He informed the Senate that if any steps should be taken to enforce the authority of the Union in the seceded States, they would be resisted.

"You may," he said, "under color of enforcing your laws and collecting your revenue, blockade our ports.

This will be war, and we shall meet it with different but equally efficient weapons.

We will not permit the consumption or introduction of any of your manufactures.

Every sea will swarm with our privateers, the volunteer militia of the ocean." He confidently expected foreign aid.