February 2, 1861 (Saturday)

Breaking.....

Voices, Letters, Words....

"General Scott says the evidence in his possession of a wide spread and powerful conspiracy to seize the capitol are overwhelming, and he has no doubt whatever in the subject.  Now the only thing to prevent the attempt will be the presence here of a sufficient force to hold the city against all comers, which he does not expect will be had.  He has the gravest apprehension that this capitol will be taken.  All the Departments are now filled with traitorous clerks, who would do all in their power to surrender up the buildings to a hostile force...I have been slow to believe, as you know, but I am satisfied that we must soon begin to prepare for the worst."  (Letter to Abraham Lincoln from Elihu B. Washburne on February 3, 1861.)

(Letter to New York Senator William Seward from Abraham Lincoln, Civil War Daily Digest, February 1, 1861)  "I am inflexible.  I am for no compromise which assists or permits the extension of the institution on soil owned by the nation.  And any trick by which the nation is to acquire territory, and then allow some local authority to spread slavery over it, is as obnoxious as any other.  These compromises would put us again on the high-road to a slave empire.  I am against it."

"I trust in God the Republicans are not going to be so cowardly, so base, and so foolish withal, as to surrender under the pressure of secession and secession threats.  Good heavens!  Of what stuff are they made?  They have only to stand firm and say [to the South]: 'We have done no wrong; you have and shall have everything you have a right to have; but, what you have no right to demand -- what it would be wrong, base, and disgraceful for us to grant -- we never will grant; no never, never, never.  We have rights as well as you; rights that are our duties too, and, but the Eternal God, we will stand on them, come what may.  Secede on paper as much as you please.  We will not make war upon you for that.  But we will maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and the laws.  If you make war on the Union, we will defend it at all cost, and the guilt of blood be on your hearts. Videat Dominus -- let the Lord be judge between us.' "  (Rev. Dr. Henry, clergyman of the Episcopal Church -- letter to a United States Senator, A Clerical Opinion on the Subject of Compromises, New York Times, February 1, 1861)

"I implore you, Senators, as others have done before me, by everything dear to our hearts and sacred to our consciences, not to turn a deaf ear to the voices of the people, calling upon us, from all sections to pause in our political career, and to prove to the North and to the South, and to the civilized world, that our hearts and our minds expand with the magnitude of the subject on which we are called to deliberate; that our patriotism can rise about party considerations; that when the honor, dignity and existence of our institutions are at stake, there is no sacrifice of personal vanity, or the narrow sphere of partisan politics, that we are not eager, may, proud to make, to save our common country."  (Speech given by Sen. Latham of California in the Senate, Congressional Proceedings; Senate, The National Troubles, New York Times, February 2, 1861)

(Letter to Lieut. Col Lorenzo Thomas from Major General John E. Wool, An Old Warrior Rallies the Union, The American Civil War, February 2, 1861)
"We have truly fallen on evil times.  Treason is rife in the Southern States.  How much trouble and anxiety would have been prevented if Lieutenant-General Scott's advice in October last had been followed.  The Union would have been safe and the pillars of state would not now be tottering, nor the capital threatened...Under these circumstances I am anxious to be with the general, to perform any services he may think proper to require of me.  I therefore request that he will give me an order to repair to Washington to await his orders.  I will be prepared to leave at any moment...."