The Daily Dispatch: June 26, 1861., [Electronic resource]

[for the Richmond Dispatch.]
a patriotic Baltimore lady.

I subjoin some extracts from a letter received from a young lady in Baltimore, which you may possibly desire to publish as an exponent of the state of feeling among the true-hearted in that city:

"By my side is an exquisite bouquet, just received from 'the dearest fellow in the world' on the eve of his departure to the wars; in full view, the western horizon spreads its sunset glories, and just above my head wave the not inferior glories (in a patriotic sense) of my country's colors ! At last I have the happiness of sitting beneath the Stars and Stripes of our Southern Confederacy. A huge Secession flag floats boldly from my window out on the evening breeze Yes, and I had rather see the gold and crimson in the sky above extinguished in the blackness of darkness forever, than witness the subjugation of those brave, patriotic, noble States which have flung this banner to the winds, and are prepared to sacrifice everything in its support. In gazing on it, I am happy, for it reminds me that hundreds of the best and bravest of Maryland's sons have offered their lives in its defence; and I feel assured that it will be eventually unfurled in triumph over our beloved State. Probably you think it would have been better to have deferred giving this expression to my feelings until that time arrived. Perhaps so; but I was goaded to desperation by the insolent flaunting of dozens of little Union flags in my immediate vicinity; while our own loved banner was nowhere to be seen; so choosing between the alternatives of certain insanity and possible arrest, I purchased a large Confederacy flag, and it has hung at my window for the last three or four days, thereby restoring me to comparative happiness. I do not know how long this luxury may be permitted; for we live in a strong Union neighborhood, and my political enthusiasm has already paid the penalty of two broken panes of glass.

"I sincerely wished for you the day I made the purchase. You would have entered fully into the enjoyment of the display I indulged in. Carelessly folded and drooping over the front of my dress in such a way as to admit of no doubt as to its character, I walked up Baltimore street, holding it in my hand.--In the course of my promenade we encountered a squad of Lincoln's beggarly, beastly brutes. (I suppose it would not be wholly consistent with female delicacy and decorum to give voice to such pretty words as these.--If there is any impropriety in committing them to paper, my pen is responsible. Outraged feeling is not usually very fastidious in the selection of terms wherewith to express itself.) I casually raised my hand and accidentally threw the flag across the one nearest me. The party scowled, but were obliged to submit to the indignity of being touched by the rebel banner. It would have done your heart good to see how impotently furious they looked. Why these wretched men should ever make their appearance before a public so utterly hostile to them, I cannot imagine; they subject themselves in so doing to every indignity that can possibly be offered them in a covert way by men, women and children.--The favorite insult on the part of the ladies consists in drawing off to the extreme edge of the pavement, with skirts gathered closely around them to avoid contact. It is done so pointedly that it cannot fail to be observed, and invariably creates a laugh at the expense of the creatures among bystanders, newsboys, etc. To avoid noticing these slights, they have at length adopted the plan of looking neither to the right or left, which makes them look more like escaped convicts than ever.

"You must not, dear--,judge my feelings by yours; it is impossible for any one who has not experienced its trials, to appreciate our position. How I envy the women at the South! It must be an intense comfort to be surrounded by such enthusiastic people, all equally devoted to our glorious cause, having most entire faith in its righteousness, and inspired with the fullest confidence in its ultimate success. Next door to us there lives an immense family of Unionists, all of whom, not even excepting the baby, possess innumerable Union flags, which they flaunt in our very faces. I really am horror-struck when I think of the emotions those people excite in me sometimes ! I am sure it would have given me a sensation of unmixed pleasure to have strangled the young lady (?) of the house, when, a few evenings since, she cheered and kissed her hand to a crowd of Lincoln's rowdy rabble, passing by on their way to Washington — men who, but the day before, had almost mutinied, because they were not allowed to hang upon the spot three of our best citizens who had been arrested at a county town through which the troops were passing, upon the charge of being Secessionists ! I had the satisfaction, however, of calling from my window one of the boys standing just beside them--'Poor, deluded creatures, they are human beings after all, though very dirty ones, and it is almost sad to think how entirely they will be cut to pieces. I am so glad they are well armed, our men will make good use of those muskets.'

‘"You ask me if it can be possible that we are all Submissionists? That question is already answered by the self-sacrificing and devoted bands of patriots we have so freely given to Virginia in this her hour of need. There are those among us who would shed their heart's blood, drop by drop, rather than entertain the idea of submission for a single hour. Indeed, it is now almost universally conceded that Baltimore is disunion, and though the greatest and most unquenchable hatred of our enslavers pervades all hearts — in its profound silence is evinced the depth and strength and intensity of the feeling. It is impossible to give you the faintest conception of our absolute abhorrence of that Government to whose despotic sway we are now subjected. The language in which we have been denounced by the press and people of the North is treasured up in our hearts, that employed by Marat and Robespierre to infuriate the demons of Paris to the inauguration of the reign of terror, is milk and water compared to it. The feeling produced by this, and the cowardly, dastardly use they are making of their armed power here, in unresisting Maryland, is one of unmitigated detestation. The chains of slavery are tightening daily; you have no idea how utterly desolates we poor prisoners feel, cut off from everybody in the world we hold most dear.--To-morrow a 'rebel' from Virginia, who has been secreted here for the past few days, expects to return, and I intend taking advantage of his offer to convey any letters I may have destined for 'El Dorado' How I wish I could write you something that I know is treason. Oh ! how I do hate the North. I wish I were a volcano or an earthquake. I would swallow it up so entirely that no one could discover the slightest trace of it. And I love the South with such intensity that I would gladly suffer the death-pang of every martyr who falls on our side, to advance its cause. But, with such a cause and people as ours, opposed to Northern rabble and Northern oppression, no sane person can doubt the issue. The God of Battles will defend the right."’

Baltimore, June 19, 1861.