The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-31


One of the discreditahle, and it may be fatal re-
suits of the perver8ity with which The Governor
of Maryland insists upon sitting any authorized
expression of the sentiments of our people, has be-
gun already to disclose itself. Not only as we
stated on Saturday, have the epithets of eds,
unionists' and 'secessionists' begun to be freely
applied, by the press of the North, to those who
are endeavoring to prevail on Mr. Hicks to give
our State an opportunity of asserting its principles
and declaring its policy-whatever those princi-
pies and that policy may he-but it is beginning,
now, to be assumed and asserted, in the same
quarters that the sympathies Of Maryland, if
not Northern are at least neuter and that She
the border State most deeply interested ofall, in the
fearful contingencies which are pendng-proposes
no active interference whatever with the direction
which the dominant party may give to events
That such an Interpretation should be given TO
our present attitude can certainly surprise no rea
sonable man, and the very fact that it is given,
and that it is as utterly unjust, as is possible,
to the feelings and determination of the people of
this State ought we submit, to be conclusive evil
dence to every fair and honest mind of the false
ness Of the position which Maryland is forced by
her Executive to occupy for the time. That there
is public opinion and feeling, of some Sort in
Maryland, upon the questions which are convuls-
ing the Union, we presume that not even the Gov
ernor or his counsellors will sutily the State by
denying. That the geographical position and insti-
tutions ofNarylaud; the moderation, hrmness and
patriotism Of her people; her proximity to the Fed
eral capital, and command of the access thereto,
and the peculiar stake which she has in the proper
solution of the crisis; must all give to the policy
which she may adopt the deepest significance and in
some particulars an almost controlling influence
no one who has any glimpses of craftsmanship can
fail to recognize. We are not led away by any
exaggerated notions of the relative Importance of
Maryland, among her sisters, nor by any foolish
or inflamed State PRIDE when we announce our
deliberate conviction, that a frank and resolute
expression by the people of Maryland, through
their representatives, of the sentiments and policy
which we believe to be almost unanimously cher
iShed among them, would do more at this mo-
ment, TO promote the settlement of the controver-
sy which is threatening to engulf us, than almost
any other thing. Ofthe sentiments and policy which
such an expression would announce, we enter
tain no doubt whatever. The people of Maryland
are enthusiastically devoted to the Union and the
Constitution but they are satisfied that the perma
nency ofthe one is bound up inseparably, with the
observance of the other They are satisfied that
the aggressions of the North upon the institutions
of the South have Systematically violated the
Constitution and put the Union in imminent per-
Il. They believe that the issue which has been
made by the South-wheher made wisely
or unwsely-whether shaped prudently or
imprudently-has nevertheless to be met as a
practical, existent, perilous thing, and has to be
settled, now or never They are prepared, we
believe TO insist, with hardly dissenting voice,
upon its being settled now and forever They
are wise enough to know, that even if a settle
ment could be postponed, it would only be until
some period not far off, when still btterer feelings
and more intolerable aggressions would bring the
North and the South face to face in a yet iercer
spirit-with the strength of the former almost
doubled for wrong and the resistance of the latter
emasculated OF half its strength. While the peo-
pie of Maryland entertain these convictions, and
are prepared to make stand upon them and take
the consequences, they are, as we have said, Meth
er disunionists nor secessionists. They are Union
men, TO the core, and it is because they are SO,
and because they desire to preserve the Union and
because they believe that the settlement of our
present discussions, upon the basis of the Consti-
tuition, can alone keep the Union alive that they
are prepared TO insist on such settlement, now and
at once, and to take ground in that high behalf
alongside of the Southern States or with the Bor-
der States, or alone, if need be. Nay, more-there
Is one point upon which we believe that the people
abS Init
Is against the idea of coercing the Southern States
by the physical power Of the Federal Government
or the Northern people. Against this idea the Coy
ernor has, himself, taken as open, and public
ard decided ground as any of those who differ
with him otherwise in opinion, and it may as well
be understood, once and for abby those who
are interested in knowing--,hat the first blow
stricken on the side Of such coercion would unite
the people Of Mary! If all opinions, as one
man, with the South. All personal feelings and
parhzan rivalrie8 and dlscords among us would be
buried in one instant in the EARTH and from them
as from the dragons teeth Of old, would spring up
armed men all over our soil.
These things which we have thus said feebly, and
only IN our capacity of chronclers of what we
believe to be the indisputable sentiment of Mary
iand, a Convention of our people would say with
authority, and, as we believe, with almost contro-
ing efficacy. That Maryland is dumb in crisis,
when her voice would be heard with so much
avail, Is the fault of our Executive and the bad
advisers who misead him. That she should LIE
misunderstood where her honor, and rights, and
interests, demand so imperatively that she should
not be, is part of the same responsibility 1t is
for the people of the State to say how long such a
condition of things shall continue.