The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-22

my learned friend BY this iule, are the petitioners
res,denfs+ Are they within the scope, object, or
purview of the act OF Congress Where have they
d0aaiciledf In what house have they resided =
Their residence has been ON the tented field, in the
thiekest of the fightlnany Of them, gallant heroic
men, IN the grave-leaving a lew only to claim the
resulting benefits of the original contract,
But my learned friend says they intended to re-
main iii the Confederate States II Maryland cast
her lot with the Lincoln dynasty Indeed Where is
the proof of this 1t Is not to be presumed But
they were .straitors to their State if they came
here intending to return under such circumstances,
says the Attorney. Indeed! Aud who declares them
traitors except my learned friend Traitor, sir
respectfully repel the imputation They arc brave,
cultivated patriotic Wa1Hlandefs, who came to FIR
g,a under contract with her to fight the battles
Of Maryland ana Nmglnia-twti Sisters Ill all the
past inScparable ill the future.
Maryland iJ sovereign Stite-aticted op-
pressed, but not sublued, The iron heel Of oppres
sion rests heavily on her proud patriotic bosom -
Her and daughters weep over her down -trodjeu
posture But sir, the time Is not Tar distant When
MARYLAND will rise equal TO the occasion. The
grasp Of tyranny is not perpetual Tie tread Of the
yrant Is not mCasurele5s as the nonotOnouj step
of The Wandering Jew Time, energy caution, love OF
country, devotion to principle, Will all con3pre to
loose the bonds by which she Is nov held. Yca sir
who shall say that the hour of deliverarce is not
at hand and these, her gallant sons, pant
ING to grasp the weapon or vengeance on Their be
loved native soil, ana thus aid i'll her redemption
The petitioners traitors Sir, such treason Ii
holy devotion to constitutional liberty aud eternal
hatred to usurpcd powers of arbitrary government.
Traitors to whom to what government Sir,
they came here and rallied, patriots, under PtT-
giaid'S tag-proudly waving, III token OF ultimate
success this of blood shed on and around
the altar Of liberty And is that treason 10 Nary
itad
TRAITORS! When and how has the Secretary at
War arrived at the opinion that Maryland il doomed
ana lost to Virginia God joined these States by
the indisSoluble ties of territory, water and ocean
links Separate as States, their people are homo
g9ncous-thcIr destiny IS and He same They
are now torn aaunder--cnt apart by the sword; but
the healing process OF tme-the austere and better
wisdom of solemn reilection-enlig ghtened aCtlon-
will yet draw them together. Maryland will never
turn her back un Virginia and wed herself to the
black hearted people of New England. No, sir
Maryland Is Yet sovereign state, and rs such,
these petltioueTs-her Cltllens-dTc nO TRAITORS III
lighting under Nlrgha'a banner ior Nafylalli's
redemption.
But, says my learned friend, these men are mot
traitors" They left Maryland with n0 intention OF
ever returning ii she should not become one Oi the
Confederate States Where is there any evidence ot
this None, SIT, but this voluntary contribution OF
my learned friend. Their contract, their acts, THEN
declarations, all prove the reverse And this az
sumel benevoiencc OF my leaned friend, ana this
asserted fact ot the Secretary at War, mere gra-
tuitcs They cease to exist when contrastel with
the sofia E,tcts IN the case
But, says my learned friend, the Secretary at Wat
o0mpllmenei, and was anxious 10 protect, these men
III his retaining order. / can only say, save n@ and
my ,iionts from 5;ICh complimentary protection -
n INlutCfs the, enlisted MdIfiaiitIis, LlItb
they served out the peroI o then enlistment uild
now claim thei ,lis,ilaruo- Shall they br denied
What latj, Me !d3, : Are thcy residents within the
terms oi The law Could they be Con5lIIptcd
Have they not performed their part OF The
contract IT So who has 4 night TO hold them ]
10 not argue thu the ground Oi my Clcnto
beIna NHy!aNa1s. That i, hot the ground. Sup
pose they Ill Ehglsh subjects, enlisted ~ now
j0r three wears what CONT WolJti refuse their dis
,Larc1 sir ihcsc men stand before y.lt TO-DAY as
though they were Italians, do1nicilcd IN Rome Oh
Ifi,Liuru j ,niee.l in I,eiaul. or Massachusetts,
mon, IumlriIrI in Eoatun-that hot he'd of L,l IA
,,,Y,,,,,,sit;r. AMI aloll thfy, % trcgtrl bv - ali.
i.r,ut rule Of law from what would auply to then
cases If they were Italians IrislIl.e.l Enstshmcn
or Y.uk1es !, rb, law t.uk; say not
But saws my leaned friend these men art Only
r~tiy. uuacY military restraint: ti.ey want a lo-
day
indeed SIX when were they festive under tie
fire OF the enemy When we've they eager to
cape military restraint i'll the last three wears =
" mere were they or any Of them when the cannon
balls lew thick aud fast and death claimed almost
every third man when were they, or any of them,
tt.tiyr OF absent ui lQrcilct III duty while the bat
tl,,l hosts Of the enemy Luiled their missiles OF
death around them swift uud thick aa haii
Rcaitfl Sir, could my friend, who now ap-
pics this language to my clients have watched
thau ou tEn,. teIlbls 0sclsious through
which they have SO often and 50 galldntly
n,scd with credit to themselves and honor to their
state when their tread WAS az firm a. the. soil on
which tLry stonl their resolution ~ Uncomfortable
as tbe metal nt which their cannon was formed
the, ewes ,ihlarTLpI their hearts nroudly beating
IN GiQL unison with the irrcprcs.ibc pulsationa OF
liberty he could not here in this courtroom apply
suck .pithets to them Brave without a fault, hero
r wjtIout mu,nur; stern Ia their integrity as they
w,r. honorable. in their depoltInent; these nen--
ala sir the word Will out-tiese qeutien.r aud patri-
ots-htye performed their Whole duty, dls.harQ,d
their entire ubhglton and they now respectfully ask
at YOUR hands that Justice which has been denied
them ythc Secretary at Wal They are not res
tive save ts brave gallant, heroic soli!rrs should
be restiye when their clear rights and .,>certained
remedies are denied them. They feel assured Of
their rights ana sclt-s,stained in their couscionces
They have never re-ellIisted. They are under 10
new contract or accrllilg obligations. Without
enlistment they cannot be hell-so has the War
Department, under precisely similar facts, rUied