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[136] government an opportunity to assert its policy. Looking upon the States from which they had severed themselves as a foreign country, the Confederate authorities sent an embassy to Washington to ask Mr. Lincoln to recognize them. Naturally enough, the President would not look upon those envoys in any other light than as citizens of the Union; yet notwithstanding this cold reception, they remained in Washington for more than a month, being still in hope of extorting from the President one word which might subsequently be brought up against him if he resorted to force against the insurrection.

Mr. Lincoln had not then the means for adopting such a course. His first duty was to save some few remnants of the national property situated in the rebel States, which the latter had not yet succeeded in taking possession of. These were Forts Pickens and Sumter, and the two forts located at the extremity of Florida, both of which were protected against any sudden attack. Moreover, the regular troops included in the capitulation of San Antonio, which, according to that agreement, should have been restored to their country, were still in Texas. The transport ship Star of the West was sent to take them on board and bring them back to the North.

The large sloop-of-war Brooklyn had been lying at anchor for some time in the bay of Pensacola, in front of Fort Pickens, with troops, supplies, and ammunition; but Mr. Buchanan, yielding to the representations of the seceders, had not allowed that vessel to land her cargo at the fort. By order of Mr. Lincoln, this landing was effected on the 12th of April.

The fate of the small garrison which defended the Federal flag floating on Fort Sumter had become a subject of engrossing anxiety both in the North and in the South; the whole political question which divided the two parties was here at stake. The authorities of South Carolina kept that garrison closely blockaded, demanding the immediate surrender of the fort it occupied, and continuing to build powerful batteries on both sides of the bay of Charleston in support of this demand. The border States, Virginia in particular, true to the principles of State sovereignty, also strenuously insisted upon the surrender of the fort by the Federal government. At the North, the peace-at-any-price party

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