 Fearful of arrest as a rebel once he left the Senate , Benjamin quickly departed Washington for New Orleans . On the day of Benjamin 's resignation , the Provisional Confederate States Congress gathered in Montgomery , Alabama , and soon chose Davis as president . Davis was sworn in as provisional Confederate States President on February 18 , 1861 . At home in New Orleans for , it would prove , the last time , Benjamin addressed a rally on Washington 's Birthday , February 22 , 1861 . On February 25 , Davis appointed Benjamin , still in New Orleans , as attorney general ; the Louisianan was approved immediately and unanimously by the provisional Congress . Davis thus became the first chief executive in North America to appoint a Jew to his Cabinet . 
