The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-10
PRESENTATION TO THE MARYLAND GUARD


The interesting ceremony of the presenta-
tatiou of n Confederate flag, from the ladies
of baltimore to the members Of the Maryland
Guard now in Virginia, took place In the
CapitoI grounds on Saturday afternoon,
about half past six o'clock
Mrs AUarsrrs MCLaUsHbIS, the wife of one
OF the officers of the late u s. Navy, who
brought the flag from Baltimore, concealed
as only a lady knows how, was present and
received the compliments of large number
of ladies and gentlemen, who surrounded her
upon the steps of the Monument, from which
the address was made.
The presentation speech was made by Hon.
J. NJ. MASON, as follows
sPgEcH OF HON. J. NJ. MASON.
Soldfers of the Maryland Line: am depu-
ted 10 do a most grateful duty first, insthe
name of Virginia, TO give you an earnest anu
cordial welcome TO the " Oid DOMINION; ana
next to present to you, in behalf OF the ladies'
of Maryland, this flag. / see, soldiers OF Ma
ryland. that you are rough and ready'-the
highest honor of soldier in revolutionary
times We all know VINO you are. we AL
kno1y what brought you here, and We are all
ready as trust you have experienced, TO ex-
tend TO you a soldiers weicome-the only wei
come, indeed, that can be extended III times
like these.
Your own honored State is with us heart and
soul in this great controversy. by your en-
terprise, your bravery, and your determined
will YOU have escaped from the thraidom OF
tyranny which envelopes that state ana you
know. know,-for have been among its peo-
ple,-we all know, that the same spirit which
brought YOU here actuates thousands who re-
main at home. [Applausel
L welcome you, soldiers OF MARY iahu, upon
the threshold OF the second great war OF indie
pendence-a war that will be transmitted by
history TO the future as the greatest OF two
wars of independence a war that Is waged
against the South with less proVocatlon, less
reason, less regard 10 humanity ana 10 honor,
than was that Waged by the mother country
III 1915.
Your presence here is proof that you par
ticipate in this sentiment. AND tell you
further, my countrymen, IN view OF these
circums tances, there Is not man among you,
nor is there one belonging TO body not among
you W no will dare TO return 10 maryland win
that flag dishonored. Not one tell you
further, there is not man among you who
will dare return TO Maryland except as
soldier in victory. Do you ask me why Be
cause we are engaged IN great and holy war
of self-deience.
In after ages, when history records the
transactions of this epoch--when the passions
of men shall have subsidized, and the historian
can take calm and philosophic view OF the
events which have led to the present collision
between the two sections, he viii write that
the ueonle of the Southern States unders TODD
and protec ted civil liberty; ana that the mis-
guided North either did not comprehend, or
abandoned it. For what have we witnessed J?
The suectacle OF the Chief Us tice OF the Y III.
ed States the man who stands at the mead OF
the principal department OF the Federal GOV
ernment-the man who has illustrated IN ms
lite for more than four generaLiohs ali mat
adorns honor, virtue, ana patriotism-a ma
tive horn citiZel OF your own State OF Mary
land-Roger Ii. Taney-that man has put MS
| judicial fiat of condemnation upon the OoV-
eminent of the United States for It's Shameless
abandonment of the very cornerstone
t,f "A u,
| ns emains at home to defend the last
refuge of civil liberty against the atrocious
| aggressions of Iemorseiess tyranny -
| l honor him for it; the world VIII horor
| him, posterity will honor him and there Will
| be inscribed upon his monument the highes
tribute ever paid TO man. he mas SIooo
bravely III the breach, and interposeu the uA
spotted arm OF justice between the rig Is ot
| the South and the malignant usnrpation OF
mower by the North. There he sun remains,
| ga cloud by day and pillar OF fire by night,
| to direct the welfare Of our naton In luis
atrocIous aggression upon our liberty.
Now nv countrymen, why are you mere ?
What has brought you across the border
| What is your mission to Virginia. You tell
| your own tale. You have arms III your hanuS;
| YOU are under gallant leader, and you are TO
| march under flag honored by the ladies Oh
| YOUR own State, worked by their own iair
| hands. You are here not merely 10 Hght our
| battles. No. am not SO seinsn as 10 presume
that but to fight the battles OF clvli liberty III
| behalf of the entire South' AHu you die vi
You are not the first Marylanders who have
| crossed the border. We had in the days OF
| the first Revelation 4 Maryland Line, whose
| name has passed into his tory without one
| blot upon lis fair escu tcheon-a Maryland
| Line who illustrated upon every neid IN the
| South their devotion TO the civil liberty OF
| that day-a Maryland Line VINO, In the re-
| mote savannahs OF the Carolinas, spilled their
| blood like water at Camden, at Gullioro
| Court House, at the Cowpens, and at Eutaw,
| where the last battle was fought, and the en-
| envy finally surrendered Ihey were your
| ancestry. They travelled bare-footed, I'M
| clothed without blankets or tents, ana bu'
| few muskets, and you came after them Bu1
! YOU have this peculiar distinction: lou are
| volunteers in a double sense-you are Volun'
| teers for the war, and you are volunteers fol-
| the great cause of the South against the az
| gressions OF the North. You are no strangers
| you are our neghbors. My own home Is upon
| the confines of your State. went there 1oul
weeks ago, Immediately after Virginia hao
| denounced the unholy movements In the
| North, to learn the spirit OF your people.
| went to FfederickstOwn where the Legislature
| were assembled, anxious TO ascertain Whethei
| Virginia could rely upon you III the hour OF
| trial. l knew the political incubus by WhlcI
| your people were crushed to The earth pu
| such were the indications perceived on every
| side, that when / returned TO lrglnia uh
| hesitatingly repor ted that Mary land is VIII
| the South. l staked my word upon IL as :
man of principle and Il man OF truth. lh'
giant arm OF the oppressor has been too strohs
for the time being, but the spirit is sun ailNe
unsubdued and unrepressed. You are mere
to confirm this fact by your presence.
You are in Richmond. What is Richmond
II is Il large city-a city OF gallant men anC
refined women city whose inhabitants arr
engaged in all the useful and honorable pur
suits of life tending TO the advance OF civil
cation and prosperity. AT the present mo
ment, however, Richmond is u huge camp
where but one mind, one heart and one deter
| ats,Nnt
woman and child. Applause Our wives
mothers,-and l appeal to the ladies If l ma.
| not also say cur sweethearts,-haye entero,
into it with Zest which shows that thei
| hearts and affections are fully in the work
| You will have no child's play. There is ~
| time now for vain boasting. l confide a
| much as l can in the prowess of the men o
| this section, and you will be false to the fim'
| OF your fathers il you are not Victors; bu
| your enemy relies upon mere brute force
There doubtless brave soldiers amon
whom ii will be hard to conquer but yol
| will remember that you are fie hitting tor you
fathers, mothers AID firesides. They ar
mercenares fighting for pay, you are me
lighting for your homes and rights. All yo
, | req uire is subsistence. "tilSe US, you say
'the means of living, the arms TO fight with
and show US the enemy" [Applause.l l
may be tia, in the prOvidenees Of war, nc
one among all those who are before me Wi
| return. You have come here il necessary I
Law YOUR lives III pom the altar OF your country
and feel assured that every man will d
, his duty.
will tell you an incident connected wit
the Alabama troops. They were attended b
; a minister of the Gospel, who was guest
e | my house He told me that he had with hi
I a purse of gold which had been given 10 hill
. | by the parents OF two young men in the rank
with tue junction that 1t should De sacredl
i | preserved during the war, unless his sol
t should fall upon the field of battle. Thel
said the father, ''Giye them Chris tian bi
rial" There was a patriot father who la
| devoted his sons TO the service OF his countr
and that man does not stand alone
l Il. .thn chin xxrhl IN Ia a