Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-01-09
Hon. Montgomery Blair's Services to
Maryland.

An absurd statement having been made in a
letter from Washington to the ST. Mary's Bea-
con, to the effect that the writer well remem-
bered "when Mr.. Postmaster General Blair,
supported by other members of Mr.. Lincoln S
cabinet, proposed the hanging of every officer
and soldier found in the Confederate uniform
without the form Of trial., &c, Mr.. Blair has
written letter to a friend, repelling the accu-
sation, and in which he shows how decidedly
TO the contrary was his action. lie says no
member of Mr.. Lincolns cabinet ever made
such proposition, and adds:
'X's" story is absurd enough when told OF
any one, but Of me, who was turned out OF
Lincoln's cabinet because | stood up for the
rights of the people of the South ii is supreme
ly ridiculous Every one who knows any
thing of me knows that my affection for that
people has never been for one moment shaken,
and that whilst compelled by sense OF duty
to them, as well as 10 the whole country, TO
oppose disunion, my opposition has never been
characterized by single act of unkindness. /
shall never be forgiven, however, FOR the part
/ took by many persons, and such stories as
this will, therefore, find ready credence fear,
with some OF them, but this has not proven led
me, at any time, from being absolutely free from
any lll-wlll towards them or from endeavor-
ing 10 serve them when IL was IN my power TO
40 So mus ~ was at my Instance mat Mr..
Wilson, now Vice President, included in the
ball emanclpatng the slaves OF the District an
oHer OF compensation Tor the slaves OF Mary
land, which was struck out at the instance of
Senators Pearce and Kennedy. ! then fore
saw what has followed, and made great efforts
TO save the property OF my people in the only
way IL was practicable to save 1t, and yet,
whist every rejecting man knows that it was
not In human power TO have saved slavery, |
am constantly held responsive Tor their losses
by Shareholders when am the only man who
made the least practicable effort to save their
property, and would have succeeded but for
Their own representatives. 1t was, moreover,
by me alone That any mitigation was ohtaiu-
ed OF the tyranny practiced upon our people
ny stanton ana his provost marshals. Thus
X was oy me that the release OF the Leglsla-
lure was procured when II was obtained, and,
though long delayed, | bad never ceased 10
strive for 1t. II was through my efforts also
mat Mr. Harrls, your immediate representa-
i've, was liberated Indeed, hall my time was
taken up IN procuring the Liberation OF persons
arrested IN Mary land, and It was ~ this inter-
ference that ! incurred the hostility of the
truly toyat scoundTets who bounded me out Of
the cabinet II is true that my Rockville
speech OF 1863 gave them the aid OF some OF
the higher men in the party, who really be-
heved that that speech prefigured Lineoln's
INSTRUMENTATION policy, and that if they
could get me out OF the cabinet they could ca
silly @fan9putafe otd 4be, and hence they actu-
ally made my removal one OF the conditions OF
their support in the election of 1864. COM
nitlee was appointed at the republican ma
tional convention at Baltimore TO delnand my
head Lincoln refused TO yield TO the demand
positively, and told the committee thai he