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492 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. body constitutionally elected, to vote as I might dictate." The General replied that he did not feel justified in coercing citizens who were faithfully discharging their duty in the face of innumerable attempts to intimidate them. " This," he says, " did not satisfy the gentlemen ; when I remarked that I thought, if they would not interfere, I could arrange the matter without resorting to force or dictation, and produced the arrangement which gave the Union party a common council which voted, I believe, the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars." The arrangement thus produced was "that the members of the Second Branch of the Council not in favor of the appropriation, after consultation with myself, resigned, and their places were afterwards filled by Union men." On the 25th of July, after conferring with General Wool, nine members of the Second Branch resigned. The appropriation of three hundred thousand dollars was passed by both Branches of the Council early in August, and on the 7th, one of thirty thousand dollars was also made toward uniforming and otherwise equipping the first light division of Maryland volunteers. Another ordinance passed by the City Council, about the same time, required all city officials, school-teachers and employees, no matter in what capacity, to take the oath of allegiance. On July 28, 1862, a large war ineetiug was held in Monument Square, at which Governor Bradford presided, supported by thirty-five vice-presidents and four secretaries. A long series of partisan resolutions were adopted, among which were the following: " Resolved, by the loyal citizens of Baltimore, in mass meeting assembled, That the President of the United States, be and is hereby requested to instruct the General in command of this Military Department to require all male citizens above the age of eighteen years to come forward and take the following oath; and that all persons refusing to take said oath shall be sent through our military lines into the so-called Southern Confederacy. THE OATH. " I solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the United States, and support and sustain the Constitution and laws thereof; that I will maintain the national sovereignty paramount to that of all State, County, or Corporate powers; that I will discourage, discountenance and forever oppose secession and rebellion, and the disintegration of the Federal Union; that I disclaim and denounce all faith and fellowship with the so-called Confederate States and Confederate armies, and pledge my property and my life to the sacred performances of this my solemn oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States." These violent propositions did not receive a single public remonstrance from any portion of the " TTnion " party, but on the contrary, the First Branch of the City Council adopted a resolution a few days afterwards, requesting General Wool " to administer such an oath to all the citizens of the City of Baltimore at the earliest possible period." General Wool rejected this advice, " for the reason," as he said, that it would, at a critical moment, " send twenty thousand men to swell the army of Jefferson Davis." But the suggestion was not the less disgraceful to the party which sanctioned it, because it proved to be impracticable.
Title | History of Maryland - 3 |
Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
Publisher | J. B. Piet |
Place of Publication | Baltimore |
Date | 1879 |
Language | eng |
Type | Books/Pamphlets |
Title | 00000523 |
Type | Books/Pamphlets |
Transcript | 492 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. body constitutionally elected, to vote as I might dictate." The General replied that he did not feel justified in coercing citizens who were faithfully discharging their duty in the face of innumerable attempts to intimidate them. " This," he says, " did not satisfy the gentlemen ; when I remarked that I thought, if they would not interfere, I could arrange the matter without resorting to force or dictation, and produced the arrangement which gave the Union party a common council which voted, I believe, the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars." The arrangement thus produced was "that the members of the Second Branch of the Council not in favor of the appropriation, after consultation with myself, resigned, and their places were afterwards filled by Union men." On the 25th of July, after conferring with General Wool, nine members of the Second Branch resigned. The appropriation of three hundred thousand dollars was passed by both Branches of the Council early in August, and on the 7th, one of thirty thousand dollars was also made toward uniforming and otherwise equipping the first light division of Maryland volunteers. Another ordinance passed by the City Council, about the same time, required all city officials, school-teachers and employees, no matter in what capacity, to take the oath of allegiance. On July 28, 1862, a large war ineetiug was held in Monument Square, at which Governor Bradford presided, supported by thirty-five vice-presidents and four secretaries. A long series of partisan resolutions were adopted, among which were the following: " Resolved, by the loyal citizens of Baltimore, in mass meeting assembled, That the President of the United States, be and is hereby requested to instruct the General in command of this Military Department to require all male citizens above the age of eighteen years to come forward and take the following oath; and that all persons refusing to take said oath shall be sent through our military lines into the so-called Southern Confederacy. THE OATH. " I solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the United States, and support and sustain the Constitution and laws thereof; that I will maintain the national sovereignty paramount to that of all State, County, or Corporate powers; that I will discourage, discountenance and forever oppose secession and rebellion, and the disintegration of the Federal Union; that I disclaim and denounce all faith and fellowship with the so-called Confederate States and Confederate armies, and pledge my property and my life to the sacred performances of this my solemn oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States." These violent propositions did not receive a single public remonstrance from any portion of the " TTnion " party, but on the contrary, the First Branch of the City Council adopted a resolution a few days afterwards, requesting General Wool " to administer such an oath to all the citizens of the City of Baltimore at the earliest possible period." General Wool rejected this advice, " for the reason," as he said, that it would, at a critical moment, " send twenty thousand men to swell the army of Jefferson Davis." But the suggestion was not the less disgraceful to the party which sanctioned it, because it proved to be impracticable. |