Blues’ Band in Baltimore

Serenading Breckinridge and Vallandigham

Never sure what you're going to get in Baltimore (c.1870 LOC - LC-USZ62-65658)

From The New-York Times August 10, 1861:

LIVELY TIME IN BALTIMORE.; MR. BRECKINRIDGE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK.

BALTIMORE, Thursday, Aug. 8.

Messrs. BRECKINRIDGE and VALLANDIGHAM partook of a grand dinner at the Eutaw House last evening, given by Baltimore Secessionists. At 11 o’clock they were serenaded by the Blues’ Band. Mr. BRECKINRIDGE attempted to speak, but was constantly interrupted by cheers for CRITTENDEN, Gen. SCOTT, the Kentucky election, and for the Union. It was impossible to hear what he was endeavoring to say. There were several thousand persons present, a majority of whom were Union men. They called on the band for the “Star Spangled Banner,” “Yankee Doodle,” &c., but could get nothing from them but “Dixie” and the “Marsellaise.” All attempts to quiet the people were responded to by the cries of “Remember the 19th of April.” “Remember the week of terror.”

Eutaw House, Baltimore

Several fights took place, and some of the Secessionists were roughly handled. Mr. BRECKINRIDGE was finally compelled to retire without speaking, and the cheers of his friends were deafened amid the groans and hisses. Mr. VALLANDIGHAM did not attempt to speak, and the crowd dispersed with cheers for the Union and groans for JEFF. DAVIS, interrupted by counter cheers and hisses.

The New-York Times also produced a fuller account of the proceedings from The Baltimore American, which you can read here. It was a rough time. Breckinridge came up with a very noble sounding idea as he was trying to get his speech started:

Baltimore crowd: "Oh, dry up, you traitor" (LOC - LC-USZ62-53598)

Amid frequent interruptions, the speaker proceeded to say that since the time when Constitutions had been designed as limits to despotic power, nothing so outrageous as those enacted by the Administration had over occurred. Liberty, he said, existed before the Constitution was formed, and whenever the issue is presented between that on the one hand, and a mere form of Government on the other, the form would perish, but the principles would survive. [Cheers. A number of men were again beaten and borne off.]

At this time John C. Breckinridge was still representing Kentucky in the U.S. Senate.

Clement Vallandigham was an antiwar Democrat. He represented Ohio in the U.S. House until 1863.