This is the Jocco podcast Civil War excursion number one with JD Baker and me,

Jocco Willink. Good evening JD. Good evening, Jocco. January 21st, 1861. I rise

Mr. President for the purpose of announcing to the Senate that I have

satisfactory evidence that the state of Mississippi by a solemn ordinance of

her people in convention assembled has declared her separation from the United States.

Under these circumstances, of course, my functions are terminated here. It has

seemed to me proper, however, that I should appear in the Senate to announce

that fact to my associates, and I will say but very little more. The occasion

does not invite me to go into argument and my physical condition would not

permit me to do so if it were otherwise. And yet it seems to become me to say

something on the part of the state I here represent on an occasion so solemn as

this. It is known to senators who have served with me here that I have for many

years advocated as an essential attribute of state sovereignty the right of a

state to secede from the union. Therefore, if I had not believed there was a

justifiable cause, if I had thought that Mississippi was acting without sufficient

provocation or without existing necessity, I should still under my theory of the

government because of my allegiance to the state of which I am a citizen have

been bound by her action. I however, may be permitted to say that I do think she

has a justifiable cause and I approve of her act. I conferred with her people

before the act was taken, counseled them that if the state of things which they

apprehended should exist when the convention met, they should take the action

which they have now adopted. Mr. President and senators having made the

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