the colonists migrating to America came to escape from persecutions
originating from religious differences. Arrived in the New World, how-
ever, not all of the erst-while victims immediately established a new
mode. Many, in their turns, discriminated against those who worshipped
differently from themselves—taxed them heavily, inveighed cruel pun-
ishments against them or excluded them absolutely from their lands. I
do not have to go into any detail to remind you that, generally speaking,
this was not the practice in Maryland.

The two religious groups at that time most opposed to one another—
the Catholics and the Protestants—collaborated in founding our State.
Collaborated by design too, collaborated deliberately. They next ad-
mitted other groups, or, did not merely admit them—invited them. And
if subsequently this policy of farsighted wisdom was thwarted, it was not
by the Marylander's own wish, but by the intervention of European poli-
ticians. The memory and the spirit lived on in the State. And so when,
after a century, the dark imminence of the American Civil War filled all
minds, and led to extravagant and passionate conduct, both North and
South, it was possible for Maryland to see both sides. Our long custom
of liberal thinking sustained us.

It is not my purpose today to retrace those historic complications. I
will point to only the chief of them, choosing it not only because it is
first, but also because it is imbued with an irony that is to be found in
much of human history and can never be disassociated from it. That is
the circumstance that Maryland, itself, long before, had performed an
act of patriotism which, when the Civil War came, made it physically im-
possible for the State to remain apart, no matter what its opinions. For
Maryland surrounds the city of Washington. In 1791, Maryland, small
as it was, had ceded ten square miles of its limited territory to the nation
as a whole, to serve as the site of the national capital. Consequently in
1861, the State that urged peace was itself regarded by leaders on both
sides chiefly as a bit of land of vast strategic importance. And through
this condition, among others, was lost our original plea for a course
based on reason and toleration. And it is through this consideration, to
a great extent, that the military leaders based their activity in our State.
The Union forces occupied our land, the Confederate forces invaded
it—both because it was the road to Washington. The State that had
stood for peace became the path of war.

Three times the forces of the Confederate states swept into these
western lands of ours, aiming to capture and occupy the United States
capital. Once they succeeded in reaching Pennsylvania. Twice they
were checked within our borders. Three major battles on our soil re-

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