St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-12-12

AESSAGE OF GOV. HICKS
10 RIM
IDauLAIu11 or xA1xIAxD.
Gestlessea Of ne Esaass
aad effAe Hesss o. Dsssgafes:
bave called together the General As
sembly Of Maryland in anticipation Of the
regular session in January, and it is pro-
per | should briefly recount the events and
state the reasons which have led me to
that dissemination.
About the time at which South Carroll
NJ passed her ordinance of Secession, and
during several months thereafter, was
importuned to convene the Legislature.
It was urged, with great zeal, that the
people Of Maryland should have an oppor-
tunity Of saying whether they would re-
main loyal to the Government framed by
our fathers, or join the seeded States in
their mad crusade against the continuance
Of the Union.
1t Was alleged that If the Legislature
should be convened it would either call q
sovereign Convention. or submit to vote
of the people the grave question whether
they desired such Convention to assem-
bic.
The strenuous effort to induce me TO
call together the Legislature having failed,
| was then earnestly desired to submit to
the people, by Proclamation, the question
whether or not they wished Convention
to be assembled. declined to accede to
this request, because, under the Constitu-
ton. possessed no such power.
IN thus persisteptly refusing to comply
With those propositions, ] am we'll aware
that l assumed grave responsibility.
But / was satisfied, nevertheless, that l
was but performing what. to the, seemed
TO be clear and simple duty. An6 for
the consequences ! was then aud am now,
willing to rely upon the justice and good
sense Of my fellow citizens: 70 whom it is
due that explain. - briefly Is / can, the
reasons which induced my course.
~ baAiesad that / Was thoroughly ac-
qusinted with the proclivities IF . majority
ct the members Of that Legislature. was
perfectly convinced that they desired Ma
ry'and to leap, no matter how blindly. in
TO the vortex of Secession. ! believed the
citizens who 60 persissently urged the as
sembling Of the Legislature. l was,
therefore, unwilling to allow that body an
opportunity 50 to misuse its great power;
not doubling that. in imitation of the Leg
islsturss of then seeded States, it would
exert that power to the great detriment Of
the people Of Maryland.
Il i true that earnestly desired the
people 10 have an opportunity Of express
sing their will at the bsllot-bcx. in regard
to the position Of Maryland, and I would
most cheerfnlly have afforded them such
opportunity Il I had possessed the cou-
stitutionsl power to do SO in any other way
than BY convening the Legislature.
| But could not trust that body in SO
moment0us crisis. did net believe the
people could possibly have fair and free
expression Of their will under the provi-
sions Of any law for that purpose which
might be enacted by that Legislature.
was sure that through some jnggle Mary
land would be forced to secede. need
not speculate here in regard to the mode
by which this would have been accom-
plished; whether by the bayonet or BY
some equally cogent or persuasive process.
! merely assert that / believe the plans Of
the Seccssionists would have been accom-
plished if they had had the great power Of
the Legislature to aid them.
was. during all that time. positively
convinced that . majority ef the people
Of Maryland did not wish the State
to secede. They knew that the seces-
sion q Maryland would attempt 70 car
~ with Il the possession Of the National
Capital: and knowing, also. that our
Northern and Western brethren could not
be expected to aequiesce peaesab!y 10 such
. step, concluded that our people were not
insane enough to wish this State to be-
come one vast battlefield and our homes
made desolate.
continued, hen, to refuse to convene
the Legislature; I hoped that nothing but
fiSse was needed to cause even sealots
for secession to change their opinion or, at
least forbear their designs. In this, it
appears. did not accurately measure
the extent of their madness.
But did not know how much I erred
in this regard until my eyes we're opened
by the occurrences IN Baltimore on the
18th Of April. and the subsequent events
connected with that Reasonable outbreak.
then concluded that coald not hope
10 gain much more time in which the mis-
guided mob might zee its error. And,
Whea Coleman Ysllott, ESD, the l.ts
| Senator from Rsltim0re ci.v AFTER ID
visiug with the Board Of Pelioe Commits
siousrs. and i,,stigatsd by the more promi-
asns Of the eonspirators, unlswfally issued
his proclamation" for m sssembling Of
the Legislature =. Baltimore. when large
aud sctivs portion Of the Secession element
would be congregated, ! knew Il was time
for NE to act True. / mieat then have
called upon the President Df the United
States 70 qasll the insarrsosion. bus this
lwosld almost certainly Aavs unused