...innocuously reasonable passage assuring the South of his pacific intentions: In doing this there needs to be no bloodshed or violence; and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess...

...shall withhold the requisite means, or, in some authoritative manner, direct the contrary. I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as...constitutionally defend, and maintain itself. In doing this there needs to be no bloodshed or violence; and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national...

...because he had spoken plainly in his inaugural address. He then quoted to them from it about his intent to "hold, occupy, and possess, the property, and places belonging to the Government." This was a bit disingenuous, because the clarity of that point was obscured by conciliatory passages...

...shall withhold the requisite means, or, in some authoritative manner, direct the contrary. I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as...will constitutionally defend, and maintain itself. . . . The Southern states that had seceded declared that the Constitution had been enacted as a compact...

...shall be faithfully executed in all the states!'" When he continued on with "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government," a great wave of enthusiasm rolled through the audience, "as the united voices of the immense multitude...

...obligations. One was his solemn oath to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Union, to which end he promised to "hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the Government," of which Fort Sumter was by all means the most important. The other moral obligation was his promise...