the United States. It has seized a loyal citizen of
the United States engaged in the discharge of his duty, imprisoned
him, and threatened his life, for the exercise of a plain constitutional
duty, charging him with treason against the State of South Carolina.
It has taken citizens of different states rightfully and peacefully
attending to their business, insulted them, inflicted the most
degrading indignities upon them, and then forcibly expelled them.
It has raised a military force of artillery, cavalry, and infantry,
with the avowed purpose of expelling, or, to use their own chosen
word, coercing, the United States from the forts, arsenals, and
other property of the United States. When Major Anderson removed
from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, it seized Fort Moultrie, Fort
Pinckney, and other property of the United States.

"More recently they fired upon a vessel in the employ of the United
States, conveying reinforcements and provisions to our troops. In
this act of war, they used the cannon and munitions of war paid
for out of our treasury. Forts ceded by the State of South Carolina
to the United States were used to expel a vessel of the United
States in the pursuit of its lawful commerce. WHen the 'star-spangled
banner' was hoisted to her mast-head, as a sign of nationality,
appealing to all the patriotic recollections which cluster around
it--your flag, my flag, the flag of Virginia, of Ohio, of Kentucky,
of Massachusetts, the flag of every state and of the whole Union,
the rustle of whose folds has so often excited the pride and
patriotic ardor of Americans in every part of the habitable globe
--that flag, invoked for the protection of an unarmed vessel,
carrying provisions to our own troops, was fired upon and dishonored.
An act of war by citizens of the United States, and therefore an
act of treason, was applauded by officers and citizens of that
state, and perhaps by those of other states. It was not an act of
war against you and me merely, but against every loyal and patriotic
citizen of this great republic. Up to that moment we had done
nothing. This government had been more forbearing, more quiet,
more complacent, under this series of offenses, than any government
instituted since the foundation of governments.

"And now, Mr. chairman, the same lawless violence is breaking out
in other parts of the country. Forts, arsenals, navy yards, and
vessels of war, intrusted without defense to the patrioti