Lincoln Blockades North Carolina Before State Secedes

[Battalion]

Legal...or Illegal?

April 27

Proclamation of the President of the United States regarding extension of blockade to the ports of Virginia and North Carolina, April 27, 1861.

Whereas, for the reasons assigned in my proclamation of the 19th instant, a blockade of the ports of the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, was ordered to be established; and, whereas, since that date public property of the United States has been seized, the collection of the revenue obstructed, and duly commissioned officers of the United States, while engaged in executing the orders of their superiors, have been arrested and held in custody as prisoners, or have been impeded in the discharge of their official duties without due legal process by persons claiming to act under authority of the States of Virginia and North Carolina, an efficient blockade of the ports of those States will therefore also be established.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-fifth.
[L.S.]
Abraham Lincoln.
By the President:

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.


State secedes 20 May 1861...

...formally joins Confederate States 20 June 1861

[trice]

Originally Posted by Battalion

Legal...or Illegal?

April 27

Proclamation of the President of the United States regarding extension of blockade to the ports of Virginia and North Carolina, April 27, 1861.

Whereas, for the reasons assigned in my proclamation of the 19th instant, a blockade of the ports of the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, was ordered to be established; and, whereas, since that date public property of the United States has been seized, the collection of the revenue obstructed, and duly commissioned officers of the United States, while engaged in executing the orders of their superiors, have been arrested and held in custody as prisoners, or have been impeded in the discharge of their official duties without due legal process by persons claiming to act under authority of the States of Virginia and North Carolina, an efficient blockade of the ports of those States will therefore also be established.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-fifth.
[L.S.]
Abraham Lincoln.
By the President:

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.


State secedes 20 May 1861...

...formally joins Confederate States 20 June 1861

Completely legal. Lincoln is not bound by the state's act of secession in any way. In fact, his claim is that they have no "right of secession" at all.

As Lincoln said, secessionists in NC had already taken up arms against the US government. For example:
January 9, 1861.--Fort Johnston seized by citizens of Smithville, N. C.
January 10, 1861.--Fort Caswell seized by citizens of Smithville and Wilmington, N.C.
April 15, 1861.--Governor of North Carolina refuses to furnish quota of militia to the United States. Fort Macon seized by State troops.
April 16, 1861.--Forts Caswell and Johnston seized by State troops.
April 22, 1861.--United States Arsenal at Fayetteville seized by State troops.

We can also throw in the seizure of the chartered tug on the way to Charleston for the resupply of Ft. Sumter, about April 10, when she put into Wilmington in a storm.

You do realize, I presume, that if you want to find Lincoln wrong here because NC had not officially moved for secession, you must also concede that all actions by all seceding states before official "secession" dates in the seizing of property, use of armed force, interference with Federal employees, etc. were illegal? Are you sure you want to start quibbling on this to try to make Lincoln look bad and in the process condemn at least six of the seven original seceding states in addition to North Carolina, Arkansas, and Virginia for their illegal acts?

Regards,
Tim