As has been pointed out, not all of the states that seceded had referenda,
leaving me doubtful whether the original statement means very much of
anything at all.
In the only state about which I can claim to know anything at all, Virginia,
sentiments certainly changed between the election in November 1860 and the
opening of hostilities in April 1861. Scarcely anybody doubts that a
substantial portion (probably a large majority) of the people who voted in
February 1861 for members of the Convention of 1861 were at that time
opposed to secession. When the question of secession came to a vote on 4
April 1861 a majority of the convention delegates voted it down. Only two
weeks later a majority of the same delegates voted in favor.
So what does that tell us? That opinions changed as circumstances changed.
It is also instructive to read in the convention debates and find out what
the delegates said about their beliefs and hopes and fears at the times that
the voted on secession. It should surprise nobody that they differed with
one another on their reasons.
Some of those reasons ought to invite us to rethink the whole episode. For
instance, read Daphne Gentry's excellent entry in volume 2 of the DICTIONARY
OF VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY on convention delegate George William Brent (no
relation to your 'umble servant, so far as I know), of Alexandria. He argued
forcefully against secession early in March on the grounds that he believed
that a Civil War would doom slavery and that they best means of preserving
slavery was to remain in the Union. I fear that he was not unique in that.
Another $0.02 worth (or maybe less) from
Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
[log in to unmask]
Visit the Library of Virginia's web site at http://www.lva.lib.va.us
-----Original Message-----
From: Diana Bennett [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 05 February, 2002 7:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The Vote to secede
Dear Brent:
The passage is from "None Died in Vain" by Leckie. See if this
explanation fits. The secession vote was taken of the people. Had it
gone to the legislature they would not have had enough votes..??
Diana
Brent Tarter wrote:
>
> It would be helpful to know who wrote the passage about which the question
> arises. But unless somebody can come up with a better explanation or some
> calculations that suggest something else, I suppose that the author of
this
> passage believes that the number of southern voters who voted for
secession
> during referenda in 1861 was smaller than half of the number of
southerners
> who voted in the presidential election of 1860.
>
> It is perhaps a harder question to figure out what conclusion we ought to
> draw from that.
>
> $0.02 worth from
>
> Brent Tarter
> The Library of Virginia
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Visit the Library of Virginia's web site at http://www.lva.lib.va.us
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diana Bennett [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 04 February, 2002 4:50 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: The Vote to secede
>
> Dear Listers:
>
> Can someone explain the following passage to me? It indicates that a
> small majority won the election, but then it says that no state had a
> majority in the November election?
>
> "The vote of the seven southern states to secede was won by only a
> narrow margin. Only 60-80% of the population voted. And in no state did
> the Secessionists receive a vote large enough to have been a majority in
> the November election."
>
> Thanks for the explanation.
>
> Regards,
>
> Diana Kercheval Bennett
>
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