An illustration of this was given on the 18th of April, the day previous to the attack on the Massachusetts regiment. A party of secessionists had raised a rebel flag in the suburbs of Baltimore, and had a cannon with which they saluted it, but a vast crowd of working-men from the neighboring foundries assembled, tore down the flag, and threw the cannon into the river. His Excellency, Thomas H. Hicks, Governor; John P. Kennedy, Secretary of State under President Fillmore; Reverdy Johnson, John R. Kenley, ex-Governor Francis Thomas, Hon. Henry Winter Davis, Edwin H. Webster, Alexander Evans, and many others boldly stepped forward, and planted themselves in the foreground, to resist the tide of dishonesty, passion, and frenzy, into which the State was plunged by the conspirators. Five thousand citizens of Baltimore addressed a letter to Governor Hicks, on January 2d, approving his course in refusing to call the Legislature together to authorize a Convention, and public meetings were held throughout the State for the same purpose. Notwithstanding this great demonstration of popular opinion, the secessionists were resolved upon making the attempt; and, though foiled in their measures, seized the opportunity afforded by the passage of Northern troops through Baltimore, to enkindle the flames of civil war, hoping, in the confusion, to urge their schemes to a fulfilment. The pressure upon the Governor after this event became almost insupportable. All the combined influences of political, social and commercial classes were brought to bear upon him, and the wild denunciations and contemptuous and bitter invective and threats hurled incessantly upon Baltimore and Maryland by a large portion of the northern press were persistently used to press the Executive to the commission of the fatal act. Thus urged on all sides, he was compelled, in deference to the sudden and violent appeals of the people, to request the government to send no more troops through Maryland. The proclamation of the President of the 15th of April, and the call for troops, was represented by the secessionists of Maryland, as in other States, as an attempt to “coerce,” “invade” and “subjugate” the Southern States. They used this appeal with great effect on the popular mind, and the passions of the people were so inflammable, that many whose convictions were utterly opposed to the disunion measures were determined to resent this attempt to “subdue” them. On the 17th of April an excited disunion meeting had been held in Baltimore, and great efforts were made to commit the citizens to the secession movement. On the following day Governor Hicks and his Honor George Wm. Brown, Mayor of Baltimore, issued proclamations calling upon all citizens to keep the peace. The Governor assured the people that no troops should be sent from Maryland, except to defend the national capital. The arrival of Massachusetts troops and the fatal occurrences of the 19th, caused an almost entire