the course marked out in the Inaugural Address. I commend a careful consideration of the whole document as the best expression I can give to my purposes. As I then and therein said, I now repeat, "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what is necessary for these objects there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere." By the words "property and places belonging to the Government," I chiefly allude to the military posts and property which were in possession of the Government when it came into my hands. But if, as now appears to be true, in pursuit of a purpose to drive the United States authority from these places, an unprovoked assault has been made upon Fort Sumter, I shall hold myself at liberty to repossess it, if I can, like places which had been seized before the Government was devolved upon me; and in any event I shall, to the best of my ability, repel force by force. In case it proves true that Fort Sumter has been assaulted, as is reported, I shall perhaps, cause the United States mails to be withdrawn from all the States which claim to have seceded, believing that the commencement of actual war against the Government, justifies and possibly demands it. I scarcely need to say that I consider the military posts and property situated within the States which claim to have seceded, as yet belonging to the Government of the United States as much as they did before the supposed secession. Whatever else I may do for the purpose, I shall not attempt to collect the duties and imposts by any armed invasion of any part of the country; not meaning by this, however, that I may not land a force deemed necessary to relieve a fort upon the border of the country. From the fact that I have quoted a part of the Inaugural Address, it must not be inferred that I repudiate any other part, the whole of which I reaffirm, except so far as what I now say of the mails may be regarded as a modification. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

The leading secessionists felt sure that if they could bring about a collision between what they called the South and the Government, the immediate effect would

be such an aroused spirit of resistance among all the leading men and "fire-eaters" in the Slave States as would immediately enable the secessionists to seize power in the Border States. This collision they sought at Charleston, where, during the unavoidable inaction of the Government, they had at first planned the seizure of Fort Moultrie, under command of Major Anderson, and after his retirement with his little garrison to Fort Sumter, had surrounded the latter work with powerful shore batteries and a force of many thousand men. When Mr. Lincoln took office it was already impossible to send reinforcements to the garrison before their provisions would be exhausted; and upon it being made known that provisions were about to be sent, General Beauregard, by command of Mr. Jefferson Davis, who had been elected "Provisional President" of a temporary Confederacy with headquarters at Montgomery, Alabama, opened his batteries upon Major Anderson, and after two days' bombardment set the fort on fire, and made it untenable. It was evacuated on the 14th of April, amid the profoundest excitement throughout the country, and on the 15th Mr. Lincoln issued the following

PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, the laws of the United States have been for some time past and now are opposed, and the execution thereof obstructed, in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by law; now, therefore, I Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, in virtue of the power in me vested by the Constitution and the laws, have thought fit to call forth, and hereby do call

forth, the militia of the several States of the Union to the aggregate number of 75,000, in order to suppress said combinations, and to cause the laws to be duly executed.

The details for this object will be immediately communicated to the State authorities through the War Department. I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and existence of our national Union, and the perpetuity of popular government, and to redress wrongs already long enough endured. I deem it proper to say that the first service assigned to the forces hereby called forth, will probably be to repossess the forts, places, and property which have been seized from the Union; and in every event the utmost care will be observed, consistently with the objects aforesaid, to avoid any devastation, any destruction of, or interference with, property, or any disturbance of peaceful citizens of any part of the country; and I hereby command the persons composing the combinations aforesaid, to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes, within twenty days from this date.

Deeming that the present condition of public affairs presents an extraordinary occasion, I do hereby, in virtue of the power in me vested by the Constitution, convene both houses of Congress. The Senators and Representatives are, therefore, summoned to assemble at their respective chambers at twelve o'clock, noon, on Thursday, the fourth day of July next, then and there to consider and determine such measures as, in their wisdom, the pulbic safety and interest may seem to demand.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtyone, and of the independence of the United States the eightyfifth.

By the President,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

There can be no question that the President issued the foregoing Proclamation with some doubt as to the man

ner in which it would be received by the country. He must have been somewhat surprised as well as overjoyed at finding that it was the occasion of an instant and overwhelming outburst of loyalty and devotion to the flag. If instead of asking for 75,000 men he had asked for 750,000, they would have been forthcoming. As the confederated insurgents had issued proposals for letters of marque against the commerce of the United States, the President, to meet them on this point, issued the following:

PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, an insurrection against the Government of the United States has broken out in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, and the laws of the United States for the collection of the revenue cannot be efficiently executed therein conformable to that provision of the Constitution which requires duties to be uniform throughout the United States:

And whereas a combination of persons, engaged in such insurrection, have threatened to grant pretended letters of marque to authorize the bearers thereof to commit assaults on the lives, vessels, and property of the good citizens of the country, lawfully engaged in commerce on the high seas, and in waters of the United States:

And whereas an Executive Proclamation has been already issued, requiring the persons engaged in these disorderly proceedings to desist therefrom, calling out a militia force for the purpose of repressing the same, and convening Congress in extraordinary session to deliberate and determine thereon:

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of the public peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or until the same shall have ceased, have further deemed it advisable to set on foot a

blockade of the ports within the States aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United States and of the laws of nations in such cases provided. For this purpose, a competent force will be posted so as to prevent entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid. If, therefore, with a view to violate such blockade, a vessel shall approach, or shall attempt to leave any of the said ports, she will be duly warned by the commander of one of the blockading vessels, who will endorse on her register the fact and date of such warning; and if the same vessel shall again attempt to leave or enter the blockaded port, she will be captured and sent to the nearest convenient port, for such proceedings against her and her cargo as prize, as may be deemed advisable.

And I hereby proclaim and declare, that if any person, under the pretended authority of such States, or under any other pretence, shall molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of her, such persons will be held amenable to the laws of the United States for the prevention and punishment of piracy.

By the President,

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. WASHINGTON, April 19, 1861.

The consequences of the attack upon Fort Sumter were in the Slave States just what the insurgent leaders expected. Virginia was thrown immediately (on the 17th of April) into the hands of the insurgents. Tennessee soon followed, her Union majority being for the moment overborne by the audacity of the secessionists. But Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri, although profoundly agitated, were kept within the pale of the Union. It is needless here to recount the exciting scenes which took place in the first of these States, and especially in Baltimore, immediately after the issuing of the Proclamation of April 15th, or the manner in which, by the wisdom and forbearance of Mr. Lincoln, and the sagacity