to have
joined in one, and that running fiercely, and unrestrained toward
disunion. The election of Mr. Lincoln united the people. On all sides
prevailed the deepest enthusiasm in favor of secession. Mass meetings,
attended by all parties, were held, and passed resolutions advocating in
the strongest terms immediate disunion. Secessionists were astonished at
the change, and in their anxiety to avoid anything which might shock the
newly awakened sentiment, appeared in many cases the most conservative
members of the community. But indeed nothing was too violent for the
state of public feeling. War committees were appointed, and active
measures taken to put the State in a position to maintain her
independence as soon as the ordinance of secession should have received
the sanction of the convention. Troops were despatched to take
possession of the arsenal, and agents were sent North to purchase
additions to the already large supply of arms in the State. Immediate
secession seemed to be the desire of every class. But this condition of
things was not always to continue. The reaction which had carried the
Unionists from a state of perfect confidence in the success of their
candidate, to one of deep disappointment, and of rage at the section to
which they attributed their defeat, having at length spent itself, signs
of a returning movement began to make their appearance. At first these
were not strongly marked. All were yet in favor of secession, but a
large party, composed of most of the former partisans of Mr. Bell,
together with the conservative element of every class, began at length
to object to a too great precipitancy, and finally to demand that the
action of Alabama should be made to depend upon the decision of the
other Southern States. This movement was understood by the secessionists
to have for its ultimate object the defeat of their hopes of disunion;
and such, unquestionably, was its aim; for whatever may have been the
plans of some of the leaders of the cooperationists, as this party was
called, it is certain that the great body of the party had no other end
in view, and was sustained in its action by no other hope than the
perpetuation of the Union.

At the caucus meetings which preceded the election of delegates to the
State convention the two parties, as now formed, first came into
conflict. At once important differences became apparent. Although nearly
equal in numbers, in spirit the two parties were signall