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Provisional Congress of the Confederate States

{{Short description|Legislature of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States}}

{{Distinguish|Confederate States Congress}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2017}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2017}}

{{Infobox legislature

| name = Provisional Congress
of the
Confederate States

| coa_pic =

| logo_pic = Flag of the Confederate States of America (1861-1863).svg{{!}}border

| logo_caption = {{nowrap|Flag of the Confederate States (1861–1863)}}

| house_type = Unicameral

| foundation = {{Start date|1861|2|4}}

| disbanded = {{End date|1862|2|17}}

| succeeded_by = Confederate States Congress

| leader1_type = President

| leader1 = Howell Cobb

| session_room = Alabama Capitol NW 1886.jpg

| session_res = 250px

| session_alt = First Capitol of the Confederate States (1861)

| meeting_place = {{br separated entries |Alabama State Capitol |Montgomery, Alabama |Confederate States of America}}

| session_room2 = Virginia Capitol 1865.jpg

| session_res2 = 250px

| session_alt2 = Second Capitol of the Confederate States (1861-1865)

| meeting_place2 = {{br separated entries |Virginia State Capitol |Richmond, Virginia |Confederate States of America}}

| constitution = Constitution for the Provisional Government
of the Confederate States

}}

The Provisional Congress of the Confederate States, fully the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America, was a unicameral congress of deputies and delegates called together from the Southern States which became the governing body of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States from February 4, 1861, to February 17, 1862. It sat in Montgomery, Alabama, until May 21, 1861, when it adjourned to meet in Richmond, Virginia, on July 20, 1861. In both cities, it met in the existing state capitols which it shared with the respective secessionist state legislatures. It added new members as other states seceded from the Union and directed the election on November 6, 1861, at which a permanent government was elected.{{harvnb|Voorhees|Bok|1983|p=683}}

File:Provisional_Confederate_government_flag.png

First Session

The First Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Montgomery from February 4, 1861, to March 16, 1861.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=5}} Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina,{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=7}} and Texas.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=60, 92}} It drafted a provisional constitution and set up a government. For president and vice president, it selected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia.

=Constitutional Convention=

The Confederate States Constitutional Convention was held at Montgomery from February 28, 1861, to March 11, 1861.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=5}}

Second Session

The Second Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Montgomery from April 29, 1861, to May 21, 1861.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=5}} Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia,{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=193}} and Arkansas.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=244}}

Third Session

The Third Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond from July 20, 1861, to August 31, 1861.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=5}} Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina,{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=271}} and Tennessee.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=337}}

Fourth Session

The Fourth Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond on September 3, 1861.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=5}} Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Fifth Session

The Fifth Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond from November 18, 1861, to February 17, 1862.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=5}} Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri,{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=510}} and Kentucky.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=574}} One non-voting member was present from the Arizona Territory.{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=701}}

Leadership

{{multiple image

| caption_align = center

| header_align = center

| header = President

| image1 = Howell Cobb-crop.jpg

| width1 = 165

| alt1 = Howell Cobb

| caption1 = Howell Cobb

}}

Members

=Deputies=

Deputies from the first seven states to secede formed the first two sessions of the Congress.

Alabama

  • Richard W. Walker{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}
  • Robert H. Smith{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}
  • Colin J. McRae{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}
  • John Gill Shorter (resigned November 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}
  • Cornelius Robinson (took his seat on April 29, 1861 – Elected to fill vacancy; resigned January 24, 1862)
  • W. P. Chilton{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}
  • Stephen F. Hale{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}
  • David P. Lewis (resigned April 29, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=159}}
  • Nic. Davis, Jr. (took his seat on April 29, 1861 – Elected to fill vacancy){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=159}}
  • Thomas Fearn (resigned April 29, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=159}}
  • H. C. Jones (took his seat on April 29, 1861 – Elected to fill vacancy){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=159}}
  • J. L. M. Curry{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=12-13}}

Florida

  • J. Patton Anderson (resigned April 8, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=13-14}}
  • George Taliaferro Ward (took his seat on May 2, 1861 – Elected to fill vacancy; resigned February 5, 1862)
  • John Pease Sanderson (took his seat on February 5, 1862 – Appointed to fill vacancy)
  • James B. Owens{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • Jackson Morton (took his seat on February 6, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=22-23}}

Georgia

  • Robert Toombs{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • Howell Cobb{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • F. S. Bartow (killed July 21, 1861 at the First Battle of Bull Run){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • Thomas Marsh Forman (took his seat on August 7, 1861 – Appointed to fill vacancy)
  • M. J. Crawford{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • E. A. Nisbet (resigned December 10, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • Nathan Henry Bass, Sr. (took his seat on January 14, 1862 – Appointed to fill vacancy)
  • B. H. Hill{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • A. R. Wright{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • T. R. R. Cobb{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • A. H. Kenan{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}
  • A. H. Stephens{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=14}}

Louisiana

Mississippi

  • A. M. Clayton (resigned May 11, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}
  • Alexander Blackburn Bradford (took his seat on December 5, 1861 – Elected to fill vacancy)
  • James T. Harrison{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}
  • William S. Barry{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}
  • J. A. P. Campbell{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}
  • Wiley P. Harris{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}
  • Walker Brooke{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}
  • William S. Wilson (resigned April 29, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=15}}{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=159}}
  • J. A. Orr (took his seat on April 29, 1861 – Elected to fill vacancy){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=159}}

South Carolina

Texas

  • John Gregg (took his seat on February 15, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=53-54}}
  • Thomas N. Waul (took his seat on February 19, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=64}}
  • W. S. Oldham (took his seat on March 2, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=97}}
  • J. H. Reagan (took his seat on March 2, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=97}}
  • John Hemphill (took his seat on March 2, 1861; died January 4, 1862){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=97}}{{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|pp=638-69}}
  • W. B. Ochiltree (took his seat on March 2, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=97}}
  • L. T. Wigfall (took his seat on March 2, 1861){{sfn|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904|p=97}}

=Delegates=

Representatives from states that seceded after the Battle of Fort Sumter were referred to as delegates, in contrast to the deputies from the original seven states, even though they all had the same obligations.

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-2}}

Arkansas

Kentucky

Missouri

North Carolina

{{Col-2}}

Tennessee

Virginia

Arizona Territory

{{Col-end}}

Notes

{{reflist|30em}}

References

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

  • {{cite book |editor-last=Root |editor-first=Elihu |editor-link=Elihu Root |title=Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861–1865. Volume I: Journal of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America |url=https://archive.org/details/journalofcongres00conf |series=Senate document (United States. Congress. Senate); 58th Congress, 2nd session, no. 234 |location=Washington |publisher=GPO |date=1904 |orig-year=1st pub. 1861–1862 |lccn=05012700 |ref={{harvid|S. Doc. No. 234, 58th Cong., 2nd Sess.|1904}} |via=Internet Archive}}
  • {{cite book|last=Thomas|first=Emory M|date=1998|title=The Confederate State of Richmond: A Biography of the Capital|publisher= Louisiana State University Press}}
  • {{cite book |editor1-last=Voorhees |editor1-first=David William |editor2-last=Bok |editor2-first=H. Abigail |title=Concise Dictionary of American History |location=New York |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |date=1983 |isbn=0-684-17321-2 |oclc=9111110 |url=https://archive.org/details/concisedictionar00voor }}

{{Div col end}}

Further reading

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

  • {{cite book |last=Beers |first=Henry Putney |date=1986 |orig-year=1st pub. Government Printing Office: 1968 |chapter=Chapter II: Congress |title=The Confederacy: A Guide to the Archives of the Confederate States of America |location=Washington |publisher=National Archives and Records Administration |pages=9–35 |isbn=0-911333-18-5 |lccn=86008362 |oclc=13425465 |ol=2715333M}}
  • {{cite book |author=Confederate States of America |date=1861 |title=Constitution for the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America |url=https://archive.org/details/constitutionofpr00conf |location=Montgomery, Ala. |publisher=Shorter & Reid |lccn=44014587 |ol=24392168M |via=Internet Archive}}
  • {{cite book |author=Confederate States of America |date=1861 |title=Laws of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States in Relation to the War Department |url=https://archive.org/details/lawsofprovisiona00conf |location=Richmond |publisher=Tyler, Wise & Allegre |ol=24601308M |via=Internet Archive}}
  • {{cite book |author=Confederate States of America |editor-last=Matthews |editor-first=James M. |date=1864 |title=Statutes at Large of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America |url=https://archive.org/details/statutesatlargeo00confed |location=Richmond |publisher=R. M. Smith |lccn=06012179 |via=Internet Archive}}
  • {{cite book |last=Davis |first=William C. |author-link=William C. Davis (historian) |date=2002 |chapter=Chapter 3: Visions of Breakers Ahead |title=Look Away!: A History of the Confederate States of America |location=New York |publisher=The Free Press |pages=55–84 |isbn=0-684-86585-8 |oclc=48711345 |url=https://archive.org/details/lookawayhistoryo00will }}
  • {{cite book |last=Martis |first=Kenneth C. |author-link=Kenneth C. Martis |date=1994 |chapter=Chapter 2: Provisional Confederate Congress |title=The Historical Atlas of the Congresses of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 |others=Gyula Pauer, Cartographer |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |pages=7–13 |isbn=0-13-389115-1}}

{{Div col end}}

External links

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{{S-start}}

{{S-new | constituency}}

{{S-ttl | title = Provisional Congress of the Confederate States | years = February 4, 1861 – February 17, 1862}}

{{s-aft | after = Confederate States Congress}}

{{S-end}}

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Category:1861 establishments in the Confederate States of America

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