The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-11-06

Massachusetts Regiment, and would have
reached Baltimore at night, amid the height
of the evaporation. Nothing short OF 2
miracle could have saved his command from
the furious populacc, whose relatives and
friends, male and female, aged and infants,
had been mercilessly fired upon by the other
New Englanders. However, on finding
trouble ahead, Butler seized the ferry-boat
at iiavre de Grasse, and fanked the city by
going to Annapolis, 80 miles to the south
Fast, where he was joined by the famous
Seventh Regiment of New Iork,-so
often feted by the South, and now among
the first to march upon her!
Buffers escape was unfortunate for the
Marylanders in several respects. He planted
himself at their State Capital, over-awed
the State officers, and within a fortnight en-
tered Baltimore at the head of a strong
force, planted his guns on Federal Hill, to
rake the streets. and issued a proclamation
filed with the insolence of arbitrary power.
No resistance was attempted. The Leglsla-
turc had been in session at Frederick City
for some time, and, like the Governor, had
made declarations of sympathy with the
South. but neutrality. i. e., submission as to
the North. Hence the people lost heart.
Thousands of the true Southerners fastened
to Virginia to join the ranks of their brethren
in arms for freedom; thousands of the
truckers, time-se1vers and property-savers
fastened to bow the knee to Bael, to the
Beast, to Butler! The perfidious Hicks was
among the latter. On the night Of his Bal
timore war-speech he told Rev. DR.. Purnell
he hoped Lincoln would fill the State with
his troops, to keep the people down.
Within a month be was raising
four regiments to aid the Lincolnites.
In the same time Butler had reduced Balti-
more to abject submission. To get rid of
the civil authorities he picketed the city with
soldiers; arrested the city marshal, Colonel
Kane; disbanded the police, and declared
martial law. The press was muzzled, free
speech silence1, the writ of hdLeas corpus
suspended, and the houses of suspected per-
sons broken open by armed gangs, who were
provided with pocketstul OF blank warrants
permitting them to enter any dwelling and
drag delicate ladies from their beds in pre-
tended search for concealed parties. The
Mayor and Council were arrested and sent,
without trial, to the dungeon at Fort Nc
Henry. Subsequently John Merryman, a
wealthy citizen, imprisoned on a false charge
of treason, applied to ChiefJustice fancy,
of the L. S. Supreme Court, for a writ of
release. The latter, himself a Marylander,
promptly granted the order, and sought to
enforce it against Cadwallader, the petty
despot who succeeded Butler. Resisted by
the military, the venerable Chief Justice
issued his opinion c%ondemning Lincoln in
strong language. 1t availed nothing. Simon
Cameron, Lincoln's Secretary of War, arro-
gantly declared that as the Marylanders
would not be citizens they would have to be
Picayune Butler was rewarded with
a Major-Generals commission.
vIRGINIA's PROMPT ACTION.
South of the Potomac a far different or
of things was in progress. Virginia,
North Carolina, and Tennessee were not one
whit less conservative..and Union-loving than
Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri, but I'M
like the latter States they recognised the
necessity of instant and decided action, on
side or the other: for there was no pos /
sibility of avoiding a decision. The three
States 'hesitated, and were lost"
In the end they suffered about as much as |
If they had Joined their Southern sisters |
and were ruthlessly robbed 0: their slaves
notwithstanding their nomin;.! uppor Of
"the Union and the old flag"
Virginia no sooner heard Of Lincoln's
war-call, than every energy was put in mo- !
to make up for the time lost In foolish
upon his treaeEerous talk Of
peace. The State Convention at once |
april I7th) adopted an Ord nance OF indie |
pendence, but eXacted secresy of its mem |
bcrs, until certain precautionary measures
could be taken. Having refused to take |
these measures hitherto, the State had al
suffered the modification of seeing
Monroe filled with troops, and its
guns turned upon her peaceful
even after they had voted to sus-
tain the Union. But the day of supiness |
was past. \ member of the Governors
staff was sent, galloping night and day, to |
seize Harpers Ferry Arsenal. He was join |
ed by several companies en- route, and reach
ed Winchester with about 1000 horsemen
but; out-riding them. he collected the |
Charlestown militia, and descended upon the
demanded the surrender Of the gar
rison, under Lieut.. Jones, a Virginian of
the Scott school. Jones had flied the
buildings with straw, and having asked time
for consideration, set them on fire, fed
across the Potomac, and marched all night
to Chambersburg, though unpursued. He
greatly glorificd by the Northern press, |
and even the historians, for this exploit |
but | fail to see the glory Of it. His As
1Unll arp,aH iRa0,lorS' niuht hava hold tho |