"
There remained of Douglas's life but a few months. The time was
filled with earnest speechmaking in support of the Government.
He had started West directly following his conference with
Lincoln. His speeches in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, were perhaps
the greatest single force in breaking up his own following,
putting an end to the principle of doing nothing, and forcing
every Democrat to come out and show his colors. In Shakespeare's
phrase, it was--"Under which king, Bezonian? speak or die!" In
Douglas's own phrase: "There can be no neutrals in this war; ONLY
PATRIOTS--OR TRAITORS."
Side by side with Douglas's manifesto to the Democrats there
appeared in the Monday papers Lincoln's call for volunteers. The
militia of several Northern States at once responded.
On Wednesday, the 17th of April, the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment
entrained for Washington. Two days later it was in Baltimore.
There it was attacked by a mob; the soldiers fired; and a number
of civilians were killed as well as several soldiers.
These shots at Baltimore aroused the Southern party in Maryland.
Led by the Mayor of the city, they resolved to prevent the
passage of other troops across their State to Washington.
Railway tracks were torn up by order of the municipal
authorities, and bridges were burnt.
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