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Record Group Number: 001000
Series/Collection Number: .S 972
Creator: Florida Convention of the People
Title, Dates: Ordinance of secession, 1861.
Amount: 1.00 item
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Biographical/Historical:     Pursuant to an Act of the Legislature approved November 30, 1860, Florida Governor Madison S. Perry issued a proclamation calling an election on Saturday, December 22, 1860, for delegates to a Convention to address the issue of whether Florida had a right to withdraw from the Union. The Secession Convention met on January 3, 1861, in Tallahassee and elected John C. McGehee of Madison County as President. The Convention passed the Ordinance of Secession on January 10, 1861, declaring Florida to be "a sovereign and independent nation." The Convention ratified the Constitution adopted by the Confederate States of America on April 13 and adjourned sine die on April 27, unless convened by the president on or before December 25.

    Since the Convention generally approved of Governor Perry's actions it made no move to interfere with his administration; however, when Governor Milton took office in October of 1861 and reversed some policies of his predecessor, a move was started to reconvene the Convention. President McGehee issued a proclamation on December 13 for the convention to meet on January 14, 1862, at Tallahassee. McGehee expressed concern over two matters: the state's finances and the powers of the Governor during wartime. To remedy the later, members appointed an Executive Council of four men to share the executive authority because they felt that the powers of a wartime executive should not be placed in the hands of one man. The Convention adjourned sine die on January 27, 1862.
Summary:     The series contains a one-page handwritten copy of the Ordinance of Secession passed on January 10, 1861, by the members of the Florida Convention of the People (commonly referred to as the Secession Convention). The Ordinance is signed by delegates and declares that Florida was seceding from the United States of America and that Florida is "a Sovereign and Independent Nation." There are 65 signatures on the Ordinance of Secession.
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Additional Physical Form: This document has been digitized and is available on the Florida Memory web site: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/339353
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Publication Note: Published in: Journal of the proceedings of the Convention of the People of Florida, begun and held at the Capitol in the city of Tallahassee, on Thursday, January 3, A.D. 1861.  Tallahassee : Office of the Floridian and Journal, 1861.
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Electronic Records Access: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/339353
Subject Access Fields: Secession.
Ordinances. aat
Florida Politics and government 1821-1865
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