MARYLAND.
The attack by an armed mob upon the Massachusetts regiment had called the attention of the entire country to the State of Maryland, and her future course was the subject of deep feeling. Indirectly, Washington was, of course, menaced by her movements, and it became a matter of vital importance that she should be retained in the Union and restored to her fidelity. Not here alone were keen eyes watching her future. England and France, in their eager thirst for dominion and their jealousy of America and her liberal institutions, scrutinized every action, with reference to their own future course. Second only to Washington, therefore, for the time, became the “Monumental City.”
From the 19th of April, the day when the banner of the Massachusetts Sixth was baptized in blood, until the 14th of June, all was suspense, and those who still retained their fealty were reluctant to express their loyalty from fear of personal violence. Then an election was held for members of Congress, and every district, save one, returned decisive majorities for unconditional Union men. The majority of the Legislature were unreserved in their expressions of disunion, and were secretly, if not openly, urging on the State to revolt. As early as December, 1860, Governor Hicks had been solicited to call a Convention for that purpose, and emissaries of the rebel government had labored with untiring zeal to spread secession sentiments among the people. The Governor, knowing the heart of the masses to be true, refused, and his decision came like a thunder-clap upon the Southern partizans who hoped to find him a pliant tool in their hands.
The proclamation of the President, of the 15th April, was tortured into a means of exciting popular clamor, and every effort was made to fan the fires of secession, until they should burst forth in fierce flame. Meetings were held for that purpose, and every possible means resorted to for its accomplishment. While very many of the wealthy and commercial classes of Maryland, and particularly of Baltimore, were in favor of disunion, eminent and influential citizens, some of whom were among the most distinguished public men of the State, and whose names are inseparably connected with its civil and political history, were committed irrevocably to the support of the government. In this cause the industrial classes—the working-men and the farmers—were true to the principles they had always professed. Whatever political parties they had sympathized with, it had been ever on the broad basis of the Union and the Constitution.
An illustration of this was given on the 18th of April, the day previous to the attack on the Massachusetts regiment. A party of secessionists had raised a rebel flag in the suburbs of Baltimore, and had a cannon with which they saluted it, but a vast crowd of working-men from the neighboring foundries assembled, tore down the flag, and threw the cannon into the river. His Excellency, Thomas H. Hicks, Governor; John P. Kennedy, Secretary of State under President Fillmore; Reverdy Johnson, John R. Kenley, ex-Governor Francis Thomas, Hon. Henry Winter Davis, Edwin H. Webster, Alexander Evans, and many others boldly stepped forward, and planted themselves in the foreground, to resist the tide of dishonesty, passion, and frenzy, into which the State was plunged by the conspirators. Five thousand citizens of Baltimore addressed a letter to Governor Hicks, on January 2d, approving his course in refusing to call the Legislature together to authorize a Convention, and public meetings were held throughout the State for the same purpose. Notwithstanding this great demonstration of popular opinion, the secessionists were resolved upon making the attempt; and, though foiled in their measures, seized the opportunity afforded by the passage of Northern troops through Baltimore, to enkindle the flames of civil war, hoping, in the confusion, to urge their schemes to a fulfilment.
The pressure upon the Governor after this event became almost insupportable. All the combined influences of political, social and commercial classes were brought to bear upon him, and the wild denunciations and contemptuous and bitter invective and threats hurled incessantly upon Baltimore and Maryland by a large portion of the northern press were persistently used to press the Executive to the commission of the fatal act. Thus urged on all sides, he was compelled, in deference to the sudden and violent appeals of the people, to request the government to send no more troops through Maryland. The proclamation of the President of the 15th of April, and the call for troops, was represented by the secessionists of Maryland, as in other States, as an attempt to “coerce,” “invade” and “subjugate” the Southern States. They used this appeal with great effect on the popular mind, and the passions of the people were so inflammable, that many whose convictions were utterly opposed to the disunion measures were determined to resent this attempt to “subdue” them. On the 17th of April an excited disunion meeting had been held in Baltimore, and great efforts were made to commit the citizens to the secession movement. On the following day Governor Hicks and his Honor George Wm. Brown, Mayor of Baltimore, issued proclamations calling upon all citizens to keep the peace. The Governor assured the people that no troops should be sent from Maryland, except to defend the national capital. The arrival of Massachusetts troops and the fatal occurrences of the 19th, caused an almost entire cessation of business, and all commerce was suddenly prostrated.
The secessionists were determined to render it impracticable for any more troops to reach Washington, and for this purpose destroyed the bridges and a considerable portion of the tracks of several railroads both north and south of Baltimore.
The Pennsylvania Northern, Philadelphia, Annapolis Junction, and Baltimore and Ohio roads suffered extensively; and in consequence of these lawless proceedings, the greatest difficulty was apprehended in getting troops to Washington in time to protect the capital from the threatened attack.
On the 21st the government announced that it took possession of the Philadelphia and Baltimore railway as a military road. During the temporary delay and obstruction to the travel, it was almost impossible for travellers to pass either way. Many were molested in Baltimore; some were placed in confinement under false charges by the secessionists, and all were compelled to pay exorbitant prices and resort to the rudest means of conveyance to pursue their journeys, when permitted so to do. On the 22d the Mayor and Police Board of Baltimore laid an embargo on provisions and necessary supplies, as the interruption to transportation threatened a deficiency of food.
The Governor, under these extraordinary circumstances, called a special session of the Legislature, which assembled at Frederick, on the 26th of the month, the capital, Annapolis, being then in possession of General Butler, who threatened to arrest the whole body if an ordinance of secession were passed. The secession members of the Legislature then attempted to procure the organization of a Board of Safety, which should have discretionary power during the crisis, but public meetings were immediately called, which were loud in their denunciations of this covert transfer of the State to its enemies, and it was abandoned. Resolutions protesting against the war, and recommending the President to desist, and resort to arbitration, were adopted, and a committee appointed to visit the President and induce him to promise that no more troops should be passed through Maryland. The President replied that the public necessity must govern him, and that he would consult the wishes of the people to the utmost extent that the national welfare would permit.
The Legislature, after the report of the Committee had been submitted, on May 6, discussed the questions at issue, and on the 10th adopted a preamble and resolution, declaring Maryland sympathized “with the South in the struggle for their rights, solemnly protests against this action, and will take no part in it, denouncing the military occupancy of the State, and transportation of troops, and imploring the President, in the name of God, to cease this unholy war.”
The reorganization of the military departments for the war was progressing with all possible dispatch. The Department of Washington was assigned to Colonel Joseph K. F. Mansfield, the Department of Annapolis to Major-General Butler, and that of Pennsylvania to Major General Robert Patterson.
On the 5th of May, General Butler took possession of the junction of the Baltimore and Washington and Baltimore and Ohio railroads, at the Relay House, nine miles south of Baltimore. Four days afterwards a body of United States troops landed at Locust Point in that city, and were conveyed by the cars through it without interruption. The Marshal of the city, John K. Kane, was known to be deeply implicated in the work of rebellion, and he was arrested and search was made at the police headquarters for concealed arms and supplies.
The people of Maryland held views which her disloyal legislators had misrepresented. On the 14th of May, a meeting was held at East Baltimore, at which strong Union resolutions were adopted, pledging “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor,” to its defence, declaring the right of the government to convey troops through the State, and their own right and duty to aid them in the work.
General Butler the same day occupied Federal Hill, at Baltimore, and issued a proclamation which was scattered in immense numbers among the people, and contributed in a high degree to the restoration of confidence and harmony among all classes. An important step was also taken by Governor Hicks, who, on the same day issued a proclamation calling for the State quota of four regiments of volunteers for three months, to sustain the government and to protect the capital. General Butler had seized various military stores intended for the rebels, and also took possession of arms and powder belonging to loyal parties, to prevent their being removed by enemies to the government.
Brigadier-General Butler, having been appointed Major-General, and placed in command of the military Department of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, a most important position, was transferred to Fortress Monroe, and was succeeded by General Cadwallader on the 20th. Fort McHenry was reinforced, and put into the most effective condition for immediate service, and the conspirators of Baltimore were restrained from further disorders by the apprehension that any attempt at insurrection would be the signal for a bombardment of the city. After Cadwallader came into command, several arrests of prominent persons had been made. Among these was Mr. John Merryman, who applied to Chief-Justice Taney for a writ of habeas corpus. This was granted; and General Cadwallader, in answer, said that the prisoner had been arrested on charge of various acts of treason—of holding a command in a company having in possession arms belonging to the United States, and of avowing his purpose of armed hostility to the Government of the United States. In such cases General Cadwallader said he was authorized by the President to suspend the habeas corpus act; he therefore requested Judge Taney to suspend further action until instructions could be had from the President.
Judge Taney thereupon issued a writ of attachment against General Cadwallader for contempt of court. The Marshal proceeded to Fort McHenry to execute the writ, but was refused admission. Judge Taney urged that the President had no authority to suspend the act of habeas corpus, or to authorize others to do so. An elaborate opinion to that effect was prepared by the Judge and has since been published.
A sufficient number of troops were also at this time stationed in Baltimore, and the loyal citizens were assured that they would be protected in all their rights and privileges, at every hazard. Thus fortified, protected and encouraged, the loyalty of the people was fully displayed, while the disloyal were held in check. Maryland, glorious in her past history, and her devotion to the Constitution, was saved from destruction, and her loyal citizens will in generations to come receive the plaudits of millions whose gratitude will be deep enough to overwhelm her few days of revolt.