...whatever federal power is necessary to hold our federal property. I will collect the duties and impost, but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using offorce against or among the people anywhere." His declaration did not fool anyone. A staunch antisecessionist...

...March 4, 1861, inaugural address. But Lincoln also declared he would use the "power confided in [him] to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government. " This included Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, which, surrounded by thousands...

...Union be faithfully executed in all the States." He goes on to say, "that the power confided to him will be used to hold, occupy and possess the Property...Government, and to collect the Duties and Imposts." He deprecates bloodshed, but he does not declare, as Mr. Buchanan did, that the Government has absolutely...

...serious cause for so drastic an act as secession, and no serious cause to challenge his determination to "hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government." There would be no "invasion" — and on that score, very likely no attempt to repossess the federal...

...to impose new federal appointees on the South. Thus, "[Tjhere needs to be no bloodshed or violence; and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority." It was the concluding portion of the speech, however, that became most famous. "I am loth to close,"...

...found Lincoln's address disturbing: the new president's vow to use the power of the federal government "to hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the government" proved his determination to use coercion against the South. But after reconsidering the address, the...

...those, however, who really love the Union may I not speak? "There needs to be no bloodshed or violence, and there shall be none unless it be forced upon the national authority — ' Before entering upon so grave a matter as the destruction of our national fabric, with all its...

...of the administration shall be more clearly indicated by its acts." Lincoln announced that he would "hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the Government," by which people knew he meant, most pressingly, Fort Sumter. But he also announced that "there will...

...ceremony on March 4, 1861 and addressed the problem of succession in his inaugural speech by proclaiming, "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy,...the property and places belonging to the Government of the United States." Lincoln threw down the gauntlet and meant to hold all the remaining forts in...

...was conciliatory, though he sounded an ominous note at the end when he stated: "The power confided in me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion — no using offerce...