The  Provisional  Congress,  in  session  at  Montgomery,  Ala-
bama, on  the  21st  of  May,  1861,  resolved  "  that  this  Congress
will  adjourn  on  Tuesday  next,  to  meet  again  on  the  20th  day  of
July  at  Richmond,  Virginia."  The  resolution  further  author-
ized the  President  to  have  the  several  executive  departments,
with  their  archives,  removed  at  such  intermediate  time  as  he
might  determine,  and  added  a  proviso  that,  if  any  public  emer-
gency should  "  render  it  impolitic  to  meet  in  Richmond,"  he
should  call  the  Congress  together  at  some  other  place  to  be
selected  by  him.
The  hostile  demonstrations  of  the  United  States  Government


340      RISE   AND   FALL  OF  THE   CONFEDERATE   GOVERNMENT.
against  Virginia  caused  the  President,  at  an  early  day  after  the
adjournment  of  Congress,  to  proceed  to  Richmond  and  to  direct
the  executive  departments,  with  their  archives,  to  be  removed
to  that  place  as  soon  as  could  be  conveniently  done.
