The legislature met at Baton Rouge December 10th. Congress had preceded its assembling—having already met December 3, 1860. It was another time in which precedents were missing. Never before, since its admission as a State, had Louisiana found its legislature in discord as to principle and fact with the Congress of the United States.
The governor's message was on the lines of his proclamation calling that body in special session. Upon the subject of a convention to decide upon secession he had already said: ‘If I am not mistaken in public opinion a convention will decide that Louisiana will not submit to the presidency of Mr. Lincoln.’ In his message, Governor Moore made haste to recommend provision for the election of members of the convention ‘as soon as may be passed with due regard to time,’ to whom shall be communicated the responsibility of ‘determining that position and shaping that policy, so far as affects the relations of Louisiana to the Federal government.’
Before the legislature met there had come, filtering
