Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-19
Maryland LegisIature.

IN the house, on Monday, the message from the
on federal relations
petition from one hundred any seventy five
so9Is OF cecil county, protesting against the vote
OF Iheir representative, Mr.. MAXWELL on the Chap
lain resolutions and requesting him to resiUn ~,
seat, or to procure the adjournment of the Iegis-
lature sun. die, was presented and laid over
An order looking to the addition of A sunnre
dc1 70 Una. incorporating the Metropolitan
into consideration ~
Mr. Brown, Of Howard county, submitted tn.
Following preamble and order:
Whereas II has been represented IN tb,. Hama.
.nd. suholy slaves In Mary land have escaped from
their masters, and are har bored by the north
t eIn upops tncamPed In this State; and that al.
tnongh application for such slaves has been mad
10 'hc ofncen OF said troops no steps have been
taken TO secure the return OF the same Therefore
Ordered, That the Governor Of MARYLAND he
respectfully requested TO take this matter M the
escape and haF boring OF slaves into his esn.ct Al
consideration, TO the end that he NAV adont .nch
measures as may be, in his Judgment, most ef-
nclen, 10 secure The return OF such slaves as have
already escaped. ard are now supposed Ia he
WITHIN the lines Of the Federal troops and that he
take such further measures as may be most rE
ncleht 70 prevent the escape Of slaves for the fI
lure, in the manner above indicated; and In case
OF slaves IN the future, from this STATE takIn0
fefuge with Federal troops, to secure the re turS
Oh such slaves TO their masters on appltcation
Delag made where the slaves are supposed to be.
ANA be Is further requested to report to this ouse
any information upon this subject which be NAV
land. rr 70 Nioiy
Upon this order there sprang up quite lively
discussion to the propriety Of ia pbrsseooe,y,
Executive = P'i 'ne
Mr. Pitts hoped tina. the order nigh, be with.
avn. BY adopting this order, the HOUSE wonid
be asking the Executive to perform duty not
imposed upon him by the constitution The
re,rn OF ingitive slaves was duty especially de-
vowed upon The General Government by the fugi-
i've slave law, and owners must look in that
direction for satisfaction - -
Mr. Dsnlson was opposed 20 its withdrawal
ne'nought the escape Of slaves from MARYLAND
was Incidental to the action Of the Governor and
contended that the Executive could bv consnIt
Ing with the generals, colonies or wboeye, mi9bt
be In command Of the United States troops secure
theif coo peration In the return Of the fugitives
he said that this loss Of valua BILE slaves >u,. hs
coming Of very FREQ uent occurrence; he knew of
number OF cases In Baltimore county and hi.
iIiend from Howard Mr. BROWN had that morn
Ing received letter Informing him of the escane
OF seven slaves from that county to Washington
ana That their owners, upon APPLYING for theI,
iecapture at Washington, had been received with
their officers. He denounced these escane. ,nd
the means by which they were rendered success.
fui, az downright robbery, and said that the In.
teress OF Maryland imPeratively required that
stop should be put to such proceedings on the
part OF the northern soldiery ta = -
Mr.. Pitts explained that his objection to the
oraef was based upon mere question Of form,
when Mr. Dennison replied thai 1t was a matter
not Of law but of negotiation. He believed that
Gov Hicks had sufficient ind uence with Northern
ieaders to be able to secure the return of slaves i
ne believed him to be the only man in Maryland
who could effect such result, and he was for
having him do it for the practical good which
would result from such return.
Mr. Fiery stated, upon the authority Of gentle
man recently from Washington, that three OF the
raves spoken OF by the gentleman from Howard
had been returned TO their owners ana .nn,s
hended no difficulty in the return Of the rest
Mr.: Brown explained that the three slaves re-
ferred to by Mr.. Fiery had no connection with
alluded to by Mr.. Dennison - = -
The order was eventually Withdrawn for the
purpose of amending IL, and the House adjourned