was to have the exclusive control over the
military authorities of the State, and thereby
carry her out by force of arms, whether her
people wanted to go or not, just as their
brethren did in Virginia and Tennessee.
That Legislature, so very loyal, even aimed
to impeach Governor Hicks, because he signed
the order requiring all the arms to be taken
from the militia of the State whom he knew
to be disloyal, and delivered up to the Gen-
eral Government. And there were but three
men found in 'that Legislature who would
stand up at that time—to their honor be it
said, and I shall love them and their memory
as long as I have a recollection that I am a
Marylander—that could be found to sign a
report vindicating Governor Hicks from the
contumely cast upon him by that would-be
Union Legislature I refer to Mr. —,
the member from Carroll here, (Mr. Smith,)
[applause,] and Mr. Goldsborough.
And it is rather remarkably and decidedly
rich to look over this document, (Laws of
1861,) and see what the Legislature did, and
how strenuously they endeavored to keep
Maryland in the Union, And it. is astonish-
ing their endeavors did not have more success
than they had, for the Lord knows they
worked hard enough to keep Maryland in
the position they then occupied. Here is a
resolve passed by the Senate and House of
Delegates at that time, when they had control
of everything, showing the status of these
"peace" men, these "Union" men, who
would have preserved the Union if they could
—and had they have had the disposition !
" Whereas, The people of Maryland while
recognizing the obligation of their State, as
a member of the Union," [something like the
language of the report of the minority of the
Committee on the Declaration of Rights,]
"to submit in good faith to the exercise of
all the legal and constitutional powers of the
General Government, and to join as one man
in fighting its authorized battles, do reverence,
nevertheless, the great American principle of
self-government, and sympathize deeply with
their Southern brethren in their noble and
manly determination to uphold and defend
the same."
That is, to break up the Union.
"Resolved, by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That the State of Maryland owes
it to her own self-respect, and her respect for
the Constitution, not less than to her deepest
and most honorable sympathies, to register
this, her solemn protest,, against the war
which the Federal Government has declared
upon the Confederate States of the South,
and our sister and neighbor, Virginia, [was
this true?] and to announce her resolute de-
termination to have no part or lot, directly
or indirectly, in its prosecution."
Now, whoever heard, before this resolu
tion was passed, that the Federal Govern-
ment had ever declared war on "the Con- |
federate States of the South ?" Why, sir, it
is a notorious fact, known to those men at
the time they drew up this resolution, that
Jeff, Davis by his proclamation had separated
himself as the head of the Confederate Gov-
ernment from the Federal Government; and
the rebels at Charleston, South Carolina, had
declared war against the Federal Govern-
ment by firing at Fort Sumter, and the rebels
in all the Gulf States bad stolen whatever
property of the Government they could lay
their hands upon.
Then comes this resolution :
"Resolved, That the State of Maryland"—
Speaking in the name of the whole State
of Maryland; now, I was one of the people
of Maryland, and I know they did not repre-
sent me.
"Re/solved, That the State of Maryland de-
sires the peaceful and immediate recognition
of the Confederate States, and hereby gives
her cordial assent thereunto, as a member of
the Union; entertaining the profound con-
viction that the willing return of the South-
ern people to their former federal relation is a
thing beyond hope, and that the attempt to
coerce them will only add slaughter and hate
to impossibility."
And vet these are the men who, if Governor
Hicks had been out of the way, would not
only have saved the State of Maryland, but
have produced a reconciliation between the
North and the South, and once more have
knit these States into a fraternal bond of
everlasting Union. Upon that resolution
they sent commissioners to the State of Vir-
ginia, in relation to some raids that had been
committed by some of the Confederate troops
into Maryland. And Mr. Horsey goes to
Richmond, and not only sees Mr. Jefferson
Davis, but Mr. Letcher, and Mr. Letcher
makes this promise, which I want gentlemen
to recollect, because after the war is over, I
want the gentlemen of the minority to hold
Mr. Letcher to his promise, and hold the
State of Virginia to her promise, for herein
lies the indemnity which they are to receive
for the losses they have sustained growing
out of this rebellion. Here is Mr. Horsey's
report to the General Assembly of Maryland :
"That as soon as he bad investigated all
the complaints he returned to Richmond, and
reached there on Wednesday, the 29th ultimo,
when the authorities were engaged in the
I pressing duties arising from their reception
of the President and Government of the Con-
federate States of America. That, on the
evening of the 30th, he had a short interview
with Governor Letcher, and brought to his
notice the object of his mission, and the
specific acts of aggression complained of, in
the entrance upon our soil of the troops of
Virginia
"The Governor was understood to say
that he would apply to the commanding of-
ficer at Harper's Ferry for information on the |
