Due to its origin in reaction to the Baltimore riot of 1861 and Randall 's support for the Confederate States of America , it includes lyrics that refer to President Abraham Lincoln as " the tyrant " , " the despot " , and " the Vandal " , and to the Union as " Northern scum " , as well as referring to the phrase " Sic semper tyrannis " , which was the slogan later shouted by Marylander John Wilkes Booth when he assassinated Lincoln . For these reasons , occasional attempts have been made to replace it as Maryland 's state song , but to date , all such attempts have failed
assassinated Lincoln
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Maryland, My Maryland