"Death before dishonor" Maryland Shirt Cobb protesting against the injustice of

protesting against the injustice of General Lee's action and the then existing state of affairs

The thirteen stars most likely represented the original thirteen colonies who "seceded" from the English union

This was an error

Thus as Chairman of the Senate Committee for the District of Columbia he drafted a provision for the abolition of the slave trade in the District and as President caused an article to be inserted in the Treaty of Washington (1842) for the maintenance of a squadron by the United States and Great Britain

"Death before dishonor" Maryland Shirt Cobb protesting against the injustice of"Death before dishonor" Maryland Shirt quote taken from original set of Maryland letterhead.