Some people misunderstand Lincoln’s reluctance to cede federal territory in Fort Sumter. The fort was only secondarily placed there for defense of the harbor. The main reason it was there was to collect import duties and tariffs which were almost the sole means of funding the federal government in those days. Keeping the fort and keeping it garrisoned demonstrated an intent to continue to dominate the harbor and collect duties. In fact Lincoln even said South Carolina could do whatever they liked as long as duties continued to be collected. Obviously, no nation could allow a foreign power to collect import duties in its harbors.
