• tnco n ore An Interview with Frank Williams about the Year 1861 by Sara Gabbard (Editor's note: We will recognize each entourage from several different Thomas Craughwell is at work on sesquicentennial year of Lincoln's sources, including private detective another book about the Baltimore Presidency and the Civil War with articles Allan Pinkerton, who was working plot for Harvard University Press. on the subject.) for the railroads, and a separate S: Although other Lincoln speeches S: The President-elect left his undercover operation by New York have been more admired by inaugural train in order to enter City detectives. Secretary of State historians and the public, I have Washington surreptitiously. In your designate William Seward received always been drawn to the First opinion, was there a viable some of the same reports. Inaugural. Please describe in detail assassination plot? Baltimore, long a city of unrest, would feature prominently after what lincoln was attempting to do F: I do believe there was a plot to President Lincoln's call for troops in that Address. assassinate the President-elect in following the surrender of Fort F: This was President Abraham Baltimore as he changed trains and Sumter. Six soldiers ofthe Sixth lincoln's "carrot and stick" railroad stations. Evidence of such a Massachusetts Regiment were approach to the deteriorating plot by Baltimore "rowdies" reached killed, along with two civilians, when political situation on March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln or members of his 1 the regiment also changed trains on when he took the oath as 16 h the way to Washington in April President of the United States. At 1861. Lincoln's advisors took the that time seven Southern states had evidence seriously and urged the seceded, with others threatening to President-elect to enter Baltimore do so. Lincoln, while steadfastly surreptitiously. lincoln was denying the right to leave the reluctant to do so but followed the compact of states formed in 1774 advice. After successfully slipping with the Articles of Association and through Baltimore in the middle of the Declaration of Independence on the night on February 23, 1861, July 4, 1776, attempted to mollify lincoln arrived in Washington in "disguise." lincoln's fears of public reaction were realized when many in the press called him a "coward"­ especially when no one was charged, tried or convicted of the conspiracy. As a result, Abraham Lincoln would refuse or object to his security during his presidency, ultimately contributing to his assassination at Ford's Theatre on April14, 1865. Lawyer Michael J. Uncoln's First Inauguration "The New President" Kline tells the complete story in The Lincoln Flnonclol Foundotlor'l Collection Derogatory cartoon picturing Baltimore Plot: The First Conspiracy 110-54 Lincoln sneaking in to Washington. to Assassinate Abraham Lincoln Lincoln Financial Foundotion Collection #436 (Westholme Publishing, 2008). While this is the most recent, Number I 896 LINCOLN LORE Table of Contents Frank J. Williams is the Inte rview with F-rank retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode lslond Williams by Sara Gabbard ~~-~ ond is one of the country's most "My Own Oe.u [lien" A renowned experts on Abraham War letter of George W. Lincoln. He is the author or editor of over thirteen books, Squier hos contributed chapters to Abraham Lincoln: several others, and has lectured Hoosier Youth lxhibit on the subject throughout the - ---- -- ----- country. At the some time, he Timeline for ISG I has amassed on unsurpassed private library and archive that New Acquistiono:;, for the ronks among the notion's largest and finest Lincoln collections. Lincoln Colh_· ction of In 2000, the Chief Justice was appointed to the United States lndi.tna Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission created by Congress to plan events to commemorate the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln in 2009. Since 1996, Chief Justice Williams has served as founding Chairman of The Lincoln Forum, a national assembly of Lincoln and Civil War devotees. For 9 years, he served as President of the Abraham Lincoln Association and, far 14 years, as President of The Lincoln Group of Boston. He is currently at work on an annotated bibliography of all the Lincoln titles published since 1865. His book ofessays, Judging Lincoln, was Lincoln Lore published by Southern Illinois University Press in 2002. He, with is the bulletin of Harold Holzer and Edna Greene Medford, has written The THE AllEN COUNTY PUBLIC Emancipation Proclamation: Three Views, Social, Legal and LIBRARY and THE FRIENDS OF THE Pictorial, just published by Louisiana State University Press. He also serves os Literary Editor of the Lincoln Herold where his LI NCOLN COLLECTION OF INDIANA Lincolniono appears. On December 30, 2003, the President of the United ACPL: States, through the Secretory of Defense, invited Chief Justice Jo Burkhardt Williams to be a member of the Court of Military Commission Cheryl rerverda Review for the tribunals to be held in Guontonomo Boy, Cuba, Jane Gastineau with the rank of Major General. He served as Chief Judge of the Philip Sharpley re-organized U. S. Court of Military Commission Review until Cindy VanHorn December 23, 2009. Curt Witcher Contributors: Frank Williams Dale Ogden Sara Gabbard Please send comments to lincoln Lore Box 11083 Fort Wayne, Indiana 46855 Lincoln Lore® ISSN 0162~8615 Chief Justice (ret) Fronk J. Williams with scouts from Narragansett Council B.S.A. who completed the requirements of the Low Merit Badge at the Rhode Island Supreme Court. page 2 LINCOLN LORE Number 1896 (Frank W illiams continued) But nothing could placate the firing as being the most Important Southern states and their issue but the larger cultural and the South by re-stating that he had, firebrands. To them, after a political history and incidents that "no purpose, directly or indirectly, cultural divide of centuries and a brought the South and North to to interfere with the institution of president whom they called a impasses and war. slavery in the States where it "black Republican• for his stand exists: He indicated no objection S: Did the president Issue t he •call against the extension of slavery, to the proposed constitutional for volunteers• In 1861 under w hat the President would say in his amendment guaranteeing that the he understood to be w ithin the Second Inaugural Address," federal government would never president ial "w ar powers" .. and the war came." so Interfere - the first 13"' according t o the Constitution 7 amendment - and he also affirmed Both inaugural addresses should be F: While the president could call up the constitutional requirement to read together as bookends to troops under the 1792 Militia Act, frame the conflagration of civil war. return fugitive slaves, even with Lincoln did more when he the draconian Fugitive Slave Act of S: President Lincoln largely ignored expanded the size of the army and 1850 in effect. But to Lincoln, the recommendations from his Cabinet navy, appropriated money from union was •unbroken• and when he decided to send supplies the Treasury, declared a blockade secession "lawfully- impossible as to fort Sumter. Some historians of the Southern coastline, he had by oath to •take care ... claim that this w as a decision which purchased arms and munitions and that the laws of the Union be w as deliberately calculated to force authorized the suspension of the faithfully executed in all the t he Confederacy to "fire the first writ of habeas corpus- all while States: Nonetheless, he would not Congress was not in session and, shot.• Please comment. reclaim federal property already initially, without its authorization. seized by seceded states- at F: In 1937, historian Charles W. These are essentially legislative Senator Orville Hickman Ramsdell opined that President prerogatives. But while Congress Lincoln deliberately caused the Browning's suggestion - but would had the power to declare war, South to fire the first shot in suspend the operation of his putting down a rebellion, as Lincoln order to get Northern and world authority and only "to hold, would describe It, was an executive opinion on his side. According to occupy, and possess the property responsibility of the President. Ramsdell, Lincoln knew the and places belonging to the "War powers" is nowhere defined government.• Confederates would resist any effort to re-supply Fort Sumter. in the Constitution and Lincoln Abraham lincoln's concluding Ramsdell pointed to an ent ry in would be the one to implement paragraph - suggested and initially Senator Orville Hickman what he thought a chief magistrate drafted by William Seward­ Browning's diary, who wrote of and commander-in-chief could do. underscored the whole point of the Sumter, "The plan succeeded. He believed that, having taken the speech - an appeal to the concept They attacked Sumter-it fell, oath to protect and preserve the of Union. It would become the and thus, did more service than it Constitution and to see that all the primary goal of the President otherwise would." Yet, this thesis laws be obeyed, he could take throughout his tenure. ignores the fact that Confederate whatever measures he deemed President Jefferson Davis was appropriate In wartime - acts that "We are not enemies, but friends. ready to fire the first shot before would not be permitted a president We must not be enemies. Though he learned of any relief in peacetime. Congress would passion may have strained, it expedition. Lincoln's note to ratify his acts when they met in must not break our bonds of South Carolina Governor Pickens affection. The mystic chords of special session on July 4, 1861. about the expedition was written memory, stretching from every on April 6, 1861, but Davis, on battle-field and patriot grave, to April 3, had written a letter to every living heart and General Braxton Bragg at hearthstone, all over this broad Pensacola to seize Fort Pickens if land, will yet swell the chorus of he was prepared.