...Address to prove that he wanted peace instead of war: In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war....can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors.34 The mythology which has surrounded Lincoln usually cites the above quotation as showing...

...responsibility for any aggressive moves, Lincoln added: 'ln your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war....not assail you. You can have no conflict, without yourselves being the aggressors.' This statement left deliberately murky what Lincoln meant by 'occupy...

...Constitution expressly enjoins me, that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all of the States. ... In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen,...not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war." 167 Undeterred by the president's words, the Congress of the newly organized Confederate States of...

...similar declarations, and had never recanted them. In your hands, my dissatisf1ed fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war....assail you. You can have no conflict, without being yourself the aggressors. You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall...

..."Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulty."24 But before the war had progressed very far, Lincoln evidently began to rethink these...

...Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulty. In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue...

...circumstances. In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous question of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no contact without being yourselves the aggressors. The Confederates chose war. On April 12, 1861, General...

...Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulty. In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue...

...closing words of Lincoln's inaugural were recalled: "In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war....can have no conflict, without being yourselves the aggressors."62 Perpetuation of a stalemate was not in Lincoln's interest. He needed the crisis to come...

...own method of making decisions. He addressed Southerners: "In your hands, my dissatisfied countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail [attack] you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered...