manifesting, too, at the same time,
a natural command of dignified, antithetical sentences, "would be
promoted, perhaps can be only preserved, by secession. Her territory
extends on both sides of a great inland water communication, and is at
the natural Atlantic outlet, by railway, of the Valley of the West.
Baltimore in the Union is sure to be inferior to Philadelphia and New
York: Baltimore out of the Union is sure to become a great commercial
city. In every way, whether we regard her own people or their usefulness
to other States, I think the interests of Maryland would be promoted by
secession."

"But would not Maryland lose many more slaves, as the border member of a
foreign confederacy, than she does now in the Union?"

The reply to this question we looked for with the greatest interest,
since no foreign nation, such as the North would be, in case of
the success of the attempted Confederacy, ever thinks of giving up
fugitives, and since the policy of the South upon this point, in case
she should succeed, would determine the possibility or impossibility of
peace between the two portions of the Continent.

Mr. Davis's reply was in the following words, uttered in a tone of equal
shrewdness, calmness, and decision:--

"I think, for all Maryland would lose in that way she would be more than
repaid by reprisals. While we are one nation and you steal our property,
we have little redress; _but when we become two nations, we shall say,
Two can play at this game_."

We breathed more freely after so frank an utterance. The great
importance of this reply, coming from the even then proposed political
chief of the Confederacy, as indicating the impossibility of peace, even
in case of the recognition of the South, so long as it should continue,
as it has begun, to make Slavery the chief corner-stone of the State,
will be at once perceived.

"But," the writer ventured to inquire, "what will become of the Federal
District, since its inhabitants have no 'State right of secession'?"

"Have you ever studied law?" he asked.

The gentleman from Amherst confessed our ignorance of any point covering
the case.

"There is a rule in law," continued Mr. Davis, "that, when property is
granted by one party to another for use for any specified purpose, and
ceases to be used for that purpose, it reverts by law to the donor.
Now the territory constituting at present the District of Columbia was
granted, as you well know, by Maryland t