Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/425

Rh satisfy party clamor and strengthen the administration they were determined to make it. The South could at least be forced to fire the first gun, and that would be worth the cost of the expedition and the destruction of a fleet. The border States were also insecure and must be conciliated. Kentucky, which President Lincoln declared was &quot; the key of the situation,&quot; had asked for a convention of all States to agree on the Crittenden Compromise, and resolved to remain in the Union only on the condition that Mr. Lincoln would not make war on the seceded States. Virginia was still interceding for peace through her committee which was in Washington, and to this committee Air. Lincoln proposed that if the State convention then in session would bind the State not to secede under any circumstances and adjourn sine die he would order the evacuation of Fort Sumter; a condition that no free people would accept, and which the commissioners had no authority to consider. (Reminiscences of Lincoln, p. 87.)

President Lincoln entered into the views of Captain Fox notwithstanding the opposition of General Scott, and as valuable time was being lost in the discussion, he directed Captain Fox to prepare for the voyage, but to make no binding engagements. In his first efforts he met with the opposition of Mr. Marshall, on whom he had relied. Mr. Marshall declined to aid him because the attempt to reinforce Sumter would not only thwart the proposed loan, but &quot; would bring on civil war. &quot; Delays which Captain Fox says ** belong to the secret history of this period, prevented a decision until on the afternoon of the 4th of April, when the President sent for me and said that he had decided to let the expedition go, and that a messenger from himself would be sent to the authorities of Charleston before I could possibly get there to notify them that no troops would be thrown into Sumter, if provisions were allowed peacefully to be sent to the garrison.&quot;