Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 1.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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[101] and cheers)--who threaten to destroy it. The South may rest assured that the enterprise undertaken by her cannot succeed, and cannot long run on. They will learn that it is one thing to take a people and a Government by surprise, but that it is quite another thing to wage a war of despotism over thirty millions of people. What have the Secessionists done towards human liberty? What sort of a Government have they established? A Government of force, a Government of despotism. Jefferson Davis is to-day as pure and as unmitigated and complete a despot over those he rules, as any who sits upon any throne of Europe. (Applause, and cries of “That's so.” Three groans were then given for Davis.) If he gets possession of Washington--(cries of “Don't you be alarmed at that” )--if le is allowed to form a Government, it will be such a Government as the people will have as little to do with as possible. (Cries of “He can't do that.” ) No; but if he gets possession of the capital, one hundred thousand men will rush to the rescue and sweep rebellion from the headquarters of the Government. He (Davis) will find that the heart of the American people is irrevocably fixed upon preserving the republic. (Cheers.) I heard an anecdote to-day from Major Anderson--(cheers for Anderson)--which may interest you, and at the same time illustrate this position. During the attack on Fort Sumter, a report came here that the flag on the morning of the fight was half-mast. I asked him if that was true, and he said there was not a word of truth in the report. He said that during the firing one of the halyards was shot away, and the flag in consequence dropped down a few feet. The rope caught in the staff, and could not be reached, so that the flag could not be either lowered or hoisted; and, said the Major, “God Almighty nailed that flag to the flagmast, and I could not have lowered it if I tried.” (Immense sheering.) Yes, fellow-citizens, God Almighty has nailed that resplendent flag to its mast, and if the South dares to march upon Washington, they will find that that cannot be taken down. No, not by all the powers they can collect. No! they will find that that sacred sword which defends and strikes for human rights — that sword which Cromwell wielded, and which our fathers brought into the contest, and which made us a nation — will be taken once more from its scabbard to fight the battle of liberty against rebellion and treason. (Vehement cheering.) As I have already said, the Baltic will be at the foot of Canal street to-morrow morning to take volunteers to serve the country, whether they have orders or not. (Cries of “We'll go.” ) I would advise you not to go without arms. (Cries of “Where will we get them?” ) I have already made the announcement of the sailing, and now I am requested to make another. You may have seen in the morning papers that Governor Hicks, of Maryland, said that he would endeavor to prevent the passage of troops through Baltimore. I desire to say for him, that he has stood in the breach long months in Maryland, and he has done more to preserve the Union than any other man in the Southern States, and he is entitled to the warm gratitude of all for arresting rebellion on its very first tide, and when it was sweeping the whole South to destruction. (Three cheers were given with great unanimity for Governor Hicks.) If they could have once secured a: State Convention in Maryland, they would have had everything their own way. State Conventions are old tricks of despotism. Whenever any thing despotic was to be carried out against the will of the people, State Conventions have always been the convenient instrument used, for they assumed to be the representatives of the people, and having sovereign power, did just as they pleased. Take the case of Virginia. The Convention was elected by the people to stand by the Union; yet it goes into secret session, and then resolves to make an attack upon the national capital, to seize the seat of Government, and to burn down the bridges between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Maryland had no such standpoint for rebellion — she stood firm, and Governor Hicks has held the State to its moorings in the Union, and he deserved the thanks of the North. Governor Hicks had said that he would endeavor to prevent the passage of troops, simply that he might, in that way, prevent needless bloodshed, while, at the same time, he would not interfere with measures necessary for the defence of the capital. A message has just been put into my hands, stating that the President had conceded that no more troops should be brought through Maryland, if Governor Hicks would pledge the State not to interfere with the passage of troops up the Potomac — thus leaving a quiet path to Washington by water. I trust in Heaven that before three days, aye, before two days, that at least 50,000 men will be concentrated at the capital of the country to protect it from the hands of traitors. (Cheers, and cries of “What about the Seventh Regiment?” ) They were in Philadelphia this morning, and it was determined that they would be sent on by water; but I believe the Seventh kicked against it, and were anxious to go through Baltimore. (Immense cheering.) The Seventh Regiment, they would recollect, paid a visit to Baltimore, at which time they received the courtesies and hospitalities of their fellow-soldiers there, and they were anxious to see whether these same men had become their enemies and the enemies of the country at the same time. The Seventh was the pet regiment of New York, and well it deserves to be. They were a band of noble, gallant young men, who would stand by their country to the last extremity. I would have been glad if the Seventh had first gone on, that they might have opened the way for their comrades. But there is a Providence which presides over these movements. Look at this one single instance of Providential arrangement. The Massachusetts Regiment, on the 19th April, 1861, were assailed and two of their number killed, simply because they were on their way to protect the Federal capital. The first blood of the Revolution came from Massachusetts, on the streets of Lexington, and now we find that on the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, which inaugurated and sanctified the revolution of our fathers, the blood of a Massachusetts man has been shed to inaugurate the revolution now upon us. (Vehement cheering.) But if Massachusetts has had the glory of giving her blood the first in this cause, if she can now claim the high honor of being the first to shed her blood in defence of the Constitution, she shall not be left alone in the contest to preserve it. (Loud cheers.) A despatch has been just received by Major-General Sandford from Colonel Lefferts, of the Seventh, stating that his command would leave Philadelphia by rail for Havre de Grace--(great cheering)--where they would em-bark on board a steamer to Annapolis, to go thence to Washington by rail. You may rely upon it, while we are here assembled to respond to the Constitution, our brethren of the Seventh are on the soil of Washington, ready to fight, and, if necessary, die for