Page:History of Maryland, 1879, v3.djvu/432

 A1snAu.u Lmoonx, the sixteenth President of the United States, was quietly inmzgnraterl on the 4th of March, 1861. In forming his cabinet, he appointed Montgomery Blair, of M:lrylnnd,‘t.o the otllee of postmaster-general. After this event, n lull seemed bo pervude the political atmosphere. The · uproar and excitement in which the country had been kept for three months had for the moment sensibly subsided. Every one was now waiting with a, feeling of vague, but painful anxiety, the next Mt of as momentous a drama as had ever been played upon the w0rld's great stage. Since the first meeting of Congress in December until its adjournment in Mnircb, the fears, hopes and expectations of the people had been alternately wrought up to the highest y pitch. There had scarcely been an hour in which they qid not foresee clearly some important occurrence that was about immediately to happen, or in which they were not agitated about one that had just taken place. Four anxious months had been spent in uppmls to Northern patriotism and good feeling. All that was good and true nnd earnest in the councils of the nation, devoted itseli with intense solicitmlc, ho the work of reconciliation and peace. The Northern people were conjured by every argument and motive that could 1 affect their reason aud touch their hearts, to meet their Southern brethren ¥ half way, in the spirit of kindness and compromise. They were hesoughf. ‘ to rescue the Union from disruption; they were implorcd to save ifs broken fragments from the slain and shame of blood. They responded coldly or not nt ull. Congresssionsl committees proposed plums of settlement, and they were booted down by leaders, press and people. The peace conference interposed its patriolic olllces, only to be sneered at and deridcd. Not 11 governor, not :1 Legislature, not u county, not ix town, from Maine to Mason und Dix0n’s line, gave ear to the call of peace, or ren! sympathy to those who ` uttered it. Here uml there 11 few scattered meetings of brave and upright men, uml o few manly and honorable presses, worthy to he remembered and » honored always, lifted themselves above the mire of partisanship, im;} responded us became them. But the hearts of the masses of the North were dead to every appeal of brotherhood, and the four mouths ended in more utter darkness and hopelessness than they had begun. Mr. Lincoln assumed his plum. He promised peace, and his promise was almost believed. But he was not allowed to redeem it, if he meant it. Presses and people, from Boston to Chicago, gouded him to war. Those who, before had been only passively hostile, became jubilunt at the hope of a