aces 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, 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withdrawn from all the States which claim to have seceded,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.

In the early period of Lincoln's administration he was hopeful that many
serious phases of the threatened trouble might be averted, and that the
better judgment of the citizens of the South might prevail. "For more
than a month after his inauguration," says Secretary Welles, "President
Lincoln indulged the hope, I may say felt a strong confidence, that
Virginia would not secede but would adhere to the Union.... That there
should be no cause of offense, no step that would precipitate or justify
secession, he enjoined forbearance from all unnecessary exercise of
political party authority." But he was very decided and determined as to
what his duty was and what his action would be if the secessionists and
disunionists pressed their case. He said: