...none, unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging...necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion The last two paragraphs are for history, but this passage is the meat of the speech in terms of immediate...

...federal government had changed; and while he would not invade the seceded states, he promised to "hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging...Government and to collect the duties and imposts," as if secession had never taken place. If war came, Lincoln said, it would come only as a result of...

...beginning of that month, in the inaugural, I said: "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging...government, and to collect the duties and imposts." This had your distinct approval at the time; and, taken in connection with the order I immediately...

...reminded Seward, he announced in his Inaugural Address: "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging...government, and to collect the duties and imposts." This had your distinct approval at the time; and, taken in connection with the order I immediately...

...none unless it is forced upon the National authority. The power confided to me mil be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government, and collect the duties and imposts ; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects there will be no...

...Lincoln made it very clear what would provoke war: "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging...using of force against or among the people anywhere." The "property" to which Lincoln referred were federal forts like Fort Sumter, which were the primary...

...none, unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging...these objects, there will be no invasion — no using offoree against, or among the people anywhere . . . If a minority, in such case, will secede rather...

...president's duty to keep the government operating: "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging...the Government and to collect the duties and imposts — The mails, unless repelled, will continue to be furnished in all parts of the Union. So far as...

...Confederate government compounded their problems. The president's promise to use his power "to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties on imposts" forced Unionists to answer charges that his words were a declaration of war. Disavowing...