“No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which will authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or interfere within any state with the domestic institutions thereof, including that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of said states.”

Even Lincoln approved of this, and two states, Maryland and Ohio, accepted it.  But the issue was at hand.  It was too late to compromise.

%424.  Abraham Lincoln, Sixteenth President%.—­Lincoln and Hamlin were inaugurated on March 4, 1861, and in his speech from the Capitol steps Lincoln was very careful to state just what he wanted to do.

1.  “I have no purpose,” said he, “directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists.”

2.  “I consider the Union is unbroken, and to the extent of my ability I shall take care ... that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all the states.”

3.  “In doing this there need be no bloodshed or violence; and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority.”

4.  “The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government and to collect the duties and imposts.”

[Illustration:  Fort Sumter]

%425.  Civil War begins.%—­One of the places Lincoln thus pledged himself to “hold” was Fort Sumter, to which he decided to send men and supplies.  As soon as notice of this intention was sent to Governor Pickens of South Carolina, the Confederate commander at Charleston, General Beauregard (bo-ruh-gar’), demanded the surrender of the fort.  Major Anderson stoutly refused to comply with the demand, and at dawn on the morning of April 12, 1861, the Confederates fired the first gun at Sumter.  During the next thirty-four hours, nineteen batteries poured shot and shell into the fort, which steadily returned the fire.  Then both food and powder were nearly exhausted, and part of the fort being on fire, Anderson surrendered; and on Sunday, April 14, 1861, he marched out, taking with him the tattered flag under which he made so gallant a fight.[1] The fleet sent to his aid arrived in time to see the battle, but did not give him any help.  After the surrender, one of the ships carried Anderson and the garrison to New York.[2]

[Footnote 1:  “Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours, until the quarters were entirely burned, the main gates destroyed by fire, the gorge walls seriously injured, the magazine surrounded by flames, and its door closed from the effect of heat, four barrels and three cartridges of powder being available, and no provisions remaining but pork, I accepted terms of evacuation offered by General Beauregard . . . and marched out of the fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th instant, with colors flying and drums beating . . . and saluting my flag with fifty guns.”—­Major Anderson to the Secretary of War.]