weeks ago, immediately after Virginia had de- | nounced the unholy movements in the North, to learn the spirit of your people. I went to Frederickstown, where the Legislature were assembled, anxious to ascertain whether Virginia could rely upon you in the hour of trial. I knew the political incubus by which your people were crushed to the earth; but such were the indications I perceived on every side, that when I returned to Virginia I unhesitatingly reported that Maryland is with the South. I staked my word upon it as a man of principle and a man of truth. The giant arm of the oppressor has been too strong for the time being, but the spirit is still alive, unsubdued and unrepressed. You are here to confirm this fact by your presence. You are in Richmond. What is Richmond? It is a large city-a city of gallant men and refined women; a city whose inhabitants are engaged in all the useful and honorable pursuits of life tending to the advance of civilization and prosperity. At the present moment, however, Richmond is a huge camp, where but one mind, one heart, and one determination animates every occupant, man, woman, and child. (Applause.) Our wives, mothers-and I appeal to the ladies, if I may not also say our sweethearts-have entered into it with a zest, which shows that their hearts and affections are fully in the work. You will have no child's play. There is no time now for vain boasting. I confide as much as I can in the prowess of the men of this section, and you will be false to the fame of your fathers if you are not victors; but your enemy relies upon mere brute force. There are doubtless brave soldiers among them whom it will be hard to conquer, but you will remember that you are fighting for your fathers, mothers, and firesides. They are mercenaries fighting for pay, you are men fighting for your homes and rights. All you require is subsistence. "Give us," you say, "the means of living, the arms to fight with, and show us the enemy." (Applause.) It may be, that in the providences of war, not one among all those who are before me will return. You have come here, if necessary, to lay your lives upon the altar of your country, and I feel assured that every man will do his duty. I will tell you an incident connected with the Alabama troops. They were attended by a minister of the Gospel, who was a guest at my house. He told me that he had with him a purse of gold, which had been given to him by the parents of two young men in the ranks, with the injunction that it should be sacredly preserved during the war, unless his sons should fall upon the field of battle. Then, said the father, "Give them a Christian burial." There was a patriot father, who had devoted his sons to the service of his country, and that man does not stand alone. Such is the object with which you have engaged in this war. The true duty of the soldier is not merely to fight a battle or kill an Doc.-33 enemy. He has also to endure the trials of the camp; the weariness of the forced march; the vigilance of day and night; the restraints of discipline, and the patience to bear with discomforts and disappointments. This is the real test of courage, and he who comes out of the war with the reputation of having thus done his duty through the sunshine and through storm, is the true man, and the thorough soldier. But I will not detain you longer, except to discharge the grateful duty which remains, of presenting to you in behalf of the ladies of Baltimore this beautiful banner. There it is unfurled before you for the first time. There are emblazoned the fifteen stars of the Southern States, looking prospectively to the day when they will all be with us! The star of Maryland is among them, and the women of your State have put it there, confiding it to your safe keeping. Look upon it as a sacred trust. In passing through the storm of battle, it may be tattered and soiled, but I believe I can say that you will bring it back without a spot of dishonor upon it. But you are not only to return that flag here-you are to take it back to Baltimore. (Cheers, and cries of "We will.") It came here in the hands of the fair lady who stands by my side, who brought it through the camp of the enemy, with a woman's fortitude, courage, and devotion to our cause; and you are to take it back to Baltimore, unfurl it in your streets, and challenge the applause of your citizens. (Applause.) -Richmond Dispatch, June 10. Doc. 240. PROCLAMATION BY GOV. HICKS. STATE OF MARYLAND, EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, WHEREAS, Some of the arms and accoutrements belonging to the State have been placed beyond the control of the constituted authorities, as is believed for disloyal purposes, by persons connected with some of the military companies of the city of Baltimore, in violation of their duties as soldiers and as citizens; and whereas, a very large number of the arms and accoutrements of the State still remain in the hands of the various military companies of said city, some of whom are known to be disloyal to their country; and whereas, there are just grounds for apprehending that a portion of said arms and accoutrements are about to be carried beyond the limits of this State for hoetile purposes, and others are about to be destroyed or concealed Now, therefore, I, Thomas Holliday Hicks, Governor of Maryland, by virtue of the power vested in me by the law of the State, do hereby, by this my proclamation, warn and enjoin upon all citizens of Baltimore, the loyal as well as the disloyal, having in their hands and possession any arms and accoutrements belonging to the State, to surrender and deliver up the same to Colonel E. R. Petherbridge, who is Given under my hand. THOMAS H. HICKS. Doc. 241. GEN. MORRIS'S PROCLAMATION. GENERAL MORRIS has issued the following proclamation, in connection with that of General McClellan: fully authorized to reclaim and take possession | May 23.-Five companies of our regiment of such arms and accoutrements, and to take marched over to Hampton, a village of about all necessary steps, on behalf of the State, to 1,000 inhabitants, containing a female seminary secure from those to whom said arms and ac-it is three miles N. W. of the fort. On coutrements have been confided, a strict com- coming near the village, a secession officer rode pliance with the condition of their bonds for up to Col. Phelps, asking him the object of his the preservation of such arms and accoutre-visit? The reply was, that we intended to ments, and for their re-delivery to the State destroy any hostile battery that might be whenever thereto required by my order. erected there, and disperse any armed force. He was requested to remain where he was while the said officer might return and consult with his superior, but the Col. told him he thought he should continue on. The secession officer rode quickly back, and soon was seen a thick black smoke arising. The Col. taking the first platoon of the Swanton company, covered that the bridge had been set on fire pushed forward double quick and soon disin the centre. Three barrels of tar were set on fire and were burning briskly, but our boys soon extinguished the fire by tearing up the planks and throwing them into the water. Soon the bridge was mended and we all marched across, but no enemy appeared against us. The officer, I know not his name, said they had nothing but a home guard, formed to protect their homes, and did not wish to quarrel with us. Upon that our Col. gave the order "right about face, march," and we were on our way back to the fort. Thus ended the battle of Hampton. A negro told us they had a small field-piece on the bridge, which they thought at first they would fire at us three or four times and then run, but upon seeing so many of us they threw their cannon into the water and ran away without firing a shot. HEAD-QUARTERS OF UNITED STATES VOLUNTEERS, WESTERN VIRGINIA, GRAFTON, June 8, 1861. VIRGINIANS:-In issuing the above proclamation of the commanding General, Department of Ohio, I have now the pleasure of announcing that we have routed and completely discomfited the secessionists in arms at Philippi. Their forces are demoralized, desertions are numerous, and the panic-stricken remnant has taken refuge in the passes of the mountains. Western Virginia is free from enemies to her freedom and peace. In full confidence of your ability and desire to protect yourselves, I now call upon you to come to the support of your constitutional Government. I am empowered to muster you into the service of the United States, to serve only in defence of your own soil. Arms and munitions will be furnished you. Assemble at once at your various county Brig. Gen. Commanding U. S. Troops at Philippi. Doc. 242. THE VERMONT REGIMENT. HEAD-QUARTERS 1ST REGIMENT, V. V. M., All the white inhabitants fled at our approach, leaving none but the darkies to receive us; they flocked around us in large numbers. They do not fear us, notwithstanding their masters telling them that the Yankees would kill every one of them, or else take them and set them hard at work. They say they never have had so many holidays before in their lives as they have had since we came here; their masters have run away, leaving them to shift for themselves. Every day numbers of them come into camp from places twenty miles distant, asking protection. They all unite in berating their masters, not wishing to see them again. One negro came into camp the other day, who had been shot not long since by his master for attempting to escape. He says he would kill him if he could get a chance. Judging from what I have seen and heard, it would not be a very difficult matter to free every negro in the State. They call us Mr. Lincoln's men. They like them they say. They bring I see by the papers that our regiment cap-in eggs, strawberries, &c., to camp, and give tured Hampton, taking 300 prisoners, and have performed sundry other exploits, which would almost render us immortal. May be I had better say nothing of our doings, fearing the truth would lower us in the eyes of our friends; yet I think I will proceed, for the truth will out eventually. NEWPORT NEWS, VA., June 1, 1861. WHEN I wrote you last, our regiment was located in the Hygeia Hotel, a house that is eapable of accommodating 1,000 instead of 6,000 guests, and in which eleven of us were packed in a room 12 16, instead of the whole company; but we have changed our position twice since then, the particulars of which I will endeavor to relate to you. us all the information they possess of the movements of the rebels. They will be a great aid to us in the great struggle which is commencing. May 25.-We were ordered to leave the hotel, as Gen. Butler desired it for a general hospital. We marched across the bridge on the north side of the fort, and encamped on Seager's farm. Just west of us are encamped | here this morning. They lay off the landing all the Troy Regiment, and north of them are Col. day yesterday, unable to land; the boat being Duryea's Regiment of N. Y. Zouaves. They of too heavy draught to land at the wharf, and are a rough set of fellows, aching for a fight. the wind blew too hard for them to land in Not finding any other enemy, they have pitched small boats. They are placed on our right. into the rebels' cattle, hogs, and any thing else All of them are Germans, with two or three eatable wherever they could find them. The exceptions; many of them are unable to talk country near them will suffer wherever they or even understand English. We may have go. You little know in Vermont the evils of some trouble with them, especially when they war. Could you but see, as I have seen, houses are on guard. It would please you to see them for miles around, stripped of every thing, win- when they are relieving guard, or when some dows broken, every thing left desolate, you one attempts to pass them-they cannot go might have an idea of the state of things here. through with the formality of receiving the Sunday, May 26.-We had divine service, countersign and passing a man. Some of our conducted by our chaplain, Rev. Mr. Stone. It boys make some ludicrous mistakes occasionwas very solemn to us, I assure you. He spoke ally. As soon as our tents were pitched, we very feelingly, having a good occasion for it; were set at work fortifying our camp, (a plan for, on the morrow, it was expected by every of which I will endeavor to make and send man in the regiment that we should have a you.) Since Tuesday we have been hard at severe conflict with the enemy, and not a few work, not even ceasing on this, the Sabbath of us might fall. He exhorted us to be true to day; for we wish to be prepared for the eneour country, and do battle in its cause man-my. We sleep on our arms every night, exfully, praying that the God of Battles might pecting an attack from 8,000 men that are prewatch over us, bringing us safely and victo-paring to march upon us from Yorktown. Our riously through the fight, and that every man might be prepared to meet whatever fate awaited him. May 27.-We were aroused at 5 o'clock A. M.; ate our breakfast; filled our haversacks with two days' rations, consisting of four hard crackers and two pieces of fat pork; struck our tents, and were on the march at 6 o'clock A. M. We knew not where our destination was to be, but expected to go to Sewell's Point, to take those batteries that our ships have been engaging with so many times. We expected to have a hard fight, for we supposed the enemy had a large force to receive us; but not a man in the regiment hung back; all were ready and eager for the fray. Some that had been sick, and, in fact, were unfit for duty, refused to stay behind, but shouldered their muskets and went with us. We embarked on board the steamer Cataline, and were soon steaming up the river. An hour's sail brought us to this point, where we landed unmolested. The Harriet Lane was here to protect us, should the enemy appear. The Rutland and Middlebury companies had gone on ahead. They were drawn up in line along the shore, and had nothing to do but to wait patiently our coming. After marching to the place intended for our camp-a wheat field-and having our guns, knapsacks, &c., all went at work hauling up cannon, bringing stores, &c. After this, "the boys" went to work fixing places to sleep in, by putting up rails and covering them with brush, under which I enjoyed as good a night's rest as I ever had on a feather bed in Old Vermont. I was tired. Our tents, camp utensils, &c., were left behind. The Fourth Massachusetts Regiment followed us, and were stationed on our left. May 28.-Our camp equipage arrived this morning, and soon our "houses" were up again, ready for their old occupants. The Seventh Regiment, N. Y. V. M., was landed Colonel has command of the post, which does not please the Massachusetts boys. There are about 2,500 men here, including a few regulars who are to work the cannon; of which we have four fine brass field-pieces: one 6-pounder, placed on the extreme right; one 12-pounder, on the right of our regiment; one 6-pounder, on its left; and one 12-pounder, on the extreme left. A battery of heavy guns is being erected on the shore, to command the river. I do not know how many guns are to be placed there, as they have not arrived here yet. Look upon the map of this State, and you will see that the James River, near its mouth, runs a few miles directly south, and then turns to the east; in this bend, on the south side, is our camp. The name of it is Camp Butler, and the name of the place is Newport News. There is no village here; though there are two wharves and one store. The merchant continues his trade, and says he is glad we came, as now he has customers, while before he had none. This point is nine miles west of Fortress Monroe. A boat runs up here every afternoon. The Harriet Lane remains here to come to our aid. She is a small vessel, carrying eight or nine guns;) but is a tough customer to deal with, as the rebels will find. No rations were dealt out to us till the second night after our arrival; consequently, some of our boys became quite hungry, having had nothing but those four crackers, and some of them took the liberty of stepping out and helping themselves to some eatables that the rebels had left behind in their sudden flight. Where a man remained at home and attended to his business, he was not meddled with; but when they found a house deserted, and the owner a soldier in the rebel army, his eatables were not allowed to spoil. I do not think there are ten white men within five miles of us, among the farmers. I know of but two, and those boys who have been out, saw none in their travels. But there are plenty of negroes; and they bring forth their masters' stores plentifully. The boys of our regiment generally remained in camp, and attended to building the embankments. But the Massachusetts boys and the "Dutchmen" went into it quite extensively. The latter have filled their camp with horses, mules, carts, wagons, and often furniture; but Gen. Butler has put a stop to such proceedings. He has given strict orders against any one's plundering the enemy, and the consequence was, that the day his order was received, over fifty men were put under guard. They were out when the order was received, and when they returned, laden with spoil, both were taken care of, much to their chagrin. But four or five of our regiment were caught in such disgraceful acts. the dirt pounded down hard. The ditch is 7 feet deep and 8 feet wide at the top; the bottom is to be set full of wooden pickets, sharpened at the top. It would not be very pleasant to fall into it. One part is built, and we are at work on the bastion on the right, and shall have to help the others, as I fear these never will be completed. I find the Vermonters are a little better to work than most other men that I have seen. Our tents have little piazzas built out in front covered with boughs, which makes them quite pleasant in this hot climate, the thermometer standing at from 70 to 80 degrees. I am thus particular about our fortification, thinking that any thing we fellows do would be interesting to you. A. S. H. Doc. 243. THE BORDER STATES. To the people of the United States FELLOW-CITIZENS: The delegates to a convention of the Border Slave States, assembled in the city of Frankfort, desire to address you in relation to the present condition of the country. Night before last, those long looked-for provisions came, and if you ever wished to see a set of fellows highly delighted, you ought to ADDRESSES OF THE CONVENTION OF have seen the B. L. G. When box after box and package after package were opened, containing the choicest delicacies of "home," many a blessing was showered upon the generous donors, as we ate the cakes and cheese, butter, and other dainties too numerous to mention-delicacies that we have been strangers to for four weeks-I was going to say four months, for that seems to be the length of time that I have been absent. But when you come to be deprived of the best of living, and feed upon the hardest of crackers, salt pork, beef and coffee, you will then be able to appreciate food that you now call quite plain. If we could but have more vegetables we could get along very well. We do not expect pies or cakes, nor nice wheat or brown bread, but we do think we ought to have something better in that line, than these crackers, (shingles the boys call them,) called pilot-bread. If any more provisions are sent, put in a good supply of Boston or soda crackers, and some vegetables. Those Havelocks were received before we came here, and right glad were we to get them. Our faces and necks have become badly sunburnt, so that some of them were quite sore. All are black enough, I assure you. The good people of Burlington will be long remembered by the Light Guard. We shall endeavor to merit the kindness bestowed upon us, and not betray the trust reposed in us by turning from the enemy as long as there is hope of success. A few of our company are sick, but none are dangerous. All are doing well. The embankment we have been building, is 110 rods long, 6 feet high, and 5 feet wide at the top, and 10 at the bottom, sloping outwards to the bottom of the ditch, but so steep that you could not climb up to the top. The inside of the wall is perpendicular, large timbers being set in the ground, (most of which were brought from the woods by hand,) and None of us have ever expected to live to see the spectacle now exhibited in our distracted land. The cry to arms resounds throughout our borders, and in a few short weeks we have seen all over the land the marshalling of troops ready for the conflict. The pursuits of peace are neglected and abandoned, and the fell spirit of war has seized almost every heart, until even gentle and tender woman yields to the fierce impulse, and encourages the strife, and the maternal eye scarce gathers a tear as the son seizes his arms, and rushes toward the field of carnage and of death. If this warlike spirit-this terrible energywere displayed in preparing to meet the legions of an invading enemy, our hearts would exult in the exhibition of the martial spirit of our countrymen; but alas! the combatants are descendants of sires who stood side by side in the day of battle, to maintain the independence of our country, and in the approaching conflict brother is to fall by the hand of brother. Can we hope in this day of fierce passion that our voice, crying for peace, will be heard? Will any portraiture of the horrors of civil war, that we can give, have any influence with those who are rushing madly on to destroy each other? We fear not. States which should have been with us, and whose voice would have increased the potency of our demands for peace, have been seized with the prevailing madness, and have rushed to arms. Still we feel bound to make our voice to be heard, with the hope that our words will have their influence at some day, when men shall behold the wasting and desolation that their madness has produced. All the slave States except four are arrayed | stitution of the United States, and to preserve in hostility to the General Government, and the Union unimpaired. are demanding that the confederation which they have formed shall be recognized as a separate sovereign nation. The process by which they have attempted to form themselves into a distinct nation has been, for each State by itself to declare all connection with the General Government terminated, and then unite in forming a confederation among themselves. Our present purpose does not require us to discuss the propriety of the acts of these States, yet it may be proper for us to say, that they find no warrant in any known principle of our Government, and no justification in the facts existing when they seceded. While these States claim that their sovereignty as a nation shall be recognized, and have collected armies to make good their claim, the Government of the United States insists that the ordinances of secession are utterly void, and that the Constitution and laws of the United States are still in force within the seceded States, just as they are within any of the other States, and to maintain this position armies are rapidly gathering on the borders of the seceded States. If there could be any intervention by which the shedding of blood and the desolation of civil war could be avoided, the practical good sense of the American people might discover some mode of adjusting the difficulties which would be alike honorable and beneficial to both the contending parties. But while one side demands the recognition of its sovereignty, and the other insists that such a recognition is a constitutional impossibility, it is manifest that there can be no arbiter but the sword, unless the people themselves, acting upon and through their representatives, State and national, shall interpose, arrest the strife, and enforce a settlement without bloodshed. If any terms or adjustment would be satisfactory to both parties, which would fall short of the recognition of the sovereignty of the seceded States, and still satisfy them, and short of the obedience of the seceded States to the Constitution and laws of the United States, and still satisfy the people of the United States, it is the duty of each party to notify the other of such terms as would be satisfactory, so that an attempt at adjustment might be made. But we repeat, if the recognition of the sovereignty of the seceded States continue a sine qua non, and if the Government continue to disclaim the constitutional power to make such recognition, there is no peaceful solution of the difficulty possible, other than such as the people themselves may, by their action, produce. It is proper for us to say that in our opinion the Constitution delegates to no one department of the Government, nor to all of them combined, the power to destroy the Government itself, as would be done by the division of the country into separate confederacies, and that the obligation exists to maintain the Con It has been suggested, in quarters entitled to the highest respect, that the independence of the States which have seceded might be acknowledged by a National Convention, adopting an amendment to the Constitution for that purpose, as such an amendment would have the support and acquiescence of the seceded States. But we leave that for the decision of the people and their representatives, when they shall feel the imperative necessity of such a settlement. We now turn to the consideration of what ought to be done for the purpose of quieting apprehension within the few slave States which still adhere to the Union established by their fathers. We ask no concession of new or additional rights. We do not fear any immediate encroachment upon our rights as slave States. The amendment to the Constitution proposed by the last Congress gives assurance that at present there is no danger that our rights will be assailed. But we are few in number, and the preponderance of the free States is continually increasing. The security to our rights now afforded by the sense of justice in the minds of the free States may be lost by a change of popular feeling in the future. One great object in constitutions is to protect the rights of minorities. In the Constitution there are general grants of power to the Congress of the United States, which might be perverted to our injury, contrary to the spirit of the instrument, and still the letter of the grant be claimed to authorize the injurious legislation. Such are the power "to regulate commerce between the States," and the power of "exclusive legislation over the District of Columbia," and over "forts, dock-yards, and arsenals in the several States." It would not now be claimed by Congress that these grants authorized an interference in the sale of slaves between the people of different States, nor would it be claimed that they authorized the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, while Maryland and Virginia remained slave States, nor the like abolition in forts and other places within slave States. But what will be claimed in the future we cannot know. So also, in relation to the territories belonging to the United States. While we are aware that all the territories, then unorganized, were organized by acts of the last Congress which contain no prohibition of slavery, and while we know that this was the action of a Congress in which the free States had the control at the time the acts were passed, still these are but acts of Congress, subject to repeal or alteration as public feeling may change under temporary excitement. It is but just that the rights of the slave States, now in a small minority of the whole States, should be guarded in the particulars |