The administration thus began its career with no firm footing beneath it, with an aggressive and defiant enemy in front of it, with a public opinion divided, distrustful, and compromising, behind it.
No more difficult task has ever been presented to any government than that which Mr.Lincoln and his Cabinet assumed in the month of March, 1861.

To judge it now by any appearance of irresolution, or by any seeming deficiency of courage, would be trying it by a standard totally inapplicable and unfair.

Before and beyond all things, Mr.Lincoln desired to prevent war, and he felt that every day of peace gave fresh hope that bloodshed might be avoided.

In his Inaugural address he had taken the strongest ground for the preservation of the Union, and had carefully refrained from every act and every expression which would justify, even in the public opinion of the South, an outbreak of violence on the part of the Confederates.

He believed that the Southern revolt had attained its great proportions in consequence of Mr.Buchanan's assertion that he had not power to coerce a seceding State.