of unscrupulous politicians whose frenzied
brains have been unceasingly engaged in the
preparation of ceremonies for the grand car-
nival of high treason; and which culminated
a little more than three years ago in open re-
volt and rebellion by eleven State's of the Fed-
eral Government.
Since that time, sir, the established Gov-
ernment of our fathers, the wisest, and best
ever devised and framed by mortal men, has
been involved in a wicked and causeless civil
war, forced upon it by a set of reckless dema-
gogues of the South, the sceptre of whose
political power, had been wrested from them
by the voice of an hitherto generous and
confiding people fairly expressed in accord-
ance with the Constitution and the laws,
through the medium of the ballot-box. The.
patriotic old State of Maryland, for a brief
period, seemed to sympathize falter and
waver amidst this fearful conflict; her future
destiny for a while appeared uncertain. The
ever memorable events of the 19th of April,
in the city of Baltimore, the action and de-
liberations of her Legislature, assembled in
Frederick, caused the deepest and most pain-
ful sensations on the part of the true friends
of the Union and Government. Emissaries,
in the persons of commissioners, from her
wayward sisters Virginia and Mississippi,
were within her BORDER=0s, tempting her loyalty
—chanting in dulcet strains the seductive,
syren song of secession and treason—and
portraying in bright and darling colors, the
fair and beautiful proportions of a future
great and glorious Southern Confederacy;
where cotton would be king, and bring as
humble suppliants to his feet the proud and
haughty nations of the earth. And where
Jefferson Davis, fresh from the battle-fields of
Mexico, with the laurels of victory upon his
brow, would reign supreme over the domin-
ions of a purely slave aristocracy, in the
form of an independent Southern Confed-
eracy.
These bold and traitorous emissaries of Vir-
ginia and Mississippi, in obedience to the high
behest of their master and chief, were most
profligate in the dispensation of their pro-
missed blessings and favors, if their favorite
sister, Maryland, would only yield to their
caresses, and embrace their overtures; sever
her moorings and abjure her allegiance to this
hateful Yankee Government, where wooden
nutmegs, wooden hams, and codfish and po-
tatoes were predominant, and constituted the
principal articles of commercial intercourse
Join her fortune and future destiny with that
galaxy of Southern States, the ne plus ultra
of chivalry, the Athens of America, the
Eden of the New World, where over-partial
nature, in the plenitude of her generosity,
had dispensed with a lavish hand her choicest
blessings.
In addition, Mr. President, to these bright
and beautiful allurements, there was another |
picture no less attractive. The ancient city,
bearing the illustrious name of the Father of
his Country, and encircling within its cor-
porate limits the capitol of the nation, its ar-
chives, and all the various departments of
the Government, embracing also that pure
and massive edifice known as the "White
House, in which on a certain contingency,
would preside with all the pomp and splen-
dor of royalty, the chief of that 'new slave-
aristocracy, donned "the Confederate States
of America " Sir, although for a while
clouds, shadows and darkness seemed to hover
over and around us, veiling the temple of
liberty, threatening to burst with all the fury
of a merciless storm; when, too, the tem-
pestuous and raging waves of secession were
beating fierce and high within the bosom of
her less prudent and erring sister, Virginia,
well high reaching her own hitherto quiet
and peaceful BORDER=0s; and when, too, the
stoutest hearts of her patriotic sons were ap-
palled and dismayed, at the sad and gloomy-
spectacle, there was still "a silver lining be-
hind the cloud." By a wise and patriotic
exercise of executive authority, supporter
and sustained by the arm of the Federal
Government, the tide of secession was staid,
and finally driven back and proud old Mary-
land was rescued from the horrible vortex of
perdition, and all the misery and destitution
of her improvident, wayward sisters of the
South, her reputation for loyalty and devo-
tion to the Constitution and the Union fully
vindicated and established, as was unques-
tionably illustrated through the medium of
the ballot box at the ensuing November
election of 1861, resulting in the triumphant
selection of the present able executive Of
the State, Governor Bradford, by the unpar-
alleled majority of nearly thirty-two thou-
sand, and the return of an entire Union Legis-
lature, except from the counties of Charles,
St Mary's, and Calvert.
Mr. BILLINGSLEY. That is so.
Mr. PURNELL. That is so, as the gentleman
says .As was properly remarked a lew days
ago by that gentleman, at the extra session
of 1861, and the regular session of 1862,
there were but six members of the Legisla-
ture outside of the Union party.
I, am not disposed, Mr. President, to par-
sue this branch of the subject any further ;
but will take occasion to remark in this con-
nection, that the status of Maryland, in this
sad and perilous conflict, Was unmistakably
defined; her devotion and loyalty to the
Union and the Constitution fully tested and
exemplified, like the young bride adorned
for the bridegroom, and with pure and spot-
less garments, unpolluted and untarnished
by the contaminating influence of the horri-
ble heresy of secession, she arrayed herself in
all the pride and granduer of her ancient pres-
tige, gracefully by the side of her other true
and loyal sisters of the Union, in support of that |
