The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-03
BALrlMORE AND THE WAR.
The Riots of 1881, and the Senti.
ment which Led TO the Out

The Riots Of 1851, ana the Senu'
ment which Led 10 the Out.
breaks. a'.a4..
Frederic Emory In Philadelphia Weekly Times.
1t il easy to prove by actual occur
rences in this city at the time that the
feeling here was, as I have said, over.
whelmipg against accession. On the 10th
Of January, 1881. in answer to call
published in the newspapers, a mas
meeting was held at the Maryland Inst.
tute for the adoption Of measures favor.
able to the perpetuation OF the Union OF
the States. This meeting was one ofthe
largest and most enthusiastic which had
ever been held in the city. Every avail.
able spot was occupied and the officers
and speakers comprised some Of the best
citizens Of Baltimore, among them Rev.
erdy johnson, Gov. Bradford and Judge
Pearre. Subsequently another mass meet.
ing was held OF citizens in favor OF re-
storing the constitutional uuion Of the
States. in which the Hon. r. N. McLaue,
Mr.. s. Tackle Wallis, Hon. Joshua Van.
SAINT, DR.. A. C. Robinson, and other well,
known Southern sympathizers took an
active part. Even As late rs April l.,
when the siege oil Fort Sumter had be-
gun, and only one week before the riot,
two men were assaulted and mobbed, one
Cd Baltimore, the other on South street,
for weariag a Southern eoekade. On Sun
day, April IA, Eve days only before the
riot, q secession fag was displayed from
the mast Of the "Fanny Crenshaw," lying
at Chase's wharf, but was hauled down
by a party Of men from the city, who
boarded the vessel. The aag was run up
again, however, but the vessel had to be
placed under the protection Of the police
authorities. The facts 60 to show, in the
almost utter absence OF manifestations 10
the contrary, that Baltimore was not at
that time secessionist city, and, had the
subsequent policy Of the government
been one OF conciliation instead oil coer-
ciop. il IL doubtful whether serious trou.
BILE would have resulted.
Notwithstanding the strong Union feel.
ing which prevailed in Baltimore there
was a decided under current otsympathy
for the South. This was TO be expected.
Baltimore has always been Southern
city in feeling, customs and associations.
The population il largely made up Of
immigrants from Virginia and North
Carolina, while the rural population OF
Maryland, particularly Of the lower
counties. il 80 Southern in methods Of life,
sympa.hies, social habits, amusements, as
that OF any OF the Southern States. The
slaye-holdlng element, too, were excited
over the prospective loss Of their slayes.
Still, there were very few who were dis.
posed TO 20 the length Of opposition TO
The General Government, and those few
we're oyerawed and held in check
by the strong antisecession ele-
ment. The secession element, how
ever. was aggressive, sometimes bois-
ferrous, and never failed to take ad-
vantage Of any accident or mistake which
was calculated 10 inaame the passions Of
the more moderate men They were IN.
intentionally assisted in their schemes
By President Lincoln himself, whose &C.
ctet passage through Baltimore was IN.
doubleday the result: Of misconception.
When they were informed that the Presi-
dent had slipped through the city incog.
nito, citizens OF all shades Of opinion re-
sented it as an uIdeserved reflection upon
the city. The act at once suggested the
thought that the government regarded the
city Of Baltimore with suspicion and hos
tility, and did more than anything else
to create bad feeling toward the admin
istration. Arrangements were made by
the city authorities for the reception and
entertainment Of President Lincoln in
this city, and, it is safe 10 say, that Mr..
Lincoln might have passed through Bal
timore without fear OF moleststion.
Ills mistake 10 suppose that the riot
was an outburst oil the rougher classes, or,
rs some have alleged, simply 4 rebel dem.
onstration. On the contrary, the rioters
were composed OF three distinct elements,
two Of which were distinctly respectable,
while the third, very small one BY the
way, was composed Of young men and
boys-some Of them roughs, but many Of
them respectable in their connectlons-
who we're attracted 10 the scene BY the
noise and excitement. The first and most
influential class-the elias, in fact, with
out whose encouragement and assistance
the disturbance would have been almost
impossible-was composed OF sober, in
teliigent men, many Of them Union sym.
pathiEers, who we're knocked clear oh
their balance BY the announcement that
Northern troops were marching on the
city. This class hAd hitherto restrained
the more aggressive Of the Southern sym
pathirers; but having always been OPP
posed TO coercion were infuriated BY
the announcement that the Northern
troops we're actually invading "the sacred
soil OF Maryland" The second class
WA composed gilmore advanced South
ern sympathiEers together with the few
extremists who were openly In favor OF
coercion. OF this elass the most promi'
nent were the late Judge 7. Perkin Scott,
then prominent at the bar, and William
Byrne, the famous politician and gam.
bier. Byrue was the recognized head OF
that elias which advocated armed resis.
lance to the passage Of the troops from
the frst; and, with his companions, did
uncomfortable damage BY loud talk and
bravado. He was At the time the most
influential man In Baltimore with that
large class Of hot. headed young men,
ward pollticianS gamblers, "aoatsrs,"
idlers, etc, who are 70 be found In every
large city. A man Of good address and
strong sense, kind and liberia, be carried
with him large clientele Of ldventur-
Gus spirits. Mr.. Scott represented the
soberer, but not less aggressive wing Of
the extremist faction. a..