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| Martyrs' Monument.2 |
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in the Lowell Cemetery.
A little more than four years afterward, the remains of these “first martyrs” were laid beneath a beautiful monument of Concord granite, erected, to commemorate their history, in Merrimack Square, in Lowell.
It was formally dedicated on the 17th of June, 1865, in the presence of nearly twenty thousand people, who were addressed by the same chief magistrate of the Commonwealth who had besought the Mayor of Baltimore to send the bodies of the young men “tenderly” to him. In the mean time Maryland had disappointed the hopes of the conspirators, and dissipated the cloud that then hung over her like a pall.
Baltimore had soon attested and vindicated its loyalty and at tachment to the Union; and Maryland had not only spurned the traitors, but had purged her soil of the evil root of slavery,1 for the perpetuation of which they had taken up arms.
And more.
At the conclusion of the consecrating ceremonies at the tomb of the young martyrs in Lowell, Lieutenant-Colonel Morris
of the staff of Governor Bradford, of Maryland, presented to Governor Andrew, as the representative of Massachusetts, a beautiful National banner, made of silk, and wrought by
1 By the act of a Convention of the people in the autumn of 1862, and by the ratification of the Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, abolishing Slavery, by act of the Maryland General Assembly, February 8, 1865.
2 the Monument is of Concord granite, and its entire hight twenty-seven feet six inches. The plan is cruciform, the larger arms measuring fifteen feet, and the shorter, twelve feet. It consists of a central shaft placed upon a plinth, with a high base, upon two sides of which, forming the longer arms, are two sarcophagi, having on each side, respectively, the names of the young martyrs. Inserted in the ends are raised laurel wreaths. The cornices of the sarcophagi are ornamented with thirteen raised stars each. Upon the other two sides of the base, forming the shorter arms, are two plinths, the same hight as the sarcophagi, with inscriptions. On the Merrimack Street side are the words:--
on the Moody Street side are the following words:--
the horizontal lines are merged into the vertical ones by fluted trusses, with raised stars resting upon the four arms, and above these is a plinth, on two sides of which are bronzed medallions of the arms of Massachusetts and the City of Lowell. The engraving is from a photograph kindly sent to me by Major-General Butler. this Monument was dedicated on the 17th of June, 1865, with imposing ceremonies by the Masonic fraternity, a large number of military companies, and citizens, and the Otto (singing) Club. Governor Andrew delivered an oration, after which Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas J. Morris presented the Maryland flag mentioned in the text. There was a collation at Huntington Hall, where toasts were given and speeches made. Among the speakers was Major-General Butler, whose military experience in Maryland, just after the riot in Baltimore, made him a deeply interested participant in the ceremonies. He paid a fine tribute to the volunteer soldiers, and to the Navy.
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