Mrs. Charles
Lowndes was sitting with us to-day, when Mrs. Kirkland brought in a copy of the
Secession
Ordinance. I wonder if my face grew as white as hers. She said after a
moment: “God help us. As our day, so shall our strength be.” How grateful we
were for this pious ejaculation of hers! They say I had better take my last
look at this beautiful place, Combahee. It is on the coast, open to gunboats.
We mean business this time, because of this convocation of the notables, this
convention.1 In it are all our wisest and best. They really have
tried to send the ablest men, the good men and true. South Carolina was never
more splendidly represented. Patriotism aside, it makes society delightful. One
need not regret having left Washington.
_______________
1 The Convention, which on December 20, 1860,
passed the famous Ordinance of Secession, and had first met in Columbia, the
State capital.
SOURCE: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Edited by Isabella D. Martin
and Myrta Lockett Avary, A Diary From Dixie, p. 4
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