The life and public services of Abraham Lincoln ... together with his state papers, including his speeches, addresses, messages, letters, and proclamations, and the closing scenes connected with his life and death. By Henry J. Raymond. To which are added anecdotes and personal reminiscences of President Lincoln, by Frank B. Carpenter.

STATE PAPERS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

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it was made the occasion for precipitating the revolution
by an act which, it was believed, would unite all the
Southern States in support of the Confederacy. On the
day of its receipt, the 8th of April, General Beauregard,
at Charleston, telegraphled to L. P. Walker, the rebel
Secretary of War, at Montgomery, that "an authorized
messenger from President Lincoln had just informed Governor Pickens and himself that provisions would be sent
to Fort Sumter peaceably, or, otherwise, by force." General Beauregard was instructed to demand the surrender
of the fort, which he did on the 1lth, and was at once informed by Major Anderson, who was in command, that
his " sense of honor and his obligations to his Government
prevented his compliance." On the, night of the same day
General Beauregard wrote to Maj(-r Alnderson, by orders
of his Government, that if he "would state the time at
which he would evacuate Fort Sumter " (as it was known
that it must soon be evacuatced for lack of provisions),
"and will agree that, in the mean time, you will not use
your guns against us unless ours shall be( employed
against Fort Sumter, we will al)stain from opening fire
upon you." At half-past two in the niorning of tlhe 12th,
Major Anderson replied that he would evacuate the fort
by noon on the 15th, abiding, meantime, by the terms
proposed, unless he slould "receive, prior to that, control
ling instructions from his Government, or additional sup
plies." In reply to this note he was notified, at half-past
three, that the rebels would open their batteries upon the
fort in one hour from that time. This they did, and, after
a bombardment of thirty-three hours, Major Ande(rson
agreed to evacuate the fort, which he carried into effect
on Sunday morning, the 14th.
The effect of this open act of war was, in some respects,
precisely what had bcen anticipated by the rebel authorities: in other respects, it was very different. Upon the
Southern States it had the effect of arousing public sentiment to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and of strength.
ening the rebel cause. At the Nortl, it broke down,
for the moment, all party distinctions, and united the