Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-04-28
! CIVIL WAR
eFIFTY YEARS AGO TO-DAY
April 15 1861---LnCoIn Called for $4,000 Volunteers and
the North Sprang to Arms stephen A. Douglas Pledged
His Support to Lincoln

Fifty years ago President Lincoln is
sued his first call for volunteers, and the
north sprang to arms.
The news OF Sumters fall had reached
the White House on Sunday morning. the
18th. Members of the cabinet, officers
OF the army and navy and prominent sup
porters Of the administration had hurried
10 the executive mansion to offer their
help 10 the president.
They found Lincoln as calm as usual.
His prophetic soul had long before fore
cast the trying hour. He was now pre-
pared TO act as the law directed. He
was busy before his callers arrived,
drafting a proclamation commanding
reasonable combinations to dispedse"
within 20 days. calling for the services
OF 1900 militia TO serve for three months
and convening congress in special session
TO begin July T.
Each Of these steps was taken in exact
accordance with an early act of con-
gress. that Of 1876. the only law under
which the president could call for the
services of the militia for such an emer-
gency The law permitted ''the use Of
the militia so 70 be called forth" only un~
Ill the expiration of 80 days after the
commencement of the then next session
OF congress"
For q document inaugurating a national
uprising for great war the presidents
proclamation was notably calm in tone.
The word "war' did not occur in II.
The union was held to be still intact. and
the southern states in revolt were held to
be Unreasonable combination" obstruct-
ing the execution Of the laws or the
United States This was from no desire
OF Lincoln's to belittle the revolt of the
south, but a characteristic effort to hold
strictly to the legal aspects of the sit
uatiOn.
The proclamation announced that the
first object OF the militia would be to
''repossess'' the forts and other places
seized from the union. This was the
word he had used in the original draft
Of his inaugural address. On the advice
of Secretary OF State Seward he had
changed il to possess" The memorable
course of events had brought him back
to where he stood prior to March 4.
The mere holding of what the north still
had would not suffice; the lost places
must be retaken.
TEXT OF THE CALL.
AS an historical document of the first
Importance il is well to preserve the
text OF Lincoln's call to arms 1t was
as follows:
Whereas. the laws of the United
States have been for some time past
and now are opposed and the ex-
ecution thereof INSTRUCTED in the
states of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama. Florida, Mississippi, Louis
lana and Texas. by combinations too
powerful TO be suppressed by the
ordinary course of judicial proceed
ings. or by the powers vested in the
marshaIs by law; now. therefore,
I, Abraham Lincoln, president of the
United States. in virtue of the pow
er in me vested by the constitution
and the laws. have thought fit TO
call for, and hereby do call for the
militia of the several states of the
union to the aggregate number of
$4,000, 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. 1 appeal TO all loyal cit
izans to favor. facilitate and aid this
effort to maintain the honor, the in
tegrity and existence of our national
union. and the perpetuity of popular
government. and to redress wrongs
already long enough endured.
deem il proper to say that the first
service assigned to the forces hereby
called forth will probably be to re-
possess the forts, places and prop
erty which have been seized from
the union. and in every event the
utmost care will be observed. con-
sistently with the objects aforesaid,
TO avoid any devastation. any dis
tinction of. or Interference with,
property, or any disturbance of
peaceful citizens Of any part of the
country; and I here command the
persons composing the combinations
aforesaid to disperse and retire
peaceably to their respective abodes.
within 90 days from this date.
ANSWER OF THE NORTH
Though dated as of the 18th, the day
II was given 10 the country through
the press. the presidents proclamation
was completed on the 14th. and sent
to the state department that Sunday
afternoon to be copied. filed and ou-
plicates sent out.
The governors of the states were the
first to receive it privately. but before
IL reached some of them it appeared
In the newspapers. the great medium