You are forgetting your history. This could have been published.
.......Boston Evening Transcript
Washington March 3, 1861-——Tomorrow President James Buchanan
leaves office having served eight years as the fifteenth Chief Executive of the
United States. Although the secession came during his administration,
despite the with drawl.of seven southern states, the remaining 18 are intact.
He leaves the United States Constitution residing undisturbed in the capital
in Washington. The House of Representatives and Senate will reconvene as
scheduled in five months. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney will preside over the
next term of the Supreme Court.
The Secretary of War, Joseph Holt reports no military activity in any areas
adjacent to the mason Dixon line. Army Commander General Winfield Scott
reports that the military is billeted as normal.
New York and Boston shipping houses are noting declines in imports landing
at their wharfs, but report that dry goods, machinery, passenger and mail
service with southern ports continues as usual.
With one exception, all federal facilities have been peacefully evacuated with
federal employees, their health intact, returning north by rail or ship.
Confederate government representatives are meeting in Washington with
officials to arrange for payment for these facilities and other debts resulting
from their withdrawal from the Union.
Last November, President Buchanan and Attorney General Black announced
that it was not within the authority of the government to institute military force to
address secession. He is to be congratulated for his respect for the constitution
and the peaceful lives of citizens everywhere.
Secession has removed slavery as an issue for either the courts or the territories,
and no longer preoccupies the interests of the legislature or press.
The following quote is from Mr. Buchanan’s most recent address to Congress
and demonstrates his respect for the country’s future:
“Self-preservation is the first law of nature, and has been
implanted in the heart of man by his Creator for the wisest purpose;
and no political union, however fraught with blessings and benefits
in all other respects, can long continue if the necessary consequence
be to render the homes and the firesides of nearly half the parties to
it habitually and hopelessly insecure.”
His commitment is manifest in the armistice arranged for Charleston and Pensacola.
It is now the responsibility of the next executive to maintain this peace.
01/04/1861 — Alabama militia sieze the U.S. arsenal at Mt. Vernon, AL. Alabama has not yet seceded.
01/05/1861 — Alabama militia sieze Ft. Morgan and Ft. Gaines in Mobile Bay.
01/07/1861 — Florida militia sieze the Federal fort at St. Augustine. Florida has not yet seceded.
01/08/1861 — Florida militia attempting to sieze Ft. Barrancas are driven off by Federal troops.
01/09/1861 — South Carolina militia fire on US merchant vessel Star of the West, preventing reinforcement and resupply of Ft. Sumter garrison.
Mississippi secedes.
01/10/1861 — Louisiana militia sieze all Federal forts and arsenals in the state. Louisiana has not yet seceded.
Florida (belatedly) secedes. Federal troops abandon Ft. Barrancas.
North Carolina militia capture Ft. Johnson and Ft. Caswell. North Carolina has not yet seceded.
01/11/1861 — Alabama (belatedly) secedes.
01/12/1861 — Florida militia demands the surrender of Federal troops in Ft. Pickens. The demand is refused.
Mississippi fortifies Vicksburg and closes the Mississippi River to all traffic. Mississippi is the only state on the river, at this point, which has seceded.
01/19/1861 — Georgia secedes.
01/21/1861 — Mississippi militia sieze Ft. Massachussetts and Ship Island.
01/25/1861 — Georgia militia sieze the federal arsenal at Augusta. North Carolina calls for a referendum on secession.
01/26/1861 — Georgia militia sieze Ft. Jackson and Oglethorpe Barracks.
Louisiana (belatedly) secedes.
01/31/1861 — The U.S. Mint in New Orleans is siezed by Louisiana militia.
02/09/1861 — Tennessee rejects secession in popular referendum by a large margin.
02/16/1861 — Texas militia sieze the federal arsenal at San Antonio. Texas has not yet seceded.
02/18/1861 — Texas militia besiege Federal army headquarters for Texas in San Antonio and force the surrender of over 3,000 troops. Texas has -still- not seceded.
Jefferson Davis inaugurated as President of the Confederacy.
02/21/1861 — The Confederate Provisional Congress orders Mississippi to end the blockade at Vicksburg.
02/23/1861 — Texas voters approve secession by a 75% majority, secession to take effect March 2 (Texas Independence Day).
02/28/1861 — North Carolina voters narrowly reject secession (by fewer than 1,000 votes).
03/01/1861 — Texas submits an article of secession to popular referendum for February 23.
03/02/1861 — Texas’s secession takes effect; that same day, Texas is admitted into the Confederacy.
03/03/1861 — The militia units in Charleston Harbor are taken under Confederate authority.
03/04/1861 — Lincoln inaugurated.