1852— Elected  to  the  State  Senate ;  to  the  Senate  of  the  United
States;  most  influential  delegate  to  the  Louisiana  Con
stitutional  Convention.  During  this  period  is  prominent
in  the  affairs  of  the  Jackson  Railroad  and  the  Tehuantepec
Company.
1856-1858 — Speech  on  the  Kansas  question  in  the  Senate ;  taking
sides  in  the  growing  bitterness  of  the  slavery  question.
The  Whig  party  goes  to  pieces,  and  Benjamin  finally  be
comes  a  Democrat.
18  CHEONOLOGY

1859— Reflected  to  the  Senate.
1860 — Split  iu  the  Charleston  Convention  (April)  of  the  Demo
cratic  party.  Benjamin  takes  sides  against  Douglas,  and
approves  of  the  secession  of  Southern  delegates.  Absent  in
California  as  counsel  in  the  New  Almaden  mines  case  when
Congress  assembles.  December  3d,  takes  his  seat  soon  after
the  meeting,  and  declares  for  secession.  December  31st,
delivers  a  great  speech  in  defense  of  the  Southern  position.
1861— South  Carolina  having  seceded  on  December  20,  1860,
Louisiana  follows,  January  26,  1861.  February  4th,
Benjamin  and  Slidell  bid  farewell  to  the  Senate.  Benjamin
returns  to  New  Orleans,  and  on  February  25th,  is  named
Attorney-General  in  the  Confederate  Cabinet.  February
18th,  inauguration  of  the  provisional  government  of  the
Confederate  States.  March  4th,  inauguration  of  President
Lincoln.  April  12th,  firing  on  Fort  Sumter.  July  21st,
Bull  Run.  September  17th,  Benjamin  named  acting
Secretary  of  War,  and  confirmed  in  the  office  by  the
Confederate  Senate  in  November.  November-December,
Mason  and  Slidell  sail  as  Confederate  Commissioners  to
England  and  to  France  respectively ;  are  captured  by  the
United  States  SS.  Son  Jacinto,  and  released  upon  the  de
mand  of  England.
