The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-01-25
MaryIand's Loyalty.


was at one time rs disloyal as any of the
Seeded States That is what jeff Davis
says, and what he and his associates pretend
to rely upon for the future accession of
Maryland to the Rebel Confederacy.n
So discourses The Methodist in
an editorial on "The Real Maryland"
from which we beg leave to dissent
For as unfortunate as the charge may
be, it is not unfair. Maryland at the
time of the Baltimore outbreak was
as rebellious as any of the States in
JET Davis Confederacy when they first
seeded, and had the foolish protests
and cntreaties against marching troops
across her soil, been needed she would
be to-day in the same deplorable condi-
ton with the Rebel States. There are
thousands of men in this State who are
now ardent friends of the Union, but
who on the 10Th of April, and long
afterwards, warmly espoused the cause
of secession and would, if Maryland
had been successful in her unholy
schemes, be at this very hour hurrahing
for Jeff Davis and cursing the Federal
Government and there are other thou
sands whose weak knees tremblcd so
violently at that time that they we're
ready to submit to anything, and with
a little h,oie pressure, would have joined
the insane mob in destroying the Union
These are bitter truths, but it is usoless
to attempt to cover them up. They are
too patent for conccalment, and may as
well be spoken first as last.
Maryland acas disloyal, and had it not
been for this same county of Cecil the
battle field would be right here upon
our smiling plains, instead of on the
south side of the Potomac. When the
bridges at Bush and Gunpowdcr were
destroyed, and the bands of brigands
in Hartford were stationed at Aberdeen
and Conowingo, a handful of brave men
in Cecil declared, that under all crcum-
stances they would remain in the Union
and fight for the old flag. Had they
been actuatcd by the same motives that
the men on the other side of the Susque-
hanna we're they could have destroyed
the Rail Road and Canal, or seized or
burned the steam boat at Pcrryville,
thus etfectually cutting off all commune
cation with Washington from the loyal
States. They were unorganizcd, and
unable to procure arms while the seces-
sionists had guns and were violent and
noisy. Everything was against them :;
but they took decided stand, and
Maryland was saved. Had the faithful
few of Cecil faltered, or listened to the
timid coupsels of those who were for
peace or compromise, Maryland would
have been lost, and instead of the quiet
ness that now reigns within her borders,
discord and strife would prevail, and her
soil would be rcdder than that of Ken
lucky OR Missouri.
1t Is painful to remind men who are
now in the Union ranks, of their short
comings, and to say to all the world
what canpot be denied, that many who
are now leading men on the side of the
Union in Maryland were at one time,
and for considerable while, VIGOROUSLY
unsound-morc than half traitors. 1t
affords us no pleasure to recall these
things, and we only do it for the purpose
of showing that the Rebellion might have
been crushed in every Southern State as
effectually as it has been in this, if the
same prompt, energetic and decided mea-
sures that it was found necessary to
adopt in Maryland for the preservation of
the National Capitol, had been adopted
in the other States. This talk about
armed neutrality, amicable adjustment.
and the thousand other projects for
maintaining peace and preserving the
Union is simply sheer nonsense. There
is but one way to preserve the Union and
have peace, and that way is of all others
the plainest-it is by enforcing the laws.
So long as the Government triAed and
fooled with the rebels of Maryland, just
so long were we kept in confusion and
trouble. The moment they discovered
parleying was at an end they subsidized,
and skunk quietly our of harms way
Of what use is it to parley about enfor-
cling laws when they are good, proper
and benefcicnt? Of what use to dis
cuss with the malefac.or whether or not
he will willingly submit to be punished
Of what use to talk of brotherhood when
your brother, with malice in his heart is
driving his dagger at you with both
hands p? Of all the intolerably stupid
twaddle ever uttered in this world the
men who have been talking about patch
ing up this Rebellion have uttered the
stupidest. But the fools are not all
dead yet, and still they keep muttering