Resolutions on Secession from Floyd County, GeorgiaTaken from The Confederate Records of the State of Georgia, A.D. Candler, editor; Vol. I, p. 115--117 (Floyd County is where Rome, Georgia, is located.) |
Whereas the abolition sentiment of the Northern States first openly manifested in 1820, has for the last forty years, steadily and rapidly increased in volume, and in the intensity of hostility to the form of society, existing in the Southern States, and to the rights of these States as equal, independent, and sovereign members of the Union; has led to long continued and ever increasing abuse and hatred of the Southern people; to ceaseless war upon their plainest Constitutional rights; to an open and shameless nullification of that provision of the constitution intended to secure the rendition of fugitive slaves, and of the laws of Congress to give it effect; has lead many of our people who sought to avail themselves of their rights under these provisions of the laws and the Constitution, to encounter fines, imprisonment and death; has prompted the armed invasion of Southern soil, by stealth, amidst the sacred repose of a Sabbath night, for the diabolical purpose of inaurgurating a ruthless war of the blacks against the whites throughout the Southern States; has prompted large masses of Northern people openly to sympathize with the treacherous and traitorous invaders of our country, and elevate the leader of a band of midnight assassins, and robbers, himself an assassin and a robber, to the rank of a hero and a martyr, has sent forth, far and wide, over our section of the Union its vile emissaries to instigate the slaves to destroy our property, burn our towns, devastate our country, and spread distrust, dismay and death by poison, among our people; has disrupted the churches and destroyed all national parties, and has now finally organized a party confined to a hostile section, and composed even there of those only who have encouraged, sympathized with, instigated, or perpetuated their long series of insults, outrages, and wrongs, for the avowed purpose of making a common government, armed by us with power only for our protection, an instrument, in the hands of enemies for our destruction. Therefore, we, the people of Floyd County, regardless of all past differences and looking above and beyond all mere party ends, to the good of our native South, do hereby publish and declare: 1st. That Georgia is and of right ought to be a free, sovereign and independent state. 2d. That she came into the Union with the other states, as a sovereignity, and by virture of that sovereignity, has the right to secede whenever, in her sovereign capacity, she shall judge such a step necessary. 3d. That in our opinion, she ought not to submit to the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin, as her President and Vice-President; but should leave them to rule over those by whom alone they were elected. 4th. That we request the Legislature to announce this
opinion . . . and to cooperate with the Governor in calling a
Convention of the people to determine on the mode and measure of
redress. 5th. That we respectfully recommend to the
Legislature to take into their immediate consideration the passage of
such laws as will be likely to alleviate any unusual embarrassment of
the commercial interests of the State consequent upon the present
political emergency. 6th. That we respectfully suggest to the Legislature
to take immediate steps to organize and arm the forces of the
State. 7th. That copies of the foregoing
resolutions be sent, without delay, to our Senators and Representatives
in the General Assembly of the State, who are hereby requested to lay
them before the House of which they are respectively members.
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