Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-01
BALTIMORE AND THE BLACK RE-
PUBIICANs


been suspected. This has been the source of
much chagrn and modification to the people
of the South. Situated between the North
and the South, inviting by her rapid growth
and increasing business, enterprising men from
every quarter of the country-a great portion,
too, of whom were born and reared in anti
slavery communities, it would be unreasonable
to expect them TO be altogether free from the
pestilent isms Of the North.
The Black Republican convention which
was lately held. brought out some revelations
in regard to the unsoundness of Baltimore
business men on the subject of slavery, which
merchants for the safety Of their business and
their city.
Mr. Francis p. Blair, who was called to pre-
side over the late Black Republican convention,
claimed to represent the wishes and sympa-
thies of large commercial interests in Balt-
more. In other words, he claimed to be the
representative Of the Black Republicans of
| Baltimore. This is stigma upon the fair
State Of Maryland which should be speedily
efiaced If the evil, the crying evil, of aboli-
tionism exists, as it is supposed to exist, to no
| inconsiderable extent, the sound portion of the
population should see that it be speedily and
efectually rooted out.
Let the opinion but get abroad that Balti-
more is unsound on the slavery question, and
woto the southern trade she now enjoys. The
merchants Of the South, if compelled to trade
with either, would far prefer purchasing their
supplies from abolrionists abroad to aboIi-
| tionsts at home.
| We are glad to see, from the following
the merchants and other business men are
taking the necessary steps to clear their
skirts Of the charge preferred against them:
BALTIMORE, Teb. %, 1856.
JOHN G. BRuNE, Esq,
President efthe Board Of Trade:
Dear Sir: The undersigned. merchants of
Baltimore, having read with surprise a state
ment made by Mr.. Francis p. Blair, at con-
vention of the so.called Republican party, now
in session at Pittsburg, in which he claims to
represent the sympathies OF large commercial
interests OF this city, and keenly alive to the
Importance of vindicating the fair fame of our
city from the impulation of abolition tenden-
cies, would state as their opinion, that the oc-
casion is one Of sufficient importance to de-
mand some decided action upon the part Of our
merchants, and beg respectfully to suggest us
mode of accomplishing this end, that you
call he rf do bar md hot IL
Board Of Trade issue call for general meet
ing Of our merchants, at the Exchange
We are very respectfully,
Your obedient servants,
McConkey, Parr & Co.; Walters d Harvey !;
Young, Carson, q Bryant; George 4 jenkins,
Edgar W. Corner, Wilmington & Eastman
JAS. Fisher Il Sons, Geo. l.. Harrison, Hy-
land x Woods, Lennon Il Brogden, Lau
renee Thomson 4 Co., i. Whitridge & Co..
Kirkland, Chase & Co.; Dinsmore q Kyle,
Thomas Wilson 4 Co., Robert Garrett & Sons
John S. Wright, VIM. Crichton, Sol b. Davies,
Andrew Reid, James +. Pendergast, George
Sanders & Co., White & Elder, Lennon &
Son, II. Winter, L. W. lowering & Son, Court.
ney & Gushing, VIM. McKim, John Williams
4 Son, ]. III. Peasants.
| The Board of Trade met at the appointed
place yesterday at l o'clock.
We copy from the Baltimore san Of yesterday
the proceedings ofthe meeting Of the merchants
and men of business:
Pubic MEETING AT THE ExcHANGE.-Yes.
| terday afternoon at one o'clock, the rotunda OF
the Exchange was crowded by many prominent
merchants and business men Of the city, in
response to call OF the Board of trade for the
purpose Of considering certain remarks made
at a political convention recently held in
Pittsburg. At the hour named, the meeting
was called 10 order by j. Hanson Thomas, Esq,
who nominated the following officers:
President-John c. Bronze.
Vice. Pesidents-George Brown, G.. C. Jami.
son, w. T. Young, John b. Morris, ID. s. Wilson,
Thomas Whitridge, William Woodville, William
McKim, John S. Cuttings, Thomas Swami, g. S.
0ldheld Robert Garrett, VIM. K. Murdoch, A.
Schumacher, Andrew Aldridge, John Q Hew
lett, VIM. Devries. Columbus O'Donnel, JOS
G. Wilson, John II. Duva, VIM. G. Harrison,
Alexander kirkland, VIM. Cooke, Francis
Neale.
ISecretaries-P. II. Sullivan, BE-. New
conner, VIM. Wilson, jr., G. u. Porter.
These gentlemen we're unanimously chosen
the officers Of the meeting.
Upon taken the chair Mr.. Bruno observed
that il was not his intention TO make speech
this was rather out Of his line Of business-it
was contrary to the regular custom Of business
men. He would, however, give plain state.
meut Of the reasons which had induced him to
call the meeting. il appeared through the
public prints that, at a recent political conven-
ton which assembled at PittsbGrg, gentleman
had been elected president Of the body who
stated he was the representative Of the business
and wealth Of Baltimore, who united and
sympathized with the objects of the convention
II was TO controvert this false statement that
the meeting had been called AS president OF
the board Of trade il had become his duty 70
call the meeting, and he supposed il was in
consequence Of his position in that honorable
body Of merchants that he had been called to
his present elevated position for which, and
for all other honors that had been conferred on
him by his fellow merchants, he was most
heartily grateful. As regards the subject before
the meeting he would refrain from speaking,
although he had bis individual opinions-and
firm and decided they we're. The integrity Of
the merchants and business men Of Baltimore