6

perly or impartially set forth by the historian, and many are

entirely passed over in silence; whilst eulogies are spoken and
peans sung to the glory of other States, the name of Mary-
land in connection with them is rarely heard. Yet, when
the time for action had come in that great struggle, Mary-
land boldly and defiantly stept forth into the lists, the blast
of her trumpet gave no uncertain sound.

Her people acted openly, boldly, defiantly and when con-
scious of right never weighed expediency in the balance with
it. One circumstance in our Revolutionary history will il-
lustrates this. "In the year 1774, a vessel named the Peggy
Stewart brought a large quantity of tea into the harbor of
Annapolis, on which the owners of the vessel "made haste to
pay the duty." The people regarded this act of the owners
of the vessel as likely to call in question the fidelity and
honor of the Province, and without disguising themselves
they compelled the owners of the vessel to ask for-
giveness in the most humiliating language, nor did their re-
sentment stop here; the penitent owners were compelled to go
on board of the vessel, and with her sails and her colors, (the
Cross of St. George,) flying in the presence of a large multi-
tude, they, themselves set fire to the packages of tea all of
which, together with the vessel and every appurtenance there-
of was consumed. Moreover, the authors of this act, did not
clandestinely sign a petition asking that they should not be
punished for the act, and promising to pay the value of the
tea with the objectionable duty added.

When the war had once begun, Maryland immediately fill-
ed her allotted quota, and so much in advance of some of her
sister States, that she, with great delicacy, officially explain-
ed the cause of her superior celerity, lest they should feel mor-
tification in appearing tardy, and when her own quota was
filled, her "free companies" enlisted in the service of the
neighboring States, ready to fight under any banner that was
engaged in the cause of their common country.

To the old Maryland line belongs truly the honor of fight-
ing the battles of freedom in almost every State; for its blood
moistened the soil on Long Island, where under General
Smallwood, its bravery saved the army, and the bones of its
heroes to-day are mingled with the glorious dust of the bat-
tle fields of Cowpens of Eutaw Springs, and of every other
field of renown, lying between these extremes. Her troops
fearlessly marched against the common enemy wherever and
whenever the common good required. She never refused to
let them go beyond her territorial limits, never had a
less object than liberty and independence; whilst the voice of
her sons were heard amongst the first in the council pro-
claiming the principles of liberty, their arms were foremost
in the fight defending it.

The distinctive traits of her early population have been