How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! – Psalm 133:1
Maryland, a slave state, voted against seceding from the Union on this day in 1861. This border state between the north and south had been walking the line between the Union and the Confederacy, with sympathies existing for both sides. Governor Thomas Hicks had wanted the state government to remain neutral, not declaring loyalty to either side, which reflected the attitude of the state’s residents. Had secession ensued, Washington, D.C., would have been encompassed by opposing states. This situation reached a critical point when infantry from the 6th Massachusetts Volunteers, on their way to Washington, D.C., was attacked by a pro-Confederate mob in Baltimore. After a special meeting of the state legislature, a joint measure was passed on secession, stating they had “no constitutional authority to take such action.” The state decided to abolish slavery before the end of the Civil War in 1864.
As the Lord leads, pray with us…
- For governors and state legislatures as they meet and determine the most beneficial and representative courses of action for their constituents.
- For the president and federal officials to consider the diverse needs of the states in crafting national policies.
