President Buchanan had opportunity and ample power to crush it
when the conspirators first began to show their hands. Instead he
wavered, and delayed, while they grew bold under his lack of
decision, imagining that they would have a bloodless victory, and
even boasting that they would take Washington for their capital;
or, if the new President should thwart them and make them fight,
that they would capture Philadelphia and dictate the peace they
wanted from Independence Hall.
By the time Mr. Lincoln came into office the conspiracy had grown
beyond control by any means then in the hands of a President,
though men on both sides still vainly hoped that the troubles of
the country might be settled without fighting. Mr. Lincoln
especially wished to make very sure that if it ever came to a
matter of war, the fault should not lie with the North.
In his inaugural address he had told the South that he would use
the power confided to him to hold and occupy the places belonging
to the Government, and to collect the taxes; but beyond what
might be necessary for these objects, he would not use force
among the people anywhere. His peaceful policy was already harder
to follow than he realized. Before he had been President
twenty-four hours word came from Major Anderson, still defying
the conspirators from Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, that his
little garrison was short of food, and must speedily surrender
unless help reached them.
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