Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-08-07
To The Editors of the Port Tobacco Times

10 me EdltOrS OF the Port Tobacco Times
Messrs. EDIToRs: give my cordial as
sent to the resolutions adopted at meeting
of the citizens of Charles county on the
18th inst. ''to deliberate on matters vitality
affecting their interests" and. entertain the
opinion, that so far as they 60 they are
we'll calculated to confne the slaves within
proper limits, and to keep them free from
those influences which poison their minds
and tend TO render them dissatisfied with
their condition. But is it not to be appre-
hended that the public mind will gradually
settle down into state Of quiescence as the
causes which produced the present excite
ment may seem to disappear; and that We
fancylng ourselves secure in our persons
and property, may gradually relax in our
discipline, until our slaves believing all re-
straint to be removed, may take advantage
of our apathy, and re-enact the scene upon
a more extensive scale than that of which
we have so recently been spectators
We all know how difficult it is TO direct
and fix the public mind to any particular
object for any length of time, when it is not
apparent to every mind that danger is i'm
minent. And is there not tendency in
the mind of man to disregard and DIES pise
danger, Lying upon his fertile mind and
strong arm to meet every emergency
| There is-and the time has actually come
when every Shareholder, and others claim
ing the protection of our laws, should place
himself in a firm attitude for the protection
of his person and property. For who can
n hpI hat
abolitionists have not their emssaries "a
mongst us, infusing the poison of discoh-
tent into the minds of the slaves, thereby
rendering it necessary for the master to
draw tighter the lIgatures of slavery, and
finally to sever the cord which binds them
together, and consigns the slave to more
ungenial cline and less compassionate
taskmaster. Every STAKEHOLDER and every
good citizen should use the utmost vigil
lance III ierreting out all such disturbers of
our peace, and bring them, by the most
summary process, to condign punishment
The county police, as now established, is
working we'll, and is productive of good
effects for the present; but in proportion as
order may be restored, we may fear re-
taxation Of their vigilance, which, for a.
time, night not only be fatal to our peace.
but destructive to our interests. The crisis,
then, demands that the best talents of the
county be put in requistion to devise some
plan by which we may be made more Sc
cure in our property. | have been taught
to look, in all times of difficulty and dam
ger, to the militia of this county as the pal
ladium Of our security, and the only effec-
tual resort in case of invasion or insurrec-
ton. What protection, then, can we ex-
pect from that arm of our defence when
our Legislature has repeatedly refused to-
pass laws for the training of the militia :?
And it is lamentable fact, that we have
not been able to make a return to the Adj
iutant Generals office of the military
strength of the State, and that it is difficult
to find a man capable of defining the origi-
nal company limits. If we expect to be-
secure in our persons and our property WEI
must look to well-organized militia as the
right arm of our defence. To the repre-
sentatives of the people, then, we look for
aid in this emergency, and should instruct
our delegates to use all their eXertlons to-
procure the passage of such law as will
place the militia in such a state of organi-
cation as to give to the citizens of Mary
land secure confidence in their discipline
and efficiency. In the meantime | would
humbly suggest that at least two companies
of mounted volunteers be raised in this
county, to be called ''the Property Guards
of Charles county," who shall not only
hold themselves in a state Of readiness TO
obey the constitutional regulations, but to
aid and assist the citizens of the county, IN
case of emergency, in pursuing and assist
ing in the recovery of fugitive slaves; for
which service they should not only be en-
titled to liberal reward for all captures,
but to such compensation as would at least
cover all reasonable expenses, by levy
on ,the assessable property of the county.
Having but little confidence III my own
Judgment, have not led off in this matter
with any expectation that any plan of mine
may be adopted, but to arouse the public
attention to matter of vital importance to
the people of this State, and more paricu-
larly to the citizens of Charles county, and
to invoke the aid of more intelligent minds
in devising means for the preservation of
the peace and property of us all.