Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-12-14
The Committee of al


The Committee of 80!
On Tuesday, the 4th instant resolution
was introduced by Mr.. BoTELER. of Virginia.
and adopted by the House of Representatives,
authorizing the appointment of special
committee, consisting Of one member from
each of the different States, 10 take into con-
sideration that part of the Presidents mes
sage which advcrts to the present periIous
condition Of the country. 1t will be within
range of that committees power to report an
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States. This, it seems to us, is the only work
10 which the committee should direct its at
tention. Any mere declaratory resolution,
expressing the opinion of the House upon the
subject in controversy, would be received for
what it is worth; but would not reach the
evil, and would therefore be of little moment.
The Constitution provides that ''The Con-
grcss, whenever two-,hirds of both Houses
shall deem it necessary, shall propose amend
ments to this Constitution or, on the applca-
ton Of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the
several States shall call convention for pro-
posing amendments, which, in either case
shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as
part Of this Constitution, when ratified by the
Legislatures Of threc-fourths of the several
States, or by conventions in three-fourths
thereof, IS the one or the other mode of rati-
ication may be proposed by Congress"
We confess that, under the circumstances,
we cannot look forwaNi to any good result
from the action Of the committee, even should
il propose such an amendment Of the const:-
tuition as would be satisfactory to the South
crn States The power of the House rests
with the Republican party, most of whom, if
vet all, 4w.ll'ng TO acknowledge that
! fA2 rQHGaiona lights of The South need
any fugths e.ion than that already af-
tota,- --- q. oustitution, as it is. 1t is
not within the scope of probability, therefore,
that two-thirds of such Congress would ac-
quiesce in any surrender of the ground for
which the Aboitionists have been struggling
for so many years, and have finally gained,
by the election Of Lincoln Especially do
these fears increase when we scan the mate
rial out Of which the committee IS constructed
What cancellation can the South hope for.
when, instead Of conservative men, we find
on that committee a number of the endorscrs
81 the Helper book, " and many other Re-
publicans equally ultra in their hostility to
the South? In what are the interests of Ma
ryland to be subscrved b. the appointment
as her representative on that committee, of
ono who has already covered himself with in
fanny, by betraying his trust, and by afiliat-
ing himself with the Black Republicans, for
fcited the confidence of his own friends?
Henry Winter Davis the representative of
Maryland sentiment Maryland, TO be held
mp before the world as ready and willing to
bend her neck to the yoke of Northern ag-
erosion, and this, too, through the agency of
Henry Winter Davis! As Marylanders, we
feel mortified and indignant at this base at
tempt to counterfeit the position of our good
old State, and We rcpudate and denounce it
as fraudulent perversion Of the purpose for
which the committee was constituted.
But there is another and more convincing
reason why we can hope for no practical good
from the action of this committee. 1t is one
which VIC would gladly overlook but, to do
90, is Impossible We must deal with the
ciroum ,ancs az they are now presented.
There is NOW no longer room to doubt that
South Carolina and several other States will
go out of the Union before any action can be
taken upon any suggestions the committee or
Congress may make. We therefore see but one
course for the South, and that is, to hold a
convention Of all the Southern States, in and
out Of the Union; let them agree upon an
ultimatum setting forth their causes fgriev-
nnce, and present them to their Northern
brethren as the only grounds upon which they
viii return to, or remain in, the Union and
if their complaints are disregarded, and all
hope of redress denied, then let them unite
their dcsiinies in one grand Southern Con-
fedcracy, and rely upon themselves for pro-
lection.