He has dissolved Representative Houses … for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

—- unanimous Declaration (of Independence), Paragraph 3, Clause 6

       Major General George B. McClellan, General-in-Chief of the Army of the united States, orders Major General John Adams Dix, commander of the compulsory Union Departments of Maryland and Pennsylvania, to arrest members of the Maryland legislature known to have secessionist (constitutionalist) sentiments (about two-thirds of their number) to prevent that State from seceding:

       When they meet on the 17th, you will please have everything prepared to arrest the whole party and be sure that none escape. … If successfully carried out, it will go far towards breaking the backbone of the rebellion. … I have but one thing to impress upon you, the absolute necessity of secrecy and success.

       [added 3/25/2022]