take a solemn affidavit that my brother did
make that statement to me in the year 1861.
I recollect it just as distinctly as I recollect
that I arose this morning. There is no event
of my whole life more deeply impressed upon
my recollection than the statement my brother
made to me that year.
" And other things too numerous to men-
tion," What are they? Here is another
thing I will make a solemn affidavit to. I
was present. I had eyes to see and I saw. I
had ears to hear and I heard. I recollect that
on Saturday night—I never tried to remem-
ber the identical day, but I have been keep-
ing a journal of my life, and every day mak-
ing minutes, and I have got that down,
and I cannot forget it—on the Satur-
day night prior to the 4th day of Feb-
ruary, 1861—my colleagues will remem-
ber the 4th day of February, 1861, for it
was a big day in our county, and there was
a big thing done there on that day; we had
an election—on the Saturday night prior to
that 4th day of February, 1861, the gentle-
man whose name occurs in my speech here,
was in my town, and made a speech in my
town, and I heard that speech. It was not
such a speech as we have been listening to
from gentlemen who advocate southern
rights here upon this floor. It was such a
speech that if he were to dare to make it to-
day, he would not be a free man twenty-four
hours, and he knows it. I will take my sol-
emn affidavit, and hold myself responsible to
my Almighty God, and all creation, and
every living man, for what I say, when I say
that be advocated the immediate disruption
of this confederacy. He said it ought to be
done, and went on to give the most silly
reasons I ever beard. This was his argument.
I have not tried to recollect it. I recollected
it because I could not help it. I wish I could
forget that such a thing had been done in my
town, and the man allowed to go scot free.
I wish I could forget it. It was one of those
"other things too numerous to mention."
Here is the argument he used to influence
the people of that town—the oystermen of
that town. Said be: "The southern peo-
ple have heretofore been travelling up North
in the summer season to spend a few months
perhaps, or a few weeks at any rate, at such
places as Saratoga, Newport, Cape May, &c.,
spending money there among those Yankees
who are trying to infringe upon our rights
for a long number of years. Now if Mary-
land will only consent to go south, they will
stop at Mason and Dixon's line, and won't
go any further. This little town is situated
in a most beautiful district of the country,
and has a great many attractions, and these
large planters instead of going north will
stop in this very, identical town, and instead
of spending their money at Saratoga, will
spend it here." [Laughter.]
Yes, sir; I listened, to that sort of argu- |
ment, and I confess I got sick. I took a dose
of tartar emetic once in my life, and it pro-
duced just the same effect. [Laughter.]
Yes, sir; and he advised my people to defend
their southern rights at the point of the bay-
onet. He told them we must separate, and
we must maintain that separation by force of
arms. That is what he said, and I heard it,
and I will swear to it. Others heard it be-
sides me. I do not know, whether others can
recollect it or not. Perhaps they can, and
perhaps they cannot. I recollect it.
" Other things too numerous to mention."
I reckon that my colleague in the chair (the
president) can remember very well that on
the Sunday succeeding the 19th of April, a
certain steamboat left my county with one
hundred persons on board to defend, as they
said, the city of Baltimore from the inroads
of northern bands. I reckon that my col-
league and other gentlemen can distinctly re-
member who it was that chartered that boat.
I was not present when the contract was
made between Mr. Williams and the captain
of that boat, if Mr. Williams was the man
that chartered it. But this I do know, that
as a matter of public notoriety in that county,
he did charter that boat to go and assist these
Baltimoreans to resist the passage of Massa-
chusetts troops through that city. It has
been asserted in my county, I suppose five
hundred times in my hearing, and I have
never once heard it denied, not even by his
political friend?. These are "other things.'
Sir, I had a right to say this thing, because
I was personally interested. This young
man is my brother—both sons of the same
mother and the same father. It may have
been a little indiscreet, I will admit, it may be
that I was governed a little too much by my
feelings in making that statement. But let
any gentleman in this convention place himself
in my predicament. I had been one of the most
unfortunate of men in my domestic relations.
Just at the inception of these troubles I was
unfortunate enough to have my domestic sit-
uation in life changed by the death of her
who was to me dearer than life itself, a (hew
days succeeding the election of Mr, Lincoln.
I had then five brothers living, and 'three sis-
ters. Every one of them sympathized with
this infernal rebellion—every one of them.
Of four brothers, three are now serving the
rebel confederacy, and one now is at my
house, after having served in the rebel con-
federacy twenty-seven months. At the be-
ginning of these troubles I had seated at my
table four or five brothers and two or three
sisters every day. Less than a year ago my
house was cleaned out. Not even a sister
bad I remaining; and I have since been liv-
ing there .alone. The disruption of my do-
mestic happiness is to me exclusively attribu-
table to these difficulties. I have been alone,
and I have been an unhappy man. And,
sir, I believe as firmly as I believe there is a
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