Shelby Foote; Ft Sumpter to Perryville page 43

Lincoln up in Washington had most of these troubles, including the problem of holding the border States, and a greater one as well. Having first made up his mind, he must unite the North before he could move to divide and conquer the South. He had made up his mind, he stated his poisition; "The Union is unbroken",he had said. Yet while Europe applauded the forthright manner in which the Confederacy had set itself in motion, Lincoln was confronted with division even among the states that had stayed loyal. New Jersey was talking secession, so was California. Which along with Oregon was establishing of a new Pacific nation. so,even was New York City which beside being Southern in sentiment would have much to gain from independence. Whil moderates were advising sadly, "Let the erring Sisters depart in peace", extremists were violently in favor of the split: "No union with slaveholders! Away with this foul thing!....The Union was not formed by force, nor can it be maintained by force!".

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Lincoln soon had cause to believe he had judged correctly, Sumpter did indeed unite and electrify the North.

Shelby Foote wrote a three book Trilogy, anyone interested in the War for Southern Independence should own a copy of these books.