Causes of the US Civil War

Here are links to some documents written by the men who seceded their states from the Union known as the United States of America to form the Confederate States of America. These documents are original source material written by men of the pre-secession era known as the “antebellum” period including instruments of secession itself.

• Union and Secession in Mississippi

The Union member of the Mississippi State Convention who refused to sign the Ordinance of Secession, or to commit himself in any way to the Secession Movement.

 

• An address : setting forth the declaration of the immediate causes which induce and justify the secession of Mississippi from the Federal Union and the ordinance of secession

“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery—the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of the commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization.”

 

• Speech of Mr. Foote, of Mississippi, on the admission of California : delivered in the Senate of the United States, August 1, 1850

Topics — Secession, Compromise of 1850, Slavery – United States Extension to the territories “New Mexico”, California – Politicss and government 1846-1850, United States – Politics and government 1845-1861

 

• Speech of Hon. Samuel S. Boyd, delivered at the great union festival, held at Jackson, Mississippi, on the 10th day of October, 1851

Topics — Slavery — United States, Secession

 

• Journal of the State Convention, and Ordinances and resolutions adopted in January, 1861

Topics — of the State of Mississippi from the United States of America, Secession Convention Proceedings

 

• Journal of the State Convention, and Ordinances and resolutions adopted in March, 1861

Topics — Supplemental Secession Convention Proceedings

 

• Disunion and slavery. A series of letters to Hon. W. L. Yancey, of Alabama

Published 1861
Topics — Confederate States of America, Provisional Congress, Slavery, Secession

 

• Personal explanation of the Hon. W.R.W. Cobb, of Alabama : delivered in the House of Representatives, January 7, 1861

Published c.1861
Topics — Secession, United States – Politics and government 1857-1861

 

• Ordinances and constitution of the state of Alabama : with the constitution of the provisional government and of the Confederate States of America

Published 1861
Topics — Constitutional law, Secession

 

• Inaugural address of Gov. Thomas H. Watts : before the Alabama legislature, December 1st, 1863

Published 1863
Topics — Articles of Confederation, US Constitution, Rationale for Secession and formation of a “Southern Confederation”, Slavery

 

• The history and debates of the Convention of the people of Alabama, begun and held in the city of Montgomery, on the seventh day of January, 1861; in which is preserved the speeches of the secret sessions and many valuable state papers

Published 1861
Topics — Proceedings of Confederate States Constitutional Convention, Rationale for Secession and formation of a “Southern Confederation”, Slavery

 

• Extract from a speech… delivered in the secession convention of Georgia, January, 1861

Published 1861
Topics — Consequences of secession, Reasons for secession, Debate between Jeff Davis and Stephen Douglass in US Senate 1860

 

• Journal of the public and secret proceedings of the Convention of the people of Georgia : held in Milledgeville and Savannah in 1861: together with the ordinances adopted

Published 1861
Topic — Secession of the State of Georgia from the United States of America

 

• Prophecy and fulfillment. Speech of A. H. Stephens, of Georgia, (vice-president of the so-called Confderate States.)

Published 1863
Topics — Secession, United States – Politics and government 1961-1864,
Speech of A H Stephens of Georgia, in opposition to secession in 1860 – With and address of E W Gantt of Arkansas (brigadier-general in the confederate army) in favor of Reunion in 1863

 

• Mr. Douglas and the doctrine of coercion : together with letters from Hon. Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia, and Hon. J.K. Paulding, former sec. of navy

Published 1860
Topics — Stephen Douglas, Secession, States’ Rights (American politics), Campaign literature of 1860

 

• Journal of both sessions of the Convention of the state of Arkansas

Published 1961
Topic – Secession of the State of Arkansas from the United States of America