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unable to cope, on the other, a party sustained by violence which
even the most honest and upright of its members were unable to
repress and restrain; while the city authorities themselves were
either unable to grapple effectually with the diabolism broke loose
in the community, or unwilling to provoke the retaliatory spirit of
a desirable but furious ally. Such was the condition of affairs in
Baltimore, when the most urgent appeals were made to me, to ex-
ert, the authority vested in the Executive of the State for the pro-
tection of her citizens against intestine disorder, and to see that.
the laws were executed. I did not feel at liberty to hesitate longer
in the performance of a duty evidently incumbent upon me. It
was not for me to consider the contingencies of political antagon-
ism, or a perverted public sentiment. My duty was plain, and I
had no alternative but to perform it; and to leave the sequel to
the people themselves. I realized no accountability in an utter
failure to rally a single man to the service to which" he might, be
called. It was my duty to present such a statement of facts as had
been laid before me, to exhibit the remedy, and to use the proper
means for the application of it. To this end, responding to the
entreaties of gentlemen earnest in their avowals of co-operation to
any necessary extremity, and in full compliance with my own
sense of duty, I visited Baltimore. Immediately upon my arrival,
I addressed the Mayor of the city, and invited his counsel and co-
operation, in devising and putting into practical effect, means ade-
quate to the impending emergency. Again was my overture re-
pulsed, and this time the Executive authority of the State coolly
and gratuitously disputed. The object which I had in view re-
quiring in my judgment the most prompt and rigorous measures,
would not admit of the delay incident to an empty controversy
about well established constitutional authority. Accordingly in
the execution of my purpose, I at once initiated preliminary mea-
sures towards the summary and effective organization of the Mili-
tia, and on Thursday morning October 29th, issued a Proclama-
tion informing the people of Baltimore, what I had done, and
further contemplated for the preservation of the peace, and to se-
cure to the legal voters of the city their rights against violence
and intimidation.

Orders were issued to Major General George H. Steuart to hold
his command, the 1st Light Division M. V., ready for service at a
time specified; and to Major General John Spear Smith, to enrol
and embody without delay, six Regiments of not less than six
hundred men each to be ready for service at the same time. These
orders were responded to by the General Officers with immediate
measures in pursuance of the purpose in view. Having thus ini-
tiated proceedings I took occasion to reply at some length to the
very remarkable propositions advanced by the Mayor of Baltimore
in his letter to me; and renewed my solicitation that he would
co-operate with me in a harmonious effort to assert the supremacy