buchanan's administration while secessionists
and promoters of disunion were yet in his Cabinet, and Jefferson
Davis and others were still plotting in Congress.

Great stress was laid upon the right to rescind the original
Ordinance of 1788 ratifying the Constitution of the United States,
and the Union of the States was denominated only a "_compact_."
The passage of the Ordinance of Secession was followed by "bonfires
and illuminations, ringing of bells, insults to the Stars and
Stripes," participated in by South Carolina aristocracy, especially
cheered on by the first ladies of the State and city, little dreaming
that slavery's opening death-knell was being proclaimed.(105)

It was fitting that South Carolina should lead the van of secession.
She had, in a Colonial state, furnished more Tories in the Revolution
of 1776 than any of the other colonies; she had initiated secession
through nullification in 1832; and her greatest statesman, Calhoun,
was the first to propose disunion as a remedy for slavery
restrictions.

Events succeeded rapidly.

An Alabama convention met, and, on January 8, 1861, received
commissioners from South Carolina, and on the 11th passed, in secret
session, an Ordinance of Secession, refusing to submit it to a vote
of her people.

Mississippi, on January 9, 1861, passed, through a convention, a
like Ordinance.

Georgia, January 19th, by a convention passed her Ordinance of
Secession.

Louisiana's convention passed an Ordinance of Secession January
25, 1861.

Texas passed, in convention, on February 1, 1861, a like Ordinance,
which was ratified by a vote of her people February 24th.(106)

Thus seven States resolved to secede before Abraham Lincoln became
President.

And each of these States had prepared for armed opposition; most,
if not all, of their Senators and Representatives in Congress had
withdrawn; in most of the States named United States forts, arms,
military stores, and other public property had been seized; and
many officers of the army and navy had deserted, weakly excusing
their action by declaring they must go with their States.

Events were happening in Washington. Cass resigned as Secretary
of State because Bucha