December, 1861. |
April 16, 1861. |
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the loyal women of Baltimore for the purpose.
It was of regimental size, and surmounted by a carved eagle holding thunderbolts in its talons, and an olive-branch in its beak.
On the polished black-walnut staff was a silver plate, bearing an engraving of the arms of Maryland and of Massachusetts, and the words, “Maryland to Massachusetts, April 19, 1865.
May the Union and friendship of the future obliterate the Anguish of the past.”
This was the crowning evidence of the sorrow of true Marylanders for the wrongs inflicted on citizens of Massachusetts in their commercial capital, and a desire to obliterate the feelings occasioned by them.
Only a few months after the occurrence, and when the Union men of the State had obtained partial control of the public affairs of the Commonwealth, the Legislature took steps
to “wipe out,” as they expressed it, “the foul blot of the Baltimore riot;” and on the 5th of March, 1862, the General Assembly appropriated seven thousand dollars, to be disbursed, under the direction of the Governor of Massachusetts, for the relief of the families of those who were then injured.
To-day Massachusetts and Maryland cordially embrace each other as loving sisters in the great family of the Nation.
“ Through New York the march [of Massachusetts troops] was triumphal,” said Governor Andrew.
It was so. The patriotism of the people of that great city and of the State had been thoroughly aroused, as we have observed, by the attack on Fort Sumter; and now, when the National Government was struggling for life in the toils of the conspirators, with no ability to make its perils known to the loyal people, they put forth the strong arm of their power without stint.
Already the Legislature had authorized the Governor to enroll thirty thousand troops for two years, instead of for three months, and appropriated three millions of dollars for war purposes.
Now, the citizens of the metropolis, in concert with General Wool, performed services of incalculable value, which the General-in-chief afterward declared had been mainly instrumental in saving the Capital from seizure, and the Republic from ruin.1 They heard the call of the President for seventy-five thousand men with profound satisfaction.
On the same evening some gentlemen met at the house of an influential citizen, and resolved to take immediate measures for the support of the, Government.
On the following day,
they invited, by a printed circular letter, other citizens to join them, for the purpose of making arrangements for a public meeting of men of all parties, “to sustain the Federal Government in the present crisis.”
2 The arrangements were made, and the
1 Speech of General Scott before the Union Defense Committee of New York, November 8, 1861. See the published Reports, Resolutions, and Documents of that Committee.
2 The following is a copy of the circular :--“Sir: At a meeting held at the house of E. H. McCurdy, Esq., you were appointed member of a Committee to make arrangements for a public meeting of citizens, of all parties, to sustain the Federal Government in the present crisis. You are earnestly requested to attend a meeting of said Committee, for. the above-named purpose, at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, corner of William and Cedar Streets.”
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