NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO
January/February 1861
From The Missouri Democrat, Monday, February 11, 1861.
BY TELEGRAPH.
SUNDAY NIGHT DISPATCHES.
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM MONTGOMERY, AND ITS BAND OF INVADERS.
Proceedings of the Cotton Congress.
Cotton is King, and Jeff. Davis is President.
MONTGOMERY, ALA., Feb. 9.—Uuusual [sic] interest was manifested in the proceedings of the Southern Congress to-day. The hall of the convention and the gallery was crowded. Mr. Meminger presented a beautiful model flag made by the ladies of South Carolina. This flag has a blue cross on a red field. Seven stars are on the flag. It was highly admired. He also presented another model flag by a gentleman of Charleston. It has a cross and fifteen stars on a field of stripes. A committee was appointed to report on a flag, a seal, and a coat of arms, and a motto of the Southern Confederacy. The President was directed to appoint committees on foreign affairs, on finance, on military and naval affairs, on commerce and on patents.
Hon. Jefferson Davis was then elected President, and Hon. Alex. H. Stephens, of Georgia, Vice President of the Southern Confederacy. The vote was unanimous.
A resolution was adopted for appointing a committee of three Alabama deputies to inquire and report on what terms suitable buildings in Montgomery, for the use of the several executive departments of the confederacy under the provisional government, could be obtained.
An ordinance was passed continuing in force, until repealed or altered by the Southern Congress, all laws of the United States in force or use on the first of November last. It is understood that under this law a tariff will be laid on all goods brought from the United States. [That’s cool.] [sic]
A resolution was adopted, instructing the Committee on Finance to report promptly a tariff for raising revenue for the support of the government.
A resolution was adopted authorizing the appointment of a committee to report a constitution for the permanent government of the confederacy.
The Congress was about two hours in secret session, and the rest of the proceedings were conducted openly.
