returned a
scornful and defiant message. Governor Magoffin replied that
Kentucky "would furnish no troops for the wicked purpose of subduing
her sister States of the South." Governor Letcher declared that
"the militia of Virginia would not be furnished to the powers at
Washington for any such use or purpose as they had in view, which
was the subjugation of the Southern States," and that "the civil
war which the powers at Washington had chosen to inaugurate would
be met by the South in a spirit as determined." Governor Jackson
considered "the call to be illegal, unconstitutional, and revolutionary;
its objects to be inhuman and diabolical," and it "would not be
complied with by Missouri." Governor Harris said that Tennessee
"would not furnish a single man for coercion, but would raise fifty
thousand men for the defense of her rights, and those of her Southern
brethren." Governor Ellis of North Carolina answered that he "could
be no party to the wicked violation of the laws of the country and
to the war upon the liberties of a free people." Governor Rector
declared that the President's call for troops was only "adding
insult to injury, and that the people of Arkansas would defend, to
the last extremity, their honor and their property against Northern
mendacity and usurpation." Governor Hicks for prudential reasons
excused Maryland at the time from responding to the President's
call, and when a month afterwards he notified the War Department
of his readiness to comply with the request of the Government, he
was informed that three-months' men were not needed, and that
arrangements had been made for accepting three-years' volunteers
from Maryland. Governor Burton of Delaware replied that "there
was no organized militia in the State, and no law authorizing such
organization." Indisposition to respond to the President was
therefore in different degrees manifest in every part of the Union
where Slavery had wrought its demoralizing influence. Mr. Lincoln
was disappointed at this proof of the sectional character of the
contest, and he realized that if American nationality was to be
preserved, it must look for help to the abounding resources and
the patriotic loyalty of the free States.

THE GOVERNORS OF LOYAL STATES.

It fortunately happened that the governors of the free States were
devoted to the Union in as great degree as the Southern governors
were devoted to the Conf