On January 21, 1861, Mississippi Senator Jeff Davis gave his speech resigning from the United States Senate. The entire speech can be read here, beginning on page 180. It opens with the statement that Mississippi had voted to secede from the United States and over the next pages Davis offers his view of the legality of secession. Davis insists that his resignation has nothing to do with personal animosity towards Northern senators, but instead grows out of the follow, which he says is the basis for Mississippi’s secession:
Davis then gives a short reflection on his relations with other senators and bids the Senate goodbye.
This is among the shortest of the resignation speeches. It offers only one substantive reason for secession.
1/20/23
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