Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-12-27

From the Baltimore American of Thursday last.
MELTING AT THE MARYLAND
INSTITUTE.
speech tne Commissioners from Mississippi.
The modest announcement conveyed thro'
the several daily papers of yesterday that
''Hon. a. Fl. Handy, Commissioner from
the State Of Mississippi to the State of Mary
land, VIII address the citizens Of Baltimore
this wednesday, evening, at the Maryland
Institute, at half-past seven o'clock, on the
present state of the Union,' attracted to the
Institute an assemblagc of about 1 800 per-
sons, not one half of which number however
were present at the first organization of the
meetin.. Prior to the appearance of Mr.
Handy the assemblage. which manifested
much more patience and sobriety than is
usual with public meetings of political
character, was entertained by several airs
from band Of music stationed in the south
gallery.
Though the meeting was called at half
past seven o'clock, it was within few min
utes of eight o'clock before a commotion in
the upper end of the hall announced the en-
try of The Commissioner from Mississippi,
accompanied by some score or more well
known citizens. Mr.. Handy's appearance
upon the stage was the signal for courteous,
though not very cordial, applause.
Coleman Yellott, Esq, nominated Will
liam G, Harrison, Esq, as President Of the
meeting, and the choice. being approved,
Mr.. Harrison introduced the Commissioner
from Mississippi with the following remarks:
Our sister State of Mississippi has accre-
iited the Hon. A. II. Handy Commission
er to explain to her sister Maryland the ac-
ton and position taken by her in view of
the political condition of the General Gov
ernment, He is now on Lis return from
Annapolis, but at the request of many Of
your public citizens has consented to explain
to the people of this city the sentiments and
decision of the people of Mississippi in re-
gard .tt. the value of the violated compact of
the General Government, under the shadow
of which a majority of the States deny and do
threaten the liberties of the minority. The
selection of this gentleman from among her
wprthiest citizens, because he is native of
Maryland, expresses strongly the Importance
OF his mission and the depth of sympathy
with and for US which dictated it; and al
though from adverse circumstances the pco-
ple of Maryland are yet debarred from a
formal legal expression of their determina-
nation in the matter, he will return from his
kindred to his adopted home convinced that
Maryland of 1860 is heir to the old line of
H76, and for veal or woe is one with her
sisters of the South. ! therefore introduce
to you Mr.. Handy of s;ssippi.
Mr.. A. Fl. Handy, the Commissioner
from Mississippi, here came forward and ad-
dressed the assemblage substantially as fol-
lows:
| Iappcar among you, he said, as the Com
missioner from Mississippi, not for the pur-
pose of exciting discord or of creating any
aversion to the existing government On
the contrary, shall appeal only to that pa
triotism which rests deep in the heart of
every true son of Maryland wherever he
might be. [ am myself bone of your bone
and flesh of your flesh for not only was
born and nurtured in Maryland, ), but my
forefathers were before me, and twas this
double claim upon the attention of the citi-
zens Of Maryland which won me the honor
Of representing the State of my adoption be-
fore the people OF that State in which l was
reared. The object of my presence here to-
night is to explain the present position Of
Aiississippi-to define the course which the
citizens of that State felt compelled to pur-
sue for the preservation of those liberties
achieved by their fathers.
BY the election of X braham Lincoln this
Government, in the opinion of many able
minds, has been placed in state of revolu-
ton. All that remains to render the revo-
luton one in fact, was the pcrpetration of a
few acts, and which the party now in power
have declared their intention ofcarrying out,
even to the bitter end. And it is to the con-
slderatlen of the purposes of that party, and
the means OF resistance proposed, to which
invite your attention.
We of the South, including Maryland, be-
llevc slavery to be ordained by God, and to
be sanctioned by every consideration of hu-
manity. Applause. We believe it to be
sacred duty imposed upon US by an all
wise dispensation Of Providence, to stand as
guardians towards our slaves. This is the
belief of all the people of the South. The
reverse of this position is maintained by all
the people Of the North. They assert chat
slavery is condemned Of God, and should be
condemned also by man. They deny entire
iy the right of property in man, and in these
antagonistic beliefs lies the radical differen-
ces OF the two sections
It is the germ of the 'irrepressble con-
aict'.' doctrine, the practical results of which
aye now filling the country with gloom and
anxiety. 1t is asserted, as the inevitable
cbnclusion to which we are tending, that
country must be all slave or all free, and
earrying that idea into practice, we of the
south are told by the powerful people of the
North that we must surrender our property
ia slaves Such IA surrender We of ,lissis-
,sippi cannot make without surrcndcring to