...found Lincoln's address disturbing: the new president's vow to use the power of the federal government "to hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the government" proved his determination to use coercion against the South. But after reconsidering the address, the...

...serious cause for so drastic an act as secession, and no serious cause to challenge his determination to "hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government." There would be no "invasion" — and on that score, very likely no attempt to repossess the federal...

...of the administration shall be more clearly indicated by its acts." Lincoln announced that he would "hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the Government," by which people knew he meant, most pressingly, Fort Sumter. But he also announced that "there will...

...and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property...government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against...

...addressed the problem of succession in his inaugural speech by proclaiming, "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government of the United States." Lincoln threw down the gauntlet and meant to hold all the remaining forts in...

...conciliatory, though he sounded an ominous note at the end when he stated: "The power confided in me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion — no using offerce...

...terms, while denying the right of a State to secede, or to plainly avow his intention unqualifiedly to hold, occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the government, and collect the duties and imports. While regarding these as duties devolving on his office, he said, that...

...and therein said, I now repeat, "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy and possess property and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties and imports; but beyond what is necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force...

...firm and majestic. It sounded a note of economic necessity as well as moral principle by promising "to hold, occupy and possess the property, and places belonging to the federal government." More memorably, Lincoln spoke of his optimism that "the mystic chords of memory"...

...and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property,...government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion — no using of force...