...defended. But Fort Sumter was in peril. Lincoln, in the course of his inaugural address, had made a promise to "hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government. . . ,"97 So what was to be done about Sumter? Lincoln asked for the advice of his top-ranking military...

...institution of slavery. He also said he would support the perpetuity of the Union against secession and would "hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the government." About one month later, Lincoln sent a letter to Major Anderson, commander of Fort Sumter in Charleston...

...there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property,...government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion — no using offoree...

...vision, it was the president's duty to keep the government operating: "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property...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...

...the same speech, Lincoln made it very clear what would provoke war: "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property...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...

...formation of a 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...

...because he had spoken plainly in his inaugural address. He then quoted to them from it about his intent to "hold, occupy, and possess, the property, and places belonging to the Government." This was a bit disingenuous, because the clarity of that point was obscured by conciliatory passages...

...be faithfully executed in all the states!'" When he continued on with "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government," a great wave of enthusiasm rolled through the audience, "as the united voices of the immense multitude...

...obligations. One was his solemn oath to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Union, to which end he promised to "hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the Government," of which Fort Sumter was by all means the most important. The other moral obligation was his promise...