UNITED STATES. 



717 



capital. The President has necessarily confided the 

 choice of the national highway which that force shall 

 take in coming to this city to the Lieutenant General 

 commanding the Army of the United States, who, like 

 his only predecessor, is not less distinguished for his 

 humanity, than for his loyalty, patriotism, and distin- 

 guished public service. 



The President instructs me to add, that the national 

 highway thus selected by the Lieutenant-General, has 

 been chosen by him, upon consultation with promi- 

 nent magistrates and citizens of Maryland, as the one 

 which, while a route is absolutely necessary, is farthest 

 removed from the populous cities of the State, and 

 with the expectation that it would therefore be the 

 least objectionable one. 



The President cannot but remember that there has 

 been a time in the history of our country when a Gen- 

 eral of the American Union, with forces designed for 

 the defence of its capital, was not unwelcome any- 

 where in the State of Maryland, and certainly not at 

 Annapolis, then, as now, the capital of that patriotic 

 State, and then, also, one of the capitals of the Union. 



If eighty years could have obliterated all the other 

 noble sentiments, of that age in Maryland, the Presi- 

 dent would be hopeful, nevertheless, that there is one 

 that would forever remain there and everywhere. 

 That sentiment is that no domestic contention what- 

 ever, that may arise among the parties of this Repub- 

 lic, ought in any case to be referred to any foreign 

 arbitrament, least of all to the arbitrament of au Euro- 

 pean monarchy. 



I have the honor to be, with distinguished consid- 

 eration, your Excellency's most obedient servant, 



WILLIAM H. SEWARD. 



At the request of the President, the Mayor 

 of Baltimore and other influential citizens 

 waited upon him. This interview shows the 

 importance which the Government attached to 

 the free passage for troops through Maryland 

 and also Baltimore. At the same time the ob- 

 ject for which the troops were summoned, was 

 stated. It took place in presence of the Cabi- 

 net and Gen. Scott, and was thus reported to 

 the public by the Mayor : 



The President, upon his part, recognized the good 

 faith of the city and State authorities, and insisted 

 upon his own. He admitted the excited state of feel- 

 ing in Baltimore, and his desire and duty to avoid the 

 fatal consequences of a collision with the people. He 

 urged, on the other hand, the absolute, irresistible 

 necessity of having a transit through the State for 

 such troops as might be necessary for the protection 

 of the Federal Capital. The protection of Washing- 

 ton, he_ asseverated with great earnestness, was the 

 sole object of concentrating troops there, and he pro- 

 tested that none of the troops brought through Mary- 

 land were intended for any purposes hostile to the 

 State, or aggressive as against the Southern States. 

 Being now unable to bring them up the Potomac in 

 securitv, the Government must either bring them 

 through Maryland or abandon the capital. 



He called on General Scott for his opinion, which 

 the General gave at length, to the effect that troops 

 might be brought through Maryland, without going 

 through Baltimore, by either carrying them from Per- ' 

 rysville to Annapolis, and thence "by rail to Washing- 

 ton, or by bringing them to the Relay House on the 

 Northern Central Railroad, and marching them to the 

 Relay House on the Washington Railroad, and thence 

 by rail to the Capital. If the people would permit 

 them to go by either of those routes uninterruptedly, 

 the necessity of their passing through Baltimore would 

 be avoided. If the people would not permit them a 

 transit thus remote from the city, they must select 

 their own best route, and, if need be, fight their way 

 through Baltimore a result which the General earnest- 

 ly deprecated. 

 The President expressed his hearty concurrence in 



the desire to avoid a collision, and said that no more 

 troops should be ordered through Baltimore if they 

 were permitted to go uninterrupted by either (if tho 

 other routes suggested. In this disposition the Secre- 

 tary of War expressed his participation. 



Mayor Brown assured tlie President that the city 

 authorities would use all lawful means to prevent 

 their citizens from leaving Baltimore to attack the 

 troops in passing at a distance ; but he urged, at the 

 same time, the impossibility of their being able to 

 promise any thing more than their best efforts in that 

 direction. The excitement was great, he told the 

 President; the people of all classes were fully aroused, 

 and it was impossible for any one to answer for the 

 consequences of the presence of Northern troops any- 

 where within our borders. He reminded the President 

 also that the jurisdiction of the city authorities was 

 confined to their own population, and that he could 

 give no promises for the people elsewhere, because he 

 would be unable to keep them if given. The President 

 frankly acknowledged this difficulty, and said that the 

 Government would only ask the city authorities to use 

 their best efforts with respect to" those under their 

 jurisdiction. 



The interview terminated with the distinct assurance, 

 on the part of the President, that no more troops would 

 be sent through Baltimore unless obstructed in their 

 transit in other directions, and with the understanding 

 that the city authorities should do their best to restrain 

 their own people. 



The Mayor and his companions availed themselves 

 of the President's full discussion of the questions of 

 the day to urge upon him respectfully, but in the most 

 earnest manner, a course of policy which would give 

 peace to the country, and especially the withdrawal of 

 all orders contemplating the passage of troops through 

 any part of Maryland. 



The troops were afterwards conveyed to 

 Washington through Perrysville and Annapolis, 

 until such steps were taken by the Government 

 as to place Baltimore under military control. 

 No further disturbance then took place, and the 

 city became the common highway for tens of 

 thousands. 



On the 19th of April the President issued 

 another proclamation, declaring the ports of 

 South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, 

 Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, to be block- 

 aded. This document was as follows : 



By the President qfth-e United States of America : 



A PROCLAMATION. 



Whereas an insurrection against the Government of 

 the United States has broken out in the States of South 

 Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Lou- 

 isiana, and Texas, and the laws of the United States 

 for the collection of the revenue cannot be effectually 

 executed therein conformably to that provision of the 

 Constitution which requires duties to be uniform 

 throughout the United States : 



And whereas a combination of persons, engaged in 

 such insurrection, have threatened to grant pretended 

 letters of marque to authorize the bearers thereof to 

 commit assaults on the lives, vessels, and property of 

 good citizens of the country lawfully engaged in com- 

 merce on the high seas, and in waters of the United 

 States : 



And whereas an Executive Proclamation has been 

 already issued, requiring the persons engaged in these 

 disorderly proceedings to desist therefrom, calling out 

 a militia force for the purpose of repressing the same, 

 and convening Congress in extraordinary session to 

 deliberate and determine thereon : 



Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of 

 the United States, with a view to the same purposes 

 before mentioned, and to the protection of the public 

 peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly 

 citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Con- 



