The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-11-23
g" Our = Maryland.

freed. The great curse oil SlaScry mas ii HlS'
been ven up, aud the bcautcous land VIII
a.ain become ,liayeu. for the oppressed as
in ,l,c days Of ,yorc, when the prosecuted ior
RELIGIONS sake found sholtcr there from pcrSe-
cution, under the tolerant rule OF the CalrertS.
But We cannot but notice that selviSti interest
and the foul pollution of treason and scces.
zion had almost defeated the glorious scheme
Of freedom. It was only by the solid strength
Of the soldiers. ballot that MY Maryland"
Wax rcclHimcd, and has become Our"
Maryland! She has followed the example of
the noble little State Of West Virginia; and
impatient Of the lingering curse Of slavery has
declared her people-all--at once and forever
free
Yet the treason which came SD nearly
CARRYING this beautiful land into the vortex Of
secession, still Fingers in her midSt-and We
find that there are those even Of the officers of
the civil law, who arc disposed to set aside
the verdict Of the people, and, by meanS Of
tecLniealities, still hold on to the curse
which has 80 nearly destroyed our once proud
nation. They find ancient forms of civil law
mot repealed by the new CONSTITUTIONS
which give them prctcNt to still keep IN bon
.laSc some Of those whom it was the design
Of the people to free. Having failed in pre-.
venting The proclamation Of the new Consti'u-
ton and Of freedom to Maryland, these Inch
nc now trying the mean expcdient Of tcchnl-
cal law to keep to them their riches inre'te'l IN
xOuls ,..... 81. '....s.
But We arc glad to know that there is q
power ready and willing to give to these poor
and ignorant blacks the justice, which, having
icon 10 long denied them, is now sought to
hc withheld BY this reasonable minority
The brave and gallant Gen. Lew. Wallace,
now in command Of the Middle Department,
which includes Maryland, has taken the mat
ter in hand, and by order No ll2, places the
frrcd blacks under the protection OF the mill
tary authority. We give extracts from this
righteous order: g..
lIIApQuARrEns MIDpLE DEPARTMENT,
..... EIGnTm Army CoRrS,
BALriNoHI, Mp. November y, 1861. }
GENERAL ORDERS, No. ll2.
Official information having been furnished
making it clear that cvil.disposcd persons in
certain counties in the State Of Maryland,
within the limits Of tho Middle Department..
intend ohstructing the operation nnd nullify.
ing, q. far as they can, the emancipation
provision Of the New Constitution; and that
for this purpose they arc awaiting themselves
OF certain laws, portions OF the ancient slave
code ~ Maryland, as yet unrcpen!cd, to init.
ate, rs respects the persons heretofore slaves.
system Of forced apprenticeship; for this
and for other reasons, among them that II they
have any legal rights un1sr existing laws,
tho persons spoken Of urc in ignorance OF
them thut in certain counties the law officers
are 50 unfricndly to the newly made freed.
,ucn, and so hostile TO the Lcni gnant meas
ures that made them such, as to render APP
penis TO the courts worse than folly, even il
the victims had the money with which to hire
lawyers; und riiat the necessities OF the case
make IL essential, in order to carry ont truly
aud effectively the grand purpose OF the peo-
pie Of the State OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ion
VI every sluye, man, woman and child, with
in her limits, from aud after tho lst day Of
November OF this present year-that there
should be remcdie, extraordinary for all their
yricvances--remc.lics instantaneous, without
money or reward-and somc6udy 10 have care
Tor them, to protect them, aud show them the
way 10 the freedom Of which they have yet
but vague and unde6ucd ideas; 1t is there.
fore ordered: ''.- ....''' ...''
l.. That all persons within tho limits OF
the Middle Department heretofore slaves, hut
now free, by operation OF the New ConStitI-
ton, shall be considered under special militia.
ry protection, untilthe Legislature Of Mary
land may, by its enactmcuts, make such mill
tary protection necessary
", Provost Marshals in their several
districts, particularly those on the Eastern
and Western Shores. nre requested and d.
rectcd to hear NIL complaints made to them
by persons within the meaning OF this order,
TO collect and forward Information and proofs
Of wrongs done 70 sneh persons aud, ''gcn.r'
ally, to render to Major Este such assistance
as he may require in tho performance of his
duty, fin carrying on, thepurposc of the order.
4 "Ereedman's Rest, is established for
tbs sick, helpless and needy, and donations
solicited from all. 80. ....a. @#
VI, Lest the moneys derived from donn-
Mons ond from fines collected should prove
insufficient TO support the institution III II
manner corresponding 70 its Importance,
Major Este will proceed to make list OF all
the ayowed rebel sympashizers resident in
tho city Of Baltimore, with view to lerying
such contributions upon them in aid Of the
Freedmen > Rest as may BE- FROM time to time
required. 49, : -..:.,.y ..' ri ,'.....
Hll.. Major Este VIII enter upon the exc
cution Of Til, order without delay. .
by Command Of
%'i:"=t '-24. MAJ. "GEX. WALLACE.
O-rkr MATTHEWS, Assistant Adjt. Gen.
49, e. -: =. 49, 1, : ,...
Ok Tuesday the 18th inst. Gen. MccLEL-
l.Ax's resignation was formally accepted, and