716 



UNITED STATES. 



its rendezvous, as it will be met as soon as practicable 

 by an officer or officers to muster it into the service 

 and pay of the Ujiited States. (See ARMY.) 



These documents were spread through the 

 country on Monday, and on Wednesday the 

 Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts, completely 

 equipped, passed through New York for Wash- 

 ington, so eager was the State to be the first in 

 the field. 



A most uncontrollable excitement now burst 

 over the country. Both North and South 

 rushed to arms the former to maintain the 

 Government and to preserve the Union, the 

 latter to secure the independence of the Con- 

 federate States and the dissolution of the 

 Union. 



The national city of Washington became the 

 most conspicuous object before the country. 

 Northern troops hastened thither to secure its 

 possession in the hands of the Government, and 

 Southern troops gathered on its outskirts to 

 seize it as their first prize. 



The manner in which the requisition of the 

 Secretary of War for troops was received by 

 the authorities of the respective States, indicates 

 the controlling sentiment of the people in those 

 States at this time. The Governor of Kentucky 

 replied on the same day : " Kentucky will fur- 

 nish no troops for the wicked purpose of sub- 

 duing her sister Southern States." (See KEN- 

 TUCKY.) The Governor of North Carolina an- 

 swered : " You can get no troops from North 

 Carolina." (See NORTH CAROLINA). The Gover- 

 nor of Virginia wrote on the next day to the 

 Secretary of War, saying : " The militia of Vir- 

 ginia will not be furnished to the powers at 

 Washington for any such use or purpose as they 

 have in view." (See VIRGINIA.) The Governor 

 of Tennessee replied : " Tennessee will not fur- 

 nish a single man for coercion, but fifty thou- 

 sand, if necessary, for defence of our rights, or 

 those of our Southern brothers." The Governor 

 of Missouri answered that "the requisition is 

 illegal, unconstitutional, revolutionary, inhu- 

 man, diabolical, and cannot be complied with." 



The Governor of Rhode Island replied by 

 tendering the services of a thousand infantry 

 and a battalion of artillery. 



The Governor of Massachusetts immediately 

 ordered out troops, and in fifty hours three 

 regiments had been gathered, equipped, and 

 had left for Washington. 



The Governor of Connecticut also issued his 

 proclamation at once, calling for troops. 



The Legislature of New York adjourned on 

 the 16th ; but previously to adjournment ap- 

 propriated three millions of dollars to defend 

 the Federal Government. The Seventh Regi- 

 ment left for Washington on the 18th. 



Orders for four regiments were issued by the 

 Governor of New Jersey on the 17th. 



A detachment of five hundred men left Phil- 

 adelphia on the night of the 17th for Washing- 

 ton. 



The first regiment from Indiana left for 

 Washington on the 18th. The Legislature also 



resolved " That the faith, credit, and resources 

 of the State in both men and money are hereby 

 pledged in any amount and to every extent 

 which the Federal Government may demand to 

 subdue rebellion ; " &c. At the same time, the 

 State Bank tendered to the Governor a loan for 

 the State of all the money necessary to fit out 

 the required quota. 



All the Northern or free States responded 

 alike and instantly to the summons from 

 Washington. The defence of the Government 

 was proclaimed to be a most sacred cause, 

 more especially such a Government as this of 

 the United States had been. Arms, money, 

 men, railroads, and all other "sinews of war,", 

 were freely offered. Men of wealth, influence, 

 and position, without regard to party, stepped 

 forth patriotically at this call. 



Four days after the issue of the proclamation, 

 the Sixth Regiment from Massachusetts, on its 

 way to Washington, was attacked in the streets 

 of Baltimore by the populace. Many were 

 killed on both sides. (See BALTIMORE.) The 

 Governor of the State strongly advised th.e Pres- 

 ident against the passage of any more North- 

 ern troops through the city, to which the Presi- 

 dent replied as follows : 



WASHINGTON, April 20, 1861. 

 Governor Hides and Mayor Brown : 



GENTLEMEN : Your letter by Messrs. Bond, Dobbin, 

 and Brune is received. I tender you both my sincere 

 thanks for your efforts to keep the peace in the trying 

 situation in which you are placed. 



For the future, troops must be brought here, but I 

 make no point of bringing them through Baltimore. 

 Without any military knowledge myself, of course I 

 must leave details to General Scott. He hastily said 

 this morning in the presence of these gentlemen, 

 " March them around Baltimore, and not through it." 

 I sincerely hope the General, on fuller reflection, will 

 consider this practical and proper, and that you will 

 not object to it. By this a collision of the people of 

 Baltimore with the troops will be avoided, unless they 

 go out of their way to seek it. I hope you will exert 

 your influence to prevent this. 



Now and ever I shall do all in my power for peace 

 consistently with the maintenance of the Government. 

 Your obedient servant, A. LINCOLN. 



Again, through the Secretary of State, the 

 President thus replied : 



DEPARTMENT OF STATE, April 22, 18<H. 

 His Excellency Thos. H. Hicks, Gov. of Maryland : 



SIR : I have had the honor to receive your communi- 

 cation of this morning, in which you inform me that 

 you have felt it to be your duty to advise the President 

 of the United States to order elsewhere the troops 

 then off Annapolis, and also that no more may be sent 

 through Maryland ; and that you have further sug- 

 gested that Lord Lyons be requested to act as media- 

 tor between the contending parties in our country to 

 prevent the effusion of blood. 



The President directs me to acknowledge the receipt 

 of that communication, and to assure you that he has 

 weighed the counsels which it contains with the re- 

 spect which he habitually cherishes for the Chief Magis- 

 trates of the several States, and especially for yourself. 

 He regrets, as deeply as any magistrate or citizen of 

 the country can, that demonstrations against the safety 

 of the United States, with very extensive preparations 

 for the effusion of blood, have made it his duty to call 

 out the force to which you allude. 



The force now sought to be brought through Mary- 

 land is intended for nothing but the defence of thii 



