indorsing his course, advocated acquiescence in the Com-
promise measures, warmly denounced the secession move-
ment, and organized the Union party in Mississippi. The
legislature, undisturbed by this "growl of whiggery" so
near its doors, took up the governor's recommendation, and
passed an act for a convention a year hence to "consider the
state of Federal relations and the remedies to be applied."

The people of the state were now sharply divided into
two political parties. One was the party of secession, organ-
ized in November, 1850, under the name of the Southern
Rights Party, and which assumed the name of the Demo-
cratic State-rights Party in June, 1851. By some they were
called "Resisters." It was composed of the bulk of the old
Democratic party and a small element of State-rights Whigs.
The Union party was organized on the day on which Foote's
convention met; namely, the 18th of November, 1850. It
was composed of old line Whigs and Union Democrats.
The secession party had in its ranks a preponderance of the
wealth and talent of the state, but lacked the concert of
action and the audacity of the Union party. In the cam-
paign that followed, the precise question involved, says
Foote, was, "Will Mississippi join South Carolina in the
act of secession from the Union?" The question was to
be settled by the election of a governor and delegates to
the state convention. Quitman, the most rabid of the
"Resisters," was nominated by the Democrats for governor
over Jefferson Davis, while Foote was chosen to be the
standard bearer of the Union party. The election of dele-
gates occurred a month earlier than the gubernatorial elec-
tion. In the first election the Union party won by a majority
of seven thousand votes. Quitman, mortified at this une-
quivocal condemnation of his policy, and almost certain that
the convention which he had fathered would declare against
him, retired from the race after issuing an address to the
people. ¹ This left the secession party without a leader, and
the state election was but a month off. Jefferson Davis, who
many felt should have received the nomination in the first
instance, was persuaded to resign his seat in the Senate to
lead their forlorn hope. Foote was elected governor, but
the Union majority of seven thousand in September was
reduced to less than one thousand in October. ² The Union
party elected a majority of the legislature, and three mem-

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