The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-06-03
MARYLAND STILL DEFIANT.

The Richmond Examiner says:
! A few facts concerning the machin cry employed
by the Federal Government to render Maryland
powerless to effect her own disenthralment, or aid
in the Southern cause of Independence will serve
| to show the worse than Austrian tyranny of the
Lincoln dynasty, and to discover to Virginia
what surely awaits her people in the event of the
occupation of her soil by the Yankee army, and
| the abandonment Of it by her own.
In 1860, the Legislature appropriated money
for the purchase of for the arming of the
State militia, which was done. After the events
of the 10Th of April, 1861. and the invasion of
| the State by Federal forces Gov. Hicks called on
the various military organizations TO deliver up
the arms. In few instances the caf was com
piled with, but the majority refused, and several
| companies crossed into Virginia, carrying their
arms. A regular order for the seizure Of all arms
was then issued, which was followed by general
secretion Of them the part of the State militia
and citizens Armories forced open and
searched, well private houses. No old
fowlirg piece, rusty pistol or cutlass harmless
looking enough to save it from deposition at the
great armory of the Provost Marshal. They were
brought forth from every imaginable place of con-
cealment. Recently the Provost Marshal, learn
ing that there were numerous arms buried in
known places, issued order reiterating the call
for their delivery, and secretly offered bribe to
| weapons. In this way numbers of guns, varying
from one to a dozen, have been unearthed in
various parts of the city.
Squads Of Yankees roamed the counties, gath
ering up the of the country militia and rails
ing Union flags. Threats, arrests, and even tor
lures, were resorted to to compel citizens to dis
close where their arms were concealed In St.
Marys county, a German who had hidden his
arms was seized and hung up by the heels until,
like the inqusitors of old, they extorted their
places of concealment. Instances Of female devo-
ton and fearlessness in their repuse of the Yam
kee intruders are related Two Yankee soldiers,
with bayosets fixed, stopped at the residence of
Marylander, now in the Southern army, and de-
manded any arms that might be in the house.
His wife replied that she was exceedingly sorry,
but her husband and two sons had just gone off to
the Southern army, taking all the with them.
The Yankees 'Eretired in good order" Another
lady, upon her husbands arms being demanded,
produced toy gun belonging to her son, and
begged them to take it as the most destructive
weapon she could give them.
But, Notwithstanding the success with which
these seizures have been conducted, We have the
best evidence for knowing that the number
captured bears but small proportion to those
hid away, but within the grasp of thousands of
eager, sturdy hands. There may be day of
resurrection coming-it may be far off, and yet it
may be very near Maryland is a dsarmcd and
conquered State. Too much distrusted by the
Federal Government to share either It's confidence
or its patronage, and yet too fully imbued with
the Southern spirit to array herself in
with the North against Virginia and her sisters.
Maryland to-day occupies position in which no
other State is to be found-a position at once
equivocal to herself and humiliating to the Fed
eral Government.