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To: Heyworth
"Nowhere did Lincoln say in his first inaugural that collecting the tariff was his primary interest."

Well, let's visit Lincoln's thinking through his letters and messages to see what his interest was:

Lincoln two weeks before he took office.............

"[I]f the consideration of the Tariff bill should be postponed until the next session of the National Legislature, no subject should engage your representatives more closely than that of a tariff - Abraham Lincoln, February 15, 1861

Lincoln as he took office..........

"The power confided to me, will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property, and places belonging to the government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion--no using of force against, or among the people anywhere." - Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1861

Lincoln, two weeks into the job....

Sir: I shall be obliged if you will give me your opinion in writing whether under the Constitution and existing laws, the Executive has power to collect duties on ship-board, off-shore, in cases where their collection in the ordinary way is, by any cause, rendered impracticable. This would include the question of lawful power to prevent the landing of dutiable goods, unless the duties were paid." - Abraham Lincoln to Edward Bates, March 18, 1861

Lincoln obsessisng on the same topic again on the same day......

"Sir I shall be obliged if you will inform me whether any goods, wares and merchandize, subject by law to the payment of duties, are now being imported into the United States without such duties being paid, or secured according to law. And if yea, at what place or places? and for what cause do such duties remain unpaid, or [un]secured? I will also thank you for your opinion whether, as a matter of fact, vessels off shore could be effectively used to prevent such importation, or to enforce the payment or securing of the duties. If yea, what number, and description of vessels, in addition to those already in the Revenue service would be requisite?" - Abraham Lincoln to Salmon P. Chase, March 18, 1861

And his most revealing comment:

"Another effort was made to move Abraham Lincoln to peace. On the 22nd, a deputation of six members from each of the five Christian Associations of Young Men in Baltimore, headed by Dr. Fuller, and eloquent clergyman of the Baptist church, went to Washington and had an interview with the President. He received them with a sort of rude formality. Dr. Fuller said, that Maryland had first moved in adopting the constitution, and yet the first blood in this war was shed on her soil; he then interceded for a peaceful separation, entreated that no more troops should pass through Baltimore, impressed upun Mr. Lincoln the terrible responsibility resting on him - that on him depended peace or war - a fratricidal conflict or a happy settlement.

"But," said Lincoln, "what am I to do?"

"Let the country know that you are disposed to recognize the Southern Confederacy," answered Dr. Fuller, "and peace will instantly take the place of anxiety and suspense and war may be averted."

"And what is to become of the revenue?" rejoined Lincoln, "I shall have no government, no resources!"

"He also said that he'd continue mail service, so you could just as easily infer that the war was fought to force the south to accept the U.S. mail."

That is a leap not worth addressing. Long before he took office, he planned to forgo everything except revenue collection.

"Yours kindly seeking my view as to the proper mode of dealing with secession, was received several days ago, but, for want of time I could not answer it till now. I think we should hold the forts, or retake them, as the case may be, and collect the revenue. We shall have to forego the use of the federal courts, and they that of the mails, for a while. We can not fight them in to holding courts, or receiving the mails. This is an outline of my view; and perhaps suggests sufficiently, the whole of it." - Abraham Lincoln, letter to Col. J.W. Webb, December 29, 1860
871 posted on 10/07/2005 6:56:33 AM PDT by PeaRidge
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To: PeaRidge

Cherry picked quotes don't prove your thesis that tariff collection was Lincoln's primary interest. They only show it was one of them. How many quotes do you suppose I could find showing that Lincoln's interest was in maintaining the Union, or holding on to forts like Sumter and which never mention tariff collection?


876 posted on 10/07/2005 11:58:32 AM PDT by Heyworth
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