The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-06-08
politilal.
For The Cecil Wing.
MARYLAND and the South.

press that all hopes of MAryland's future
are vitality int,rv oven with the veal and woe
of an independent South. The falternc
prospects Of Baltimore becoming the CONNER.
cal emporium, and the Satc--whcn out of
reach for competition of Yankeedom-thc
chief seat Of manufacturing enterprise in :he
new Confederacy is the bait for merchants
and mechanics, thrown out by the emissarcs
of the Montgomery Administration whilst
the appeal of the Slave. aristocracy to the
SympathirS of their brethren indies anew in
Maryland's gentry the nearly vanished hopes
OF levlvlng Their traditional glory, which had
faded under tho contact with sef-ICWarding
free labor and thriving industry.
However easy 1t might be to prove the
lallscy of all these C,opic schemes by reasons
OF national economy, commercial statistics
and geog'aphy,.H is not our aim to enter
upon conjecturcs Of what would be and what
would not be if Jefferson Davis could triumph
over Uncle Sam -howevcr evident it might
oe to US that the last hour Of the Union would
be the last moment CT Maryland's prosperity
we waive all force Of argument in full con
seriousness Of the fact that neither strictly
logical conclusions. nor even inspired pro.
phecleS have influence upon a pJc-occupicd
mind; but, trusting in the empiric truth.
that even biased intellect, though blind
against the oncns of the future, will and can
seldom withstand the influences ard lessons
of the past, we unfold the last written pages
of the history of our Union and hold them
up to the eyes of Maryland. that she may
see from what the South has done, what the
South rW do.
Well aud truly it is said, that History is
the evidence Of the guilt or innocence Of
nations and countries. of generations aud
individuals, and that faithfully as "a photo
graph it rctains the features of the past So
ii shows us the impression Of one week, dur.
ing which, if erer it did, that seemed
true which proudly bad been proclaimed
throughout the South, that Maryland had
forsaken the Star Spanglcd Banner and had
raised the flag Of rebellion We say, it
seemed true for then Maryland ella lined the
honor of having drawn the first blood of the
Union OF destroying the highroadS Of her
own supplies and welfare, for the purpose of
hurting the fire brnd into the supposed sole
avenue of help for the exposed National
Capital ard Government. Whatever may be
said of a reign of terror by an armed mob in
Baltimore, OF lopal majority there and of
the sound people III the counties, it must be
admitted that this loyal majority, this sound
people was not visible on the 10Th Of April
and during the following week, except in a
lew spots where distance from the scenes Of
action made it sufficiently safe to cluster
tinidly around the Union colors, or local
adhesion made all patriotism useless Yes
we have to confeSs-whilst timely action of
Maryland S Union men on the 10Th of April
and the subsequent days might have placed
her loyalty beyond doubt and her honor beyond
lmpcachment-it is not u false charge that
Their misunderstood abiding to misunderstood
laws or else their cowaidice co.operatcd with
the treachery and the holiness of the mob
and delivered the centrec of our national
| existence to the mercy Of the Rebels.
II after such eloquent facts we only say
1t seemed true, we mean: to ourselves and to
those who like us know that Notwithstanding
appearances, silence is not always consent
and that the popular sentiment, when
deprived of central organization and Of
leaders upon the ros!run,, as well as in the
daily press, has but slow conveyaaccs to
manifest itself; but to the South it uus true.
1T there had existed still doubt, Maryland S
official representatives settled it. And one
shout Of triumph from the scarcely seeding
Arlington flights down to the long rebeous
Gulf betrayed not only the conviction of, but
also the frantic joy over the treason of the
anticipated new member of the noble Con-
federacy. Truly, it was Malyland's doing,
what Baltimore, her Governor and her I.euis.
lature did and tried to do,-her guilt toward
| this nation and Union is only surpassed by
the crimtful ,ngrattude of the chiyalric
South toward Maryland. If then had the
gallant South in this most dangerous moment
for the Nation thrown some Of her valiant
forces into defenccless Maryland and self.
sacrificing Baltimore instead of leaving her
n prey OF little Fort Mcllcnry; or if she had
only sent arms to her unarned friends and
had stopped that channel Of access to Wash.
ington which passes through her own waters.
matters might look differently to day, and
although even then we would not yield our
faith in our Union S restoration and endurance,
still the South might stipulate the terms OF
peace in the Cabinet chamber of the National
Capitol, or her President might claim his
recognition from the Presidential Chair in
4 the White House.
But let US turn our eyes a moment Ia
Montgomery. The rulers there were well
informed about the moycnents on the Chesa-
peake shores. Telegraph and railway were
| open to them whilst closed to the North. -
They saw Maryland offer her soil for the
battle-ground they knew that she had shed
the first blood for the South and not for her
self; they were aware that she was not equal
to the pressure upon her when left alone