]
and confidence.
The conspiracy had given way to revolution.
and Cabinet were met to discuss the surrender and evacuation.
Sunday, though it was,
with his own hand immediately drafted the following proclamation, which was dated, issued, telegraphed, and published to the whole country on Monday morning, April 15th.
Proclamation by the President of the United States.
Whereas, the laws of the
United States have been for some time past and now are opposed, and the execution thereof obstructed in the States of
South Carolina,
Georgia,
Alabama,
Florida,
Mississippi,
Louisiana, and
Texas, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by law: now therefore, I,
Abraham Lincoln,
President of the
United States, in virtue of the power in me vested by the
Constitution and the laws, have thought fit to call forth, and hereby do call forth the militia of the several States of the
Union, to the aggregate number of seventy-five thousand, in order to suppress said combinations and to cause the laws to be duly executed.
The details for this object will be immediately communicated to the
State authorities through the War Department.
I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and existence of our National Union, and the perpetuity of popular government, and to redress wrongs already long enough endured.
I deem it proper to say that the first service assigned to the forces hereby called forth will probably be to repossess the forts, places, and property which have been seized from the
Union; and in every event the utmost care will be observed, consistently with the objects aforesaid, to avoid any devastation, any destruction of, or interference