at writ.

Given under my hand and the seal of the United States at the city of
Washington, this second day of July, A.D. 1861, and of the independence of
the United States the eighty-fifth.

A. LINCOLN.

By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

TO SECRETARY SEWARD.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, JULY 3, 1861

HON. SECRETARY OF STATE.

MY DEAR SIR:--General Scott had sent me a copy of the despatch of which
you kindly sent one. Thanks to both him and you. Please assemble the
Cabinet at twelve to-day to look over the message and reports.

And now, suppose you step over at once and let us see General Scott (and)
General Cameron about assigning a position to General Fremont.

Yours as ever,

A. LINCOLN.

MESSAGE TO CONGRESS IN SPECIAL SESSION,

JULY 4, 1861.

FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:--Having been
convened on an extraordinary occasion, as authorized by the Constitution,
your attention is not called to any ordinary subject of legislation.

At the beginning of the present Presidential term, four months ago, the
functions of the Federal Government were found to be generally
suspended within the several States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida, excepting only those of the
Post-Office Department.

Within these States all the forts, arsenals, dockyards, custom-houses, and
the like, including the movable and stationary property in and about
them, had been seized, and were held in open hostility to this government,
excepting only Forts Pickens, Taylor, and Jefferson, on and near the
Florida coast, and Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The
forts thus seized had been put in improved condition, new ones had been
built, and armed forces had been organized and were organizing, all
avowedly with the same hostile purpose.

The forts remaining in the possession of the Federal Government in and
near these States were either besieged or menaced by warlike preparations,
and especially Fort Sumter was nearly surrounded by well-protected
hostile batteries, with guns equal in quality to the best of its own, and
outnumbering the latter as perhaps ten to one. A disproportionate share
of the Federal muskets and rifles had somehow found their way into
these States, and had been seized to be used against the government.
Accumulations of the public revenue lying within them had been seized for
the same object. The navy wa