In the annals of the United States Senate, few moments hold as much drama as the events of January 21, 1861. The Capitol was abuzz from the break of dawn on that chilly winter morning, as spectators queued up in anticipation. Latecomers found themselves scrambling for a spot in the already packed cloakrooms and lobby adjacent to the Senate Chamber. The tension was palpable, fueled by the recent secession of Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama from the Union, and rumors of Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas soon following suit.

The capital city was gripped with apprehension as it awaited the farewell addresses of five senators. An observer noted a sense of impending doom, likening it to "blood in the air" as the chaplain delivered his prayer at noon. With the Senate in full attendance, Vice President John Breckinridge delayed a vote on Kansas's admission as a free state to acknowledge the departing senators from Florida and Alabama.

The focus of the room shifted to Jefferson Davis of Mississippi, the recognized Southern leader in Congress, as the four senators concluded their farewells. Despite battling severe facial neuralgia that had kept him bedridden for over a week, the 52-year-old Davis rose to speak. Starting in a low voice, he gradually gained volume and intensity.

Davis announced Mississippi's secession from the United States, attributing the decision to the perceived threat of losing rights inherited from their forefathers within the Union. He urged his Senate peers to strive for peaceful relations between the United States and the seceding states, warning that any interference could lead to nationwide disaster.

His six-minute address was met with deafening silence, followed by applause and audible sobbing throughout the Chamber. As Davis and his four colleagues solemnly exited, the vice president and all 58 senators, along with the spectators, rose in unison.

Reflecting on the profound sorrow of that day, Davis later described his speech as "leaves torn from the book of fate," rather than his own words. This poignant moment marked a significant chapter in the history of the United States.