of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 643

the arts, science, and education has been such as to place her in the front rank
of the states—while in the world of sentiment, the mention of Key and the
"Star Spangled Banner"—Randall and "Maryland, My Maryland, " brings home
the fact that Maryland gave both to the Nation and Confederacy, battle hymns
which remain unequaled and unsurpassed.

A vast more could be said as to Maryland's part and place in the pano-
rama of our Nation's progress, and with just cause for individual and State
pride. The hard fate of a universal war, however, forces us, even in this place,
and on such an occasion, to turn our whole attention to considerations of defense
and self-preservation. Time will not wait; the danger is at our gates. Even
now, at times, it seems almost too late. If we would survive, virtually every
other consideration must be put to one side, and every energy, individual and
collective, in both State and Nation, must instantly be thrown into the battle
scale.

It was my happy privilege on the occasion of your Maryland Day celebra-
tion two years ago, to discuss with you some of the major contributions made
by Marylanders of the past to the development and progress of our great Na-
tion. I pointed out that the heritage of Maryland should ever be remembered
by our citizens because we did not commemorate on this memorable day merely
a landing of Pilgrims. The exceptional fact which Marylanders throughout
history should always commemorate, I attempted to emphasize, was that these
settlers had definite and avowed purposes underlying their expeditions.

First and most important, they desired to found a new colony where freedom
of thought would prevail. This has constituted our first debt to the Maryland
Pilgrims. While, fortunately, the matter of one's principles of life is no longer
a burning issue in America, this is no longer an issue today only because men
and women like those who landed at St. Mary's took up arms to kill it. More-
over, there was an additional matter at stake. It concerned the whole principle
of freedom, and involved the broad question of self-determination. The Mary-
land Pilgrims put forth their efforts for the dignity of the human race. Theirs
was a bold and dangerous! proceeding because to pursue such a course involved
danger of death, or of penal servitude.

In those days, unhappily, minorities right here in America were in danger
of their lives for no other reason than because they were minorities. This condi-
tion, from the very first, Maryland sought to correct. She became the sanc-
tuary of exiles from many lands as well as from the other colonies. She went
even further than that, for which the adoption of the Act of Toleration in 1649,
Maryland became the first and only American Colony whose Government
pledged itself to protection of the human conscience.

That spirit of the early Maryland Pilgrims, which has ever characterized
our citizens, still manifests itself. It came down to us through the war of the
Revolution. It found expression in the Annapolis Tea Party; at the battle of
North Point; during the grave days of the Civil War. Of even greater im-
portance, it flames brighter than ever today in the hearts of our people. In the
face of the grave threat to our National existence today, they have given, and
are continuing to give, unmistakable evidence of that spirit of confidence in