The southern aegis. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1857-1862, 1861-06-22
T H E. s O UT II E R N GIS.


Hon. e. FL. Webster to Gov. Hicks, and
the reply of Col Herman Stunt to its
wanton attack upon him. If Mr.. W.
deemed it necessary to advertise his ]" un-
conditional adhesion to the Coy, the
motive is obvious enough, the manner we
leave to be judged of from the letters,
without comment of ours:
Letter of Hon. E. H. Webster
Bel AIR, June G. 1861.
Hon. 1hos. IL. Hicks, Governor of Maryland:
Dear Sir--Yours of the 4th instant, inSrming
me that copy of a letter written by you to me,
some time last fall was in circulation in Freder-
lex, and asking me to furnish you with the Or
ignal, or copy, has Just come to hand.
Yesterday, for the first time, | learned by mail
from friend in Baltimore that q letter from you
to me was being exhibited in that city by certain
Secessionists, in order to implicate both you and
myself in their reasonable attempts to resist the
passage of United States troops thp0ughH this
State. l was never more astonished in my life
as no correspondence upon such a spbieFt has
ever passed between us. have had but o. Ssst-
ter if fFfa fine sc sS
f,ii, and take it for granted this is the1One aud
j
as follows:
'The Hartford Rifles" volunteer company Or
gained in this village early in the year 1860,
were DESTROYS of obtaining guns from the State.
About the first of last November at the request of
their Captain, Herman Stump, Esq, wrote to
you asking chat they be furnished at as early q
day as possible, as the company was becoming
much dissatisfied with the delayin procuring them.
A few days later received a reply stating that
you regretted the delay, that it was unavoidable,
but that the guns would be forwarded in a few
days. AT the end of the latter was some playful
remark about whether the men were true, and
could be relied on to shoot Lincoln or something
to that effect as state the contents entirely from
memory. Capt. Stump was in my office at the
time, and, after reading it, ] handed the letter to
him, that he might inform the company ofthe fact
that the arms would soon be furnished. I have
not seen the letter from that day to this; and, in
fact, the whole subject had entirely passed out of
my MIN Until recalled by the letter ofmy friend
:yesteFSs Immediately called upon Captain
Stump for fheIetSfg, but he was absent from the
village, and haeffptX Vet returned. AS soon as
can procufesit will forward it to you.
Otis proper to remark that Capt. Stump, at the
time handed him she letter, was strong politi-
cal friend of yours, andsn2calous Union man; and
SO con nued until the Nth of last April How
he has thought it consistent with honor-it he has
done ito furnish copies of this private letter,
written TO me, TO your enemies, without even ask
'ng my consent, | cannot imagine.) He knows,
very body else who looks at the date of the
sster must know, that, written as it was by
pion man to IL Union man, and no answer made
yen requested that the interrogatory about
yoting Lincoln was mere pleasantly, and so con-
iered at the time.
- have just learned that the letter was read to
the company shortly after its reception, OCCASION
ed much satisfaction among them because of the
promise to furnish the guns, and that nobody then
dreamed that the remark alluded to was anything
bnt jest or intended to induce them to commit
treason. Such an idea is perfectly preposerous.
hope this matter will give Won no urGasireSs,
to Your conscryaf.Ie ana unf6n-ioyiiflJ course
1t is about on q par with the other attacks made
upon you by your enemies, who, nm glad to be-
lieye, are confined to Il small minority of the
people of the State. 1t only shows to what mis-
cradle shifts and expedients they are driven in
their efforts to injurc You and the great cause of
the Union.
wrote yesterday to my friend in Baltimore,
stating the facts in connection with this letter,
and authorizing him to publish them if necessary
lfany alusion be made TO that letter in the papers,
j think you ought TO make full expose at once,
which, | venture the assertion, will cover with
confusion the men who originated this mode If
attack
IN conclusion, allow ne TO say that entirely
approve of your determination TO support, not
Mr.. Lincoln, hut the Government-knowing as
do that such determination is in harmony with
your course in all these troublous times The
Union is our most precious heritage We must
not let it be destroyed
With great respect,
Your obedient servant,
EDWIN II WEBSTER