Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-11-30
THE SENTINEL.
BENJAMIN i. WADDY,
Georgetown, d. e. IS our authorized A.
gent for rscei0ing Subscriptions and
= advertisements.
roR TIE SENTINEL.


Mr. EDIroR With no desire to add to the /
excitement now so pervading among our
brethren of the South in consequence of the |
elevation to The Presidency-by the numerical
strength of apurely sectional party--of man
who openly declared before the election, that
There was an rrepressible conflict between /
the North and South on the subject of slave /
re- which would not cease until the States of
this Union became either all free all saye" -
OF man who represents party which, in
several of the Northern States, have, by lcgis-
lative enactments, nulifed that clause Of the
Constitution which requires that fugitive
slaves shall be delivered up on demand of
their owners-lnakng any attempt on the
part of their citizens, who might aid in carry
ing out this express provision Of the Constitu-
lion, punishable by fine and Imprisonment
nevertheless cannot close my eyes to the cir
cumstances which now surround us, partcu-
larly as a State, and which certainly demand
III our hands prompt md immediate conside
ration.
Maryland occupies peculiar position in re-
gard to this whole question. She has suffered
more from Northern aggression than any other
State. Her citizens have been cruelty muir
dered in open day, in the very courts of the
North, where, in lawful efforts to regain their
property, they relied with fatal confidence
upon that protection which the Constitution
Of their country was expressly intended to ai-
ford them. Hundreds Of thousands worth of
property have been thus forcibly wrested from
MS, and we are now told (by the election of
Mr.. Lincoln) that " the irreprcssible conflict
shall not cease, and that wemust make up our
minds TO submit to a contiauance and an ag-
gravation Of these wrongs, Let us not be
deluded by any honeyed promises of modera-
ton, which his Forthcoming inaugurals will
IL 81. l..
Rlack Republican friends hope to lull us into
a false security. The question is, shall this
aggression go on or shall we not take imme-
date council with ourselves how we can best
put stop to it2 Why then stand we idle?
Our brethren of the South are already in
council consulting and devising means to
avert, if possible, their and our contemplated
degradation. Where now is the genius, the
prowess, the unequalled eoquence which, in
former days, characterized The councils and
made the arms of Maryland the pride of the
whole country Is there no one to raise a
voice, even of warning, to those who seem
bent on our very destruction? Or shall we not
honor our ancestry, as we wonld prove worthy
Of ourselves, by proclaiming our immovable
determination to require security against any
further aggression upon our rights, or, if any
be attempted, to stake our lives iu their de-
Tense?
II is under such feelings ! would respect
fully suggest that n meeting of the people OF
the county be called to take into considera-
ton the present alarming state of affairs, and
give expression TO their opinions in regard to
what should be dOne-whether or not it be
thought advisable that the legislature Of the
State should be convened, either for the pur
pose of making an authoritative appeal to our
Northern brethren to cease their unholy cru
SADIE against our peace and happiness-to re-
peal their obnoxious statutes, which are now
robhing us of our property, and to recognize,
by legislative or conventional sanctions, the
equality of each and every State of the Union
in the territory of our common country or,
ii the alternative necessity is deemed more adj
yisabe, of reorganizing the militia of the
State, and arming the people to meet the con-
flict which now seems inevitable, and which,
If not timely provided for, will find us wholly
nnprepared to meet it. In either case, let the
opinion Of the people go forth, in order that
the Executive of the State may be duly ad-
vised in regard to it.
In my humble judgment, the North will
not likely be influenced by threats from the
South, TO undo what it has deliberately done
in total disregard of its constitutional obliga-
tions. If it was not restrained by conscien-
tious observance of the latter, it is not proba-
BILE (now that it is about to assume the execu-
tive authority that il Will recede through
fears of the former. The issue is, therefore,
plainly before us, and, whether prepared or
not, we must meet il. Let no Marylander
think of submitting, for moment longer, to
the injuries that are now being heaped upon
us, and are yet in store for us; and should
any armed invasion of her soil be attempted
from the Northern States, for the purpose OF
enforcing obedience upon any Southern State
to the terms of compact, which they them
selves have so heedlessly abrogated and an
nulled, then let each son of Maryland meet
them upon the border with one embrasure OF
FIRE from the Allcganies to the Atlantic.
repeat it, let the State prepare; let the people
be armed we want no lulabys TO longer in
action; no old woman sedatve prescriptions
or remedies, but bold and fearless enuncia-
ton of the spirit which animated our fathers
in resisting oppression, and which should ac-
tuate us. L.