Mr. BARRON. Will the gentleman allow
the secretary to read the article?
The secretary read the article as follows ;
REBEL INSINCERITY..
Messrs. Editors Baltimore American:
Owing to the apparent indiscriminate plun-
der of the rebels, while in some parts of this
State, their friends and abettors are endeav-
oring to create the impression that they too
are anxious that such measures may be taken
as to prevent another invasion. The stories
which many of these domestic traitors nar-
rate of losing horses, cattle, and various
other species of property, are certainly very
touching; and were not their base designs so
well known lo us, we might be cheated into
the belief that they are really sincere in their
expressed desire to keep the enemy beyond
the Potomac. It is not improbable, however,
but that a few of the secession sympathizers
were sufferers from the recent raid to as great
a degree as the Union men. Ruffians with
so little principle as to rob a man of the last
dollar in his pocket, would not hesitate to
take a horse if they wanted him, no difference
whether he belonged to friend or foe. But
would three thousand cavalrymen, under the
personal command of Bradley T, Johnson, be
likely to take fifty or sixty barrels of corn,
together with other grain of equal value,
from one of the leading secessionists in the
State, and not pay him for it? Is it probable
that men, who had been acting as rebel spies
and emissaries during the war; who had
known tor six weeks that the State would
be invaded; who rejoiced at the base idea of
the capture of Washington; who accompa-
nied the enemy night and day while he was
in our midst pointing out Union men, and
piloting him through the country; is it pro-
bable, we ask, that such men would receive
the same treatment at the hands of General
Johnson, as those who support and defend
the government? Though our opinion of
southern chivalry is not very elevated, we
cannot believe that he would treat all alike.
But thus the traitors would have us believe.
We take a special case.
During the passage of General Johnson
from the northern part of the State towards
Beltsville he "and his whole command, num-
bering about three thousand, bivouacked for
a night on the farm of a member of our con-
vention, and one of the most influential and
open secessionists in his part of the country.
On account of his southern proclivities he,
though elected to the convention, was himself
not allowed to vote at the election. Since the
convention assembled he has been one of the
few vile traitors who have used every method
to defeat the expressed wishes of the people
of the State, and he has given, on all possible,
occasions, official countenance, if not assist-
ance to the rebels in arm? Now, this man
alleges that General Johnson, who was at the |
same time enjoying the hospitality of his roof,
took corn, oats, &c,, from him to the amount
of several thousand dollars, for which he
made no compensation. Is not this an im-
probable tale? Who, that has the least spark
of common sense, can be made to believe it?
General Bradley T. Johnson rob the very
man who had rendered him so much assist-
ance. Such an idea. cannot be entertained.
The rebels had but a few days before received
two hundred thousand dollars from the citi-
zens of Frederick, and this, together with
what had been robbed of private individuals,
would make a sum, in possession of his bri-
gade, not far short of three hundred thousand
dollars. So this story cannot even be sup-
ported by the plea that the rebels had no
money. And when this money was levied or
stolen from the cilizens of Frederick and else-
while, the intention must have been to spend
it in this or some northern State, for we can-
not believe that the bogus currency of the
United States government would be received
at the South.
What we have said of this prominent se-
cessionist is equally true of many others of
the same stamp. If their grain and horses
were taken, they received in moat cases an
equivalent fur them. And knowing that
these individuals arein no sense sufferers from
the raid alike with Union men, let us be more
than ever suspicious when they go about the
country, bemoaning their losses and express-
ing a desire that the "confederates have paid
us their last visit,"' If there ever was a time
when the government should make active
preparations to defend the border, it is now.
While the sympathizers here profess to be
incensed at the athorities of the rebels, they
are doubtless, as a few weeks ago, making
preparations to receive them in our midst.
We have no reason to believe that the enemy
will not soon attempt, to cross over again. If
his object before was booty, there are many
horses and much grain still in the State, If
it was to make demonstrations against Wash-
ington, the city can be taken as easily now as
it could have been a week ago. If, finally,
as is believed by military men, the object of
the raid was to raise the siege of Richmond,
it might yet be dune by throwing a force
in this State sufficiently large to threaten
the safety of Baltimore and Washington.
Have we the Potomac efficiently guarded
against another raid? This 13 a question
which the government should given timely
consideration. If the rebels are allowed to
cross over and plunder our citizens at will,
the soil of Maryland will cease 10 be culti-
vated in the future. We have heard many of
the leading farmers and merchants, who live
near the border, express their intention ol
moving North and leafing all behind them,
rather than suffer the anxiety and logs inci-
dent upon rebel raids. It is true that where
there is such an extent of country to operate |
