January 22, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
Large secession meetings have been held in all the counties of Maryland and the people have taken the Convention question into their own hands. Committees of leading citizens have been appointed to make arrangements for an election to take place throughout the State on the fourth of February, for delegates to a State convention to assemble at Annapolis on the third Monday of February. The obstinacy of the Black Republican Governor HICKS, in refusing to call the Legislature, will, it is said, rather accelerate than retard the secession movement in the State.