The Life of William H. Seward, Volume 2Harper and Brothers, 1900 |
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Adams administration affairs Alabama claims American April army believed belligerent Bigelow blockade Britain British government Cabinet cause civil claims commerce commissioners Confederacy Confederate Congress constitutional contraband convention Dayton declared Department despatch diplomatic Drouyn de Lhuys enemies European expected expressed fact favor federacy Federal force foreign Fort Lafayette Fort Pickens Fort Sumter France French friends hope hostile instructions intervention Jefferson Davis John Bigelow Johnson letter Lincoln Majesty's government March ment Mexican Mexico military Minister Napoleon neutral Nicolay and Hay North Olive Risley Seward opinion party peace persons Pickens political ports President proclamation proposition question regard reply Republicans Russell Russia seceding secession secessionists Secretary seemed Senate sent sentiment Seward MSS Seward wrote ships slave slavery Slidell soon South southern speech Sumter thought Thouvenel tion treaty Trent affair troops Union United vessels Virginia vote Washington Weed York
Popular passages
Page 187 - Neutral goods, with the exception of contraband of war, are not liable to capture under enemy's flag; 4. Blockades, in order to be binding, must be effective ; that is to say, maintained by a force sufficient really to prevent access to the coast of the enemy.
Page 339 - My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.
Page 93 - The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government, and to collect the duties and imposts ; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere.
Page 334 - The depression of the public mind, consequent upon our repeated reverses, is so great, that I fear the effect of so important a step. It may be viewed as the last measure of an exhausted government — a cry for help ; the government stretching forth its hands to Ethiopia, instead of Ethiopia stretching forth her hands to the government.
Page 133 - Upon your closing propositions, that 'whatever policy we adopt, there must be an energetic prosecution of it, " 'For this purpose it must be somebody's business to pursue and direct it incessantly, " 'Either the President must do it himself, and be all the while active in it, or " 'Devolve it on some member of his Cabinet. Once adopted, debates on it must end, and all agree and abide,' I remark that if this must be done, I must do it.
Page 242 - In coming to my conclusion, I have not forgotten that, if the safety of this Union required the detention of the captured persons, it would be the right and duty of this Government to detain them ; but the effectual check and waning proportions of the existing insurrection, as well as the comparative unimportance of the captured persons themselves, when dispassionately weighed, happily forbid me from resorting to that defence.
Page 133 - I would demand explanations from Spain and France, categorically, at once. I would seek explanations from Great Britain and Russia, and send agents into Canada, Mexico, and Central America to rouse a vigorous continental spirit of independence on this continent against European intervention. And, if satisfactory explanations are not received from Spain and France, Would convene Congress and declare war against them.
Page 318 - The territories will remain in all respects the same, whether the revolution shall succeed or shall fail. The condition of slavery in the several states will remain just the same whether it succeed or fail.
Page 133 - But whatever policy we adopt, there must be an energetic prosecution of it. For this purpose it must be somebody's business to pursue and direct it incessantly. Either the President must do it himself, and be all the while active in it, or Devolve it on some member of his Cabinet. Once adopted, debates on it must end, and all agree and abide. It is not in my especial province; But I neither seek to evade nor assume responsibility.
Page 171 - As to the treatment of privateers in the insurgent service, you will say that this is a question exclusively our own. We treat them as pirates. They are our own citizens, or persons employed by our citizens, preying on the commerce of our country. If Great Britain shall choose to recognize them as lawful belligerents, and give them shelter from our pursuit and punishment, the laws of nations afford an adequate and proper remedy [and we shall avail ourselves of it.