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their way to seek it。 I hope you will exert your influence to
prevent this。
Now and ever I shall do all in my power for peace consistently with
the maintenance of the Government。
Your obedient servant；
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
TO GOVERNOR HICKS。
WASHINGTON； April 20； 1861
GOVERNOR HICKS：
I desire to consult with you and the Mayor of Baltimore relative to
preserving the peace of Maryland。 Please come immediately by special
train； which you can take at Baltimore； or； if necessary； one can be
sent from here。 Answer forthwith。
LINCOLN。
ORDER TO DEFEND FROM A MARYLAND INSURRECTION
ORDER TO GENERAL SCOTT。
WASHINGTON； April 25； 1861
LIEUTENANT…GENERAL SCOTT。
MY DEAR SIR …The Maryland Legislature assembles to…morrow at
Annapolis； and not improbably will take action to arm the people of
that State against the United States。 The question has been
submitted to and considered by me whether it would not be
justifiable； upon the ground of necessary defense； for you； as
General in Chief of the United States Army； to arrest or disperse the
members of that body。 I think it would not be justifiable nor
efficient for the desired object。
First。 They have a clearly legal right to assemble； and we cannot
know in advance that their action will not be lawful and peaceful；
and if we wait until they shall have acted their arrest or dispersion
will not lessen the effect of their action。
Secondly。 We cannot permanently prevent their action。 If we arrest
them； we cannot long hold them as prisoners； and when liberated they
will immediately reassemble and take their action； and precisely the
same if we simply disperse themthey will immediately reassemble in
some other place。
I therefore conclude that it is only left to the Commanding General
to watch and await their action； which； if it shall be to arm their
people against the United States； he is to adopt the most prompt and
efficient means to counteract； even； if necessary； to the bombardment
of their cities and； in the extremist necessity； the suspension of
the writ of habeas corpus。
Your obedient servant； ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
PROCLAMATION OF BLOCKADE； APRIL 27； 1861
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA：
A Proclamation。
Whereas； for the reasons assigned in my proclamation of the
nineteenth instant； a blockade of the ports of the States of South
Carolina； Georgia； Florida； Alabama； Louisiana； Mississippi； and
Texas was ordered to be established：
And whereas； since that date； public property of the United States
has been seized； the collection of the revenue obstructed； and duly
commissioned officers of the United States； while engaged in
executing the orders of their superiors； have been arrested and held
in custody as prisoners； or have been impeded in the discharge of
their official duties； without due legal process； by persons claiming
to act under authorities of the States of Virginia and North
Carolina：
An efficient blockade of the ports of those States will also be
established
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed。
Done at the city of Washington； this twenty seventh day of April； in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty…one； and of
the independence of the United States the eighty…fifth。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
REMARKS TO A MILITARY COMPANY； WASHINGTON；
APRIL 27； 1861
I have desired as sincerely as any man； and I sometimes think more
than any other man； that our present difficulties might be settled
without the shedding of blood。 I will not say that all hope has yet
gone； but if the alternative is presented whether the Union is to be
broken in fragments and the liberties of the people lost； or blood be
shed； you will probably make the choice with which I shall not be
dissatisfied。
LOCALIZED REPEAL OF WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS
TO GENERAL SCOTT。
TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL；
ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES。
You are engaged in suppressing an insurrection against the laws of
the United States。 If at any point on or in the vicinity of any
military line which is now or which shall be used between the City of
Philadelphia and the city of Washington you find resistance which
renders it necessary to suspend the writ of habeas corpus for the
public safety； you personally； or through the officer in command at
the point at which resistance occurs； are authorized to suspend that
writ。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
WASHINGTON； April 17； 1861
MILITARY ENROLLMENT OF ST。 LOUIS CITIZENS
FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR
WAR DEPARTMENT； April 30； 1861
TO CAPTAIN NATHANIEL LYON。
CAPT。 NATHANIEL LYON；
Commanding Department of the West。
SIR：The President of the United States directs that you enroll in
the military service of the United States the loyal citizens of Saint
Louis and vicinity； not exceeding； with those heretofore enlisted；
ten thousand in number； for the purpose of maintaining the authority
of the United States； for the protection of the peaceful inhabitants
of Missouri； and you will； if deemed necessary for that purpose by
yourself； by Messrs。 Oliver F。 Ferny； John How； James O。 Broadhead；
Samuel T。 Glover； J。 Wilzie； Francis P。 Blair； Jr。； proclaim martial
law in the city of Saint Louis。
The additional force hereby authorized shall be discharged in part or
in whole； if enlisted。 As soon as it appears to you and the
gentlemen above mentioned that there is no danger of an attempt on
the part of the enemies of the Government to take military possession
of the city of Saint Louis； or put the city in control of the
combination against the Government of the United States； and whilst
such additional force remains in the service the same shall be
governed by the Rules and Articles of War； and such special
regulations as you may prescribe。 I shall like the force hereafter
directed to be enrolled to be under your command。
The arms and other military stores in the Saint Louis Arsenal not
needed for the forces of the United States in Missouri must be
removed to Springfield； or some other safe place of deposit in the
State of Illinois； as speedily as practicable； by the ordnance
officers in charge at Saint Louis。
（Indorsement。）
It is revolutionary times； and therefore I do not object to the
irregularity of this。 W。 S。
Approved； April 30； 1861。 A。 LINCOLN。
Colonel Thomas will make this order。
SIMON CAMERON； Secretary of War。
CONDOLENCE OVER FAILURE OF FT。 SUMTER RELIEF
TO GUSTAVUS V。 FOX。
WASHINGTON； D。C。； May 1； 1861
CAPTAIN G。 V。 Fox。
MY DEAR SIR：I sincerely regret that the failure of the late attempt
to provision Fort Sumter should be the source of any annoyance to
you。
The practicability of your plan was not； in fact； brought to a test。
By reason of a gale； well known in advance to be possible and not
improbable； the tugs； an essential part of the plan； never reached
the ground； while； by an accident for which you were in no wise
responsible； and possibly I to some extent was； you were deprived of
a war vessel； with her men； which you deemed of great importance to
the enterprise。
I most cheerfully and truly declare that the failure of the
undertaking has not lowered you a particle； while the qualities you
developed in the effort have greatly heightened you in my estimation。
For a daring and dangerous enterprise of a similar character you
would to…day be the man of all my acquaintances whom I would select。
You and I both anticipated that the cause of the country would be
advanced by making the attempt to provision Fort Sumter； even if it
should fail； and it is no small consolation now to feel that our
anticipation is justified by the result。