On March 4, 1861, Lincoln was sworn in as President.
In his inaugural address, he argued that the Constitution was a "more perfect union" than the earlier Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, that it was a binding contract, and called any secession "legally void".
He stated he had no intent to invade the Southern states, nor did he intend to end slavery where it existed, but that he would use force to maintain possession of federal property belonging to the United States.
His speech closed with a plea for restoration of the bonds of union.

The next day, the Arkansas Secession Convention convened at the State House in Little Rock.
Judge David Walker, who opposed secession, was elected its president.
The convention continued in session for two and a half weeks.
Feeling ran high and many fiery speeches were made, Governor Rector addressed the convention in an oratory urging the extension of slavery:
The area of slavery must be extended correlative with its antagonism, or it will be put speedily in the '"ourse of ultimate extinction."...
The extension of slavery is the vital point of the whole controversy between the North and the South... Amendments to the federal constitution are urged by some as a panacea for all the ills that beset us.
That instrument is amply sufficient as it now stands, for the protection of Southern rights, if it was only enforced.
The South wants practical evidence of good faith from the North, not mere paper agreements and compromises.
They believe slavery a sin, we do not, and there lies the trouble.

— Henry M. Rector, Arkansas Secession Convention, (March 2, 1861), emphasis added.

But it soon became evident that a majority of the delegates to the convention did not think that the situation at that time called for secession.
The convention voted down a resolution condemning Lincoln's inaugural address, and defeated a conditional ordinance of secession.
The opinion seemed to prevail that Arkansas should secede only if the United States' government made war on the Confederate States.
Still hoping for a compromise settlement that would avoid war, the delegates agreed to go home until after the people had voted on the secession question at a special election to be held in August.
On March 4, 1861, Lincoln was sworn in as President. In his inaugural address, he argued that the Constitution was a "more perfect union" than the earlier Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, that it was a binding contract, and called any secession "legally void". He stated he had no intent to invade the Southern states, nor did he intend to end slavery where it existed, but that he would use force to maintain possession of federal property belonging to the United States. His speech closed with a plea for restoration of the bonds of union.
The next day, the Arkansas Secession Convention convened at the State House in Little Rock. Judge David Walker, who opposed secession, was elected its president. The convention continued in session for two and a half weeks. Feeling ran high and many fiery speeches were made, Governor Rector addressed the convention in an oratory urging the extension of slavery:
The area of slavery must be extended correlative with its antagonism, or it will be put speedily in the '"ourse of ultimate extinction."... The extension of slavery is the vital point of the whole controversy between the North and the South... Amendments to the federal constitution are urged by some as a panacea for all the ills that beset us. That instrument is amply sufficient as it now stands, for the protection of Southern rights, if it was only enforced. The South wants practical evidence of good faith from the North, not mere paper agreements and compromises. They believe slavery a sin, we do not, and there lies the trouble.
— Henry M. Rector, Arkansas Secession Convention, (March 2, 1861), emphasis added.
But it soon became evident that a majority of the delegates to the convention did not think that the situation at that time called for secession. The convention voted down a resolution condemning Lincoln's inaugural address, and defeated a conditional ordinance of secession. The opinion seemed to prevail that Arkansas should secede only if the United States' government made war on the Confederate States. Still hoping for a compromise settlement that would avoid war, the delegates agreed to go home until after the people had voted on the secession question at a special election to be held in August.
Arkansas in the American Civil War