In this historic speech, Jefferson Davis, the future President of the Confederacy, explains and defends the secession of Mississippi from the United States following the election of Abraham Lincoln. He argues that the rights of the states were being violated and that secession was a legitimate remedy. This document is an important primary source for understanding the causes and justifications for the Civil War. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.