Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-19
rhe subjugation OF Uaryland-ES-
tracts from the Message of the Gov
eFnOr of Tint state.


message Of Gov Buso'd, Of Maryland. y the
Legislature. January :. 1864:
Il avail myself Of this occasion 70 advert %
certain events Connected with our recent election
which deserves your mos, serious consideration
IL would be much more Agreeable 10 me TO avoid
ali antison 10 them | cannot. however. do so
consistently With my sense Of what i due To the
right ABd honor 0f the STATE. - The oihce which
by the favor Of lie citizens | occupy. or-l nav
with sincerity add--to the cause of the Union IL
self in nv opinion 40 intimatelv blended with the
cause OF the las and constitution that any out
rage inflicted aud especially ~ re name. upon
them. necessarily 20 some extent recOils upOn u
a lev days before that election "A military or
der was issued from the army headquarters nj
Baltimore which in effect placed the polls under
the surveillance and at the command Of the mill
tary authority | was the less prepared Tor any
such order from the fact that though in frequent
personal communication with the military au
thorities Of the department, | hid received no
information whatever OF such proceeding. or
any supposed necessity for Il In that ptrt OF the
State against which thu movement seemed 10 be
more particularly directed the E.stern Shore
there would seem TO have been less necessity, -
there certainly was less semolance Of authority.
than elsewhere; for. whilst marital law had been
proclaimed upon the Western Shore OF. the State
in :. nne last and had not been repealed up 10 the
day of election, upon the Eastern Shore it had
never been proclaimed at all
you will be furnished with copy of this or
der. and il Is not necessary further 10 recte IL,
than state in general terms that IL was execut-
ell by the military aided by the provost msrshals
They were 20 arrest voters whom they might
consider disloyal. in approaching or hanging
about the polls; a prescribed form of oath was
furnished. without taking which M one If chal-
lenged. could vote; aud the several mminding
officers were charged 20 report headquarters any
Judge of election who should refuse To administer
that oath or 10 aid in carrying out that order
The President modified the first OF the order OF
the Monday preceding the election; but even
that mOditic ItiOu seemed 10 receive no attention
from those intrusted with It's execution, and WAS
in some instances, opeuly disregarled
Prominent among the provost nnrshtls "a
whom the execution of this order was in par
committed. several who were themselves
candidates for important Offices These msrshals
appointed for the purpose Of the militia enroll
ment and draft. we're placed by the law ere tinl
them under the control of the Provost Marsha
General; but, TO insure the right 60 employ then
about this election order, special authority wal
obtoined from Washington. to place them for tn
time being nnder the military authorities
IF, with these facts before me, aud seeing th'
judges of election sworn To conduct il accoriin.
10 the laws of the State. openly menaced will
arrest unless they recognized the military author
ity and conducted 10 10y the rules which tina
authority prescribed. had stood silently by ans
failed TO assure them of the protection of th'
State To the extent of It's ability, ! should have
felt myself utterly unworthy ct the place OF IL
Chief Magistrate !. therefore. on the Mon
day evening preceding tie election. issued pro
clamaton giving them that this assurance, cop,
of which is herewith submitted Before the fol
lowing morning, military orders were sent 90 tn
eastern shore, directing rs circulation to be sup
pressed. the public papers were forbidden To pub
lish IL, and an embargo was laid on all the steam
ers in port trading with that part of the State
lest they might carry IT,
"An attempt has been made TO Justify the mill
tary order upon the ground that its only inten
was to exclude disloyal voters who had by thei
conduct justly forfeited their franchise. An ex
animation, however. of the oath which II pre-
scribed. will show that, even had II emarate'
from undoubted authority. it could accomplish N
such end No matter what had been the conduc
Of the voter there nothing in the oath calcu
lated to exclude him; il had no reference to hi
past conduct and every traitor who had left tn
State and had but just returned from the rebe
army. might have taken IL with impunity.
contained only "A promise for future good beha v
ior-a promise which, very slight atOnement
MANY rebel sympathizer might and doubles
did very readily make, whilst the loyal citiZe
WHO niu StOOu Always laltNlui 10 MS tlicSttuCt
would feel Justly indignant AZ having his loyalt
challenged. being required to give any guar
antee for his future conduct, TO enable him I
exercise privilege he had never forfeited. Ho'
| far it accomplished the purpose claimed for it, q
how far the anticipati0ns OF the consequences Q
! the order and the abuses 10 which il would lead
were realized. will appear by brief reference {
/ some OF the transactions connected with Its exc
! cution.
] ,t.,. coi hafnr
opening of the polls On the day preceding tn
! election the officer ia command of the regimen
which had been distributed among the counties o.
/ the Eastern Shore, and who had himself lande
/ In Kent county, commenced his operations by AT
resting and sending across the bay some ten q
/ more of the most estlmabe and distinguished q
its citizens. including several of the most stead
fast and uncompromlsing oyalists OF the Shore
! The jail of the county was entered. the iailo
seized, imprisoned, aud afterwards sent To Balti
more. and prisoners Genuine II therein under in
dIctment set al liberty The commanding ot
icer referred To gave the first clue 10 the chsrac
ter of the disloyalty against which he conSidere
himself as particularly commissioned by prntln
and publishing proclamation in which; referrin
To the election 20 taks place the next day, he in
vited all the truly loyal To avail themselves q
that opportunity and ESTABLISH their LOYALTY 80
giving a full and ardent support TO the Who'll
government ticket upon the platform adopted b
/ the Union League Convention, declaring tina
none other Is recognized 10y the Federal author
( tiles loyal or worthy of the support OF any on
who desires the peace and restoration of th
/ Union To secure the election of that ticke
seemed to be the business TO which he and his o
Ulcers especially devoted themselves Throughout
the day OF election
''ln the statements and certificates which hav
been forwarded 90 me from different counties j
that Congressional district. have been Furnished
1 presume, with account OF part only ot Oh
outrages to which their citizens were subjected
The government ticket above referred to was
several. ii not ali. OF these counties designate
by its color: il yellow ticket. and. irme
with that, voter could safely run the gauntlet {
the sabres and cirbiBes that guarded the entranc
TO the polls and known sympathizers with Oh
rebellion were, a certified To me- allowed 10 vOi
uBqucstioned If they would vote that ticke
whilst loyal and respectable citizens, ready I
take the oath were turned back by the officers
charge without even allowing them 10 approsc
the polls In one district, appears by Ger
tidcate from the judge. the military officer too
his stand at the polls before they were opene'
declaring that none nut the yellow ticket shOul
be voted! AMI excludes all others throughout Oh
day la another district 4 similar officer cause
every ballot offered To be examined and unlcs
!, was the favored one, the voter required
take the oath. and not otherwise: anu Ia anOth'