You refused to decide. Your Secretary of War--your immediate and proper
adviser in this whole matter--waited anxiously for your decision, until
he felt that delay was becoming dishonor. More than twelve hours passed,
and two Cabinet meetings had adjourned before you knew what the
authorities of South Carolina had done, and your prompt decision at any
moment of that time would have avoided the subsequent complications.
But, if you had known the acts of the authorities of South Carolina,
should that have prevented your keeping your faith? What was the
condition of things? For the last sixty days, you have had in Charleston
Harbor not force enough to hold the forts against an equal enemy. Two of
them were empty; one of those two, the most important in the harbor. It
could have been taken at any time. You ought to know, better than any
man, that it would have been taken, but for the efforts of those who put
their trust in your honor. Believing that they were threatened by Fort
Sumter especially, the people were, with difficulty, restrained from
securing, without blood, the possession of this important fortress.
After many and reiterated assurances given on your behalf, which we can
not believe unauthorized, they determined to forbear, and in good faith
sent on their commissioners to negotiate with you. They meant you no
harm, wished you no ill. They thought of you kindly, believed you true,
and were willing, as far as was consistent with duty, to spare you
unnecessary and hostile collision.
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