William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[630] of the Merrimack House, immediately fronting the monument, and occupied about an hour in delivery. It was one of his most able efforts, in which he took a patriotic and statesmanlike view of the commencement, progress, and termination of the Rebellion. He referred particularly to the State of Maryland, of its opposition to the war at its commencement, and of the subsequent change from opposition to the cause of the Union to stanch and valuable support, and argued therefrom the unity of interest which the two States had in supporting the Constitution, and the bright and glorious future which the triumph of the cause, the termination of hostile strife, and the return to peace, opened to them. It was a thoughtful and able address, to which the Governor had given much deliberation, and which he had prepared with careful attention. In relation to this address, we find a letter on the files of the Governor, written June 19, and addressed to F. P. Blair, Esq., Silver Springs, Md., which he forwarded to that gentleman with a copy of his address, believing that it would interest him, from the fact that it treated immediately and solely a topic most intimately concerning his State.

‘I prepared,’ said the Governor, ‘the address with care, endeavoring to procure a unity of design throughout, to keep uppermost the precise day and its events which formed the occasion of the ceremony, extending my thoughts out in the direction of other events and auxiliary considerations only just so far as a somewhat severe self-control would permit. I thought, however, since the tragedy of the 19th of April was an apparent conflict between Maryland and Massachusetts, it was fitting that I should show how history at last had brought them into close and cordial harmony; and incidentally to show how much was the exertion, and how great the success, of the loyal hearts of Maryland in view of the difficulties they had to encounter. If, in performing this task, which I felt to a Massachusetts man, and to myself especially, was one of great delicacy, I should be found to have avoided all offence against good taste, and to have maintained with steadiness the scales of honest judgment, I shall be equally gratified and surprised.’

The Governor then regrets, that, during his visits to Washington, official business had so much absorbed his time as to prevent him from spending more hours with Mr. Blair at his