William L. Yancey's turbulent
history ruled him out of consideration. He had killed his father-in-law
in a street brawl. Rhett's extreme views had been the bugle call to
battle but something more than sound was needed now.
Toombs was dropped even for Vice-President for Alexander H. Stephens,
the man who had pleaded in tears with his State not to secede.
The highest honor had been forced on the one man in all the South who
most passionately wished to avoid it.
So acute was the consciousness of tragedy there was scarcely a ripple of
applause at public functions where Socola had looked for mad enthusiasm.
The old Constitution had been reenacted with no essential change. The
new President had even insisted that the Provisional Congress retain the
old flag as their emblem of nationality with only a new battle flag for
use in case of war. The Congress over-ruled him at this point with an
emphasis which they meant as a rebuke to his tendency to cling to the
hope of reconciliation.
It was exactly one o'clock on Monday, February 18, 1861, that Jefferson
Davis rose between the towering pillars of the State Capitol in
Montgomery and began his inaugural address. It was careful, moderate,
statesmanlike, and a model of classic English.
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