Abraham Lincoln : a history : the full and authorized record of his private life and public career . h a stern re-buke and dismissal, the President cowered andyielded to their demand. The sanctity of theConstitution, the majesty of the law, the power ofthe nation, the patriotism of the people, all fadedfrom his bewildered vision; his irresolute willshrank from his declared purpose to protect thepublic property and enforce the revenue laws. Hesaw only the picture of strife and bloodshed whichthe glib tongues of his persecutors conjured up,and failed to detect the theatric purpose for whichit wa
Abraham Lincoln : a history : the full and authorized record of his private life and public career . h a stern re-buke and dismissal, the President cowered andyielded to their demand. The sanctity of theConstitution, the majesty of the law, the power ofthe nation, the patriotism of the people, all fadedfrom his bewildered vision; his irresolute willshrank from his declared purpose to protect thepublic property and enforce the revenue laws. Hesaw only the picture of strife and bloodshed whichthe glib tongues of his persecutors conjured up,and failed to detect the theatric purpose for whichit was hastened to assure his visitors that it wasBuchanan his determination not to reenforce the forts insioners,18 the harbor, and thus produce a collision, until theyi860, w. r. had been actually attacked, or until he had cer- Vol. I., p. J I. tain evidence that they were about to be this was only another concession, much likethe first in outward semblance, it was neverthelessin its vital essence a fatal hurt to the rapidlyshrinking Federal authority. The conspiracy had. LEWIS CASS. MR. BUCHANANS TRUCE 385 won the choice of position; when the combat come it was in the attitude necessary todeal the first blow. The main point secured, there was an exhibitionof abundant diplomatic politeness between theparties. The President suggested that for pru-dential reasons it would be best to put in writingwhat they had said to him verbally. This theyreadily promised, and on Monday, the 10th, gavehim, duly signed by five of the South CarolinaRepresentatives, this important paper: Washington, December 9, compliance with our statement to you yesterday, wenow express to you our strong convictions that neitherthe constituted authorities nor any body of the people ofthe State of South Carolina will either attack or molest theUnited States forts in the harbor of Charleston previouslyto the action of the convention, and we hope and believenot until
Size: 1138px × 2196px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthornicolayjohngjohngeorg, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910
