Where hostility to the United States in any interior locality, shall be so great and so universal, as to prevent competent resident citizens from holding the Federal offices, there will be no attempt to force obnoxious strangers among the people for that object. While the strict legal right may exist in the government to enforce the exercise of these offices, the attempt to do so would be so irritating, and so nearly impracticable with all, that I deem it better to forego, for the time, the uses of such offices...The mails, unless repelled, will continue to be furnished in all parts of the Union. So far as possible, the people everywhere shall have that sense of perfect security which is most favorable to calm thought and reflection. The course here indicated will be followed, unless current events and experience shall show a modification or change to be proper; and in every case and exigency my best discretion will be exercised according to circumstances actually existing, and with a view and a hope of a peaceful solution of the national troubles, and the restoration of fraternal sympathies and affections."
Judges and the mail were just as important. The whole tone of the message is that things should go on as they had been going on for decades in the hopes that a peaceful solution could be found. But he was wasting his breath, wasn't he? A peaceful solution wasn't what Davis wanted, was it? As we found out a little over a month later.
He also said this peaceful sentence in the speech:
By the frame of the Government under which we live, this same people have wisely given their public servants but little power for mischief.
Notwithstanding this comment to the people of the country, it took him only eight more days to order an immediate, secret reinforcement of Ft. Pickens.
And then, three days after that, Lincoln asked his Cabinet to give him written response to this question:
Assuming it to be possible to now provision Fort Sumter, under all the circumstances is it wise to attempt it?
Twenty four hours later, he covertly ordered the Navy to begin to load the military on ships for Charleston.
Where's the mention of mail?