The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-11-20
Gbc Negro Question.
CONVENTION
OF Shareholders of the Eastern Shore.
HcH al CdHbrdne, NoreHtbey 3rI and An

Gus couutlcS on the Eastern Shore of Mary
Land Convention of delegates assembled at
The Court House at Cambridge on Wednesday,
Nov mbcr ), at o'clock. p NJ
The Convention being called to ORDER DR..
II. u. GrleveS of Dorchester, moved that
VIM, Gnldsboroush, Esq, of Talbot county,
be called to the chair for the purpose of TEN.
poIarv organization.
Mr. Goldsh'rongh having taken the chair.
on motion Of DR.. Phelps of Dorchester, VIM.
>. Walker Esq. Of Somerset, was appointed
Secretary.
On motion of Elias Griswold. Eso.. Of
Dorchester, the roll was called. and delegates
from Talbot Caroline. Dorchester, Somerset
and Worcester counties, responded to their
names. Among the delegates present we no.
lice the following gentlemen:
JIto' Comfy. Goldshoroueh ESQ.
DR.. f. N. llardcastle and Samuel H. liatn-
way, Esq
Coro',"c Comfy -Elw. Hardcast;e, Esq.
Dorchester Countp. Hon. James A. Slew.
art. Elias Griswold and Charles L. Gohlsbo-
rough, E>qs., Dir. II. &. Grieves John r.
kecne, ami Samuel Patterson. Esos., j. W
Dali DR.. f. p Phelps. Judge B,icc j. Colds.
borough, VIM. I. NicE,rs, Daniel NJ Henry
+. W. Thomas, William &. huntington and
Wm. T. Goldsbornugh Esqs
y orce$ler Co"my.-Col. Z. W. Jacobs and
DR.. John 4. Hammond
On motion of Charles F. Guld,boroueh.
Esq, of Dorchtst the chair appointed a
colEnittc consisting of one from each comfy
represented, to recommend permanent Officers
to preside over the deliberations Of the Con-
venton. The following gentlemen consitu-
ted the con ni,tcc: Cap ain +. buchanan. of
la bot; EdW. llardcaslle of Caroline: Will
liam i. nU'lNl''iough, ST Dorchester: J. S.
Sudler, Of Son crsct, and DIR. j. T. Hammond,
of Worcester.
Whist the committee were out. F. W.
Thomas. Esq. Of Dorchester, was called upon
TO address the Convention, but the Committee
returning shortly after he commenced, he sus.
pended his remarks.
The committee reported the following cen.
leIncn as permanent officers of the Convcn-
ton.
President Vim. GoldsLolough, Esq, of
Talbot.
Presidents Curtis W. Jacobs. ESQ.
Of Worcester, and DR.. Francis p. ph.lps, of
Dorchester.
Secretaries VIM. S. Walker. Esq. of Som.
c,Sct. and DR.. H. q. Gricvcs, of Dorchester.
The report being Adopted Mr.. Goldsbo.
rough, ON taking the chair, returned thanks
10 the Convention for the honor conferred up-
on MN, and took occasion to EXPRESS his
hearty concurrence in the object hoped to be
accomplished by their deliberations.
+, W. Thomas, Esq, then proceeded to
address the Convention on the subject under
consideration, and was most eloquent and Of.
lective in urging the necessity of prompt and
efficient acion to check The operations of the
AholiiionistS and their cmisSari,s. lie allu.
dcd to the cast OF B.wcrS At Chcstcr,own. and
to the case Of llazlit, now confined in iajl =,
Cambridge, caught in the act of running Off
seven slaves WHO has confessed that he re-
c,lvtd his pay from the Northern iactjonjs,s
tor the work he III dcrtonk to perform. II.
c"nrarrd the condition of the free negro at
The North with those of the slave at thr South
and showed that one was happy, contcnt,d
aud cared Tor III youth and age: whilst the
other was a iricudess oulcaSt, enabled TO
exc out miserable existence IN the DAVIS of
youth and strength, to be finally closed in She
p"ulliouse. He concluded by Urging on the
Convention TO consider well the coul sc il was
proper to pursue to correct the evils under
which they laborcd. and to he prepared to
carry ont their resolves to the fullest extent.
Col Samuel llambletOn, of TALBOT, stated
that he had received letter from judge
Chambers expressing his great regret at not
being able To attend on account of profession.
al duties, whist many others from the differ
counties were prevented from similar causes
DR.. Grlrvrs also had received Il number OF
letters from different gentlemen in various
counties expressing themselves strongly in
favor OF the objects Of the Convention, and
rcgrettine thcir inability to be present.
Judged. A. Stewart, of Dorchester. express
ed his regret thai thus should he called Slave
holders Convention, he thought it was a
mistake that the whole population of the
Eastern Shore was interested i'll TINS Conven-
ton. They did not come here to protect the
interests of tie Shareholder alone. but of all
classes, by deyising sonir means to govern the
tree negroes, who are an unproducmg class,
numbering in these counties not less than
20 600 souls. If they can be controlled and
made available as a producing class there will
be no more trouble with the slaves. Their bad
counsels and bad examples make the slaves
discontinued and unhappy. They cannot CON
troll themselves, they become vicious. dis
honest, and lazy they corrupt the slave,
and are daily rendering this species of proper
ty less valuable and it is the duty of all
whether Shareholders or not, to take them in
charge. The manumission ofslaves has been
great error. and an evil TO themselves as
well to the master and the slave. The free
negroes must therefore gradually, and by the
most reasonable steps, be brought back to
their original condition. We must give them
the permission to leave the State if they think
proper, and it they choose to remain we must
take the responsibility of adopting some eff
Gent means OF restoring them to conlro! and
suhjeclion. This should he the primary
duty of the next Legislature, and they should
meet it manlulIy and without hesitation. or
else acknow edge to the world that they have
not the energy and determine ion to protect
their domestic institutions from gradual
overthrow and destruction. He alluded to
the futile efforts Of the Colonization Society,
which has already cost the State about a
qaarlcr OF Il million of dollars. all Of which
has been squandercd and wasted. This hay
ing failed, 1t now becomes our duty to try
some other means to cure the evil. The
Northern fanatics will give nothing to the free
negroes, and Tut lltle for colonization. Since
Inc had been in Washing on he had frequently
been called upon by blacks with subscription
papers IL buy the freedom of their wives or
daughters. When asked why they did not
ca II on the Northern members, the reply was
that they would not give anything that they
say 'we are entitled TO our freedom without
paying for it," This, Judge s. remarked
was very convenient excuse for withholding
their contributions, and showed the sb allow.
ness of thriI pret.n.ions.