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126 Crittenden Compromise or some amicable settlement of the difficulties which then threatened the quiet of the country. I think I did make some remarks at each of those conferen- ces but not of the character contemplated by the interroga- tory, to the best of my recollection. I think I did make a speech in Potatoe Neck district sometime in the early part of 1861, probably during the canvass between Mr. Crisfield and Mr. Henry, for Congress, and in the month of May, 1861, made a speech at Snow Hill. My recollection is, that those speeches at Potato Neck and Snow Hill were mainly upon the question of bringing back the Seceded States by force of arms, I argued against tint policy. The question was then before the country upon a special election for Congress. I do not recollect discussing the questions mentioned in the in- terrogatory; I do recollect that the burden of my thoughts was for the disastrous effects which I feared for the whole country'if we should become involved in a civil war. If I ever on any occasion, advocated I the Union of Maryland with the South, it was only upon the condition that a separation of the States should become inevitable and with the consent. of the separating parties. After the policy of the government was determined upon by Congress I made no political speech during thereon. 6th Did you not know at the time yon made your speeches at Potatoe Neck and Snow Hill that The Confederate author- ities had taken armed possession of the navigation of the Mississippi, seized and taken posse sion of the forts and arse- nals and other proporty of the United States at Mobile. Pen- sacola, Norfolk, Portsmouth and other places, and had, by the power of their arms, captured Fort Sumpter, near Charleston ? This question to be prefaced by : You stated in your an- swer to the previous question that the "burden of your thoughts was for the disastrous effects which you feared for the whole country if wo should become involved in a civil war.", A. As to the navigation of the Mississippi. I do not recol-, lect. I was aware that the Southern States had seize dupon the forts and arsenals within their boundaries and that Fort Sumpter had been taken by ordered the Confederate Gov- ernment, but I didn't consider that these acts necessarily involved the United States Government in a civil war; espe- cially as I had been informed (at the April term of the Cir cuit Court of Somerset county and alter the seizure of many of the Southern forts), ,by Judge Thomas A. Spence, that he- had been informed that some days previous to the time when |
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Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1866
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