Following the election of John C. Fremont, a renowned abolitionist, to the presidency, the state governments of seven states: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas, announced that if any federal action was taken to violate their state sovereignty, they would seceede from the union. President Fremont sent a bitter reply two days later on January 4. He stated that if they secceded, the United States would take action against them and would accept nothing less than a complete apology for any southern actions.