Transcript [excerpt, p1]:
The Ordinance of Secession
Mr. Inglis made a report to the committee to prepare and draft an ordinance proper to be adopted by the convention as follows:
“An Ordinance to dissolve the Union between the State of South Carolina and other States united with her under the compact entitled the Constitution of the United States of America.
“We the people of South Carolina convention assembled, do declare and ordain, and it is hereby declared and ordained that the ordinance adopted by us in convention on the 23rd day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, whereby the Constitution of the United States of America was ratified, and also all acts and parts of acts of the General Assembly of this State ratifying the amendments of the said Constitution are hereby repealed.
“And that the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dissolved.”
The ordinance having been read was taken up and passed by a unanimous vote of one hundred and sixty-nine members.
Citation:The Sun. Baltimore, 21 December 1860. Gift of Steven and Susan Raab. AN .S955
In the South public meetings approve secession. The four South Carolina Congressmen leave the House of Representatives. President-elect Lincoln writes to Democrat leader Francis Blare, and Congressman Washburne, that if the Charleston forts are given up to South Carolina before the inauguration, General Scott will have to retake them.