The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-06
MARYLAND LEGISLAlURE" SPECIAL SESSION
THE PROTEST.
FREDERICK, August 5.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

D.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Mr.. WALLIS, from the Committee Federal
Relations, submitted a lengthy and able report
upon the memorial of the Police Commissioners of
Baltimore, accompanied by the following pream-
BILE and resoiutons
WHEREAS. The military authorities of the Government
of the United States in Baltimore have assumed
from office the Marshal of Police Of that city,
officer of the State of Maryland and appoint his
and have further assumed to dismiss from Office
the Board Of Police of Baltimore, body clothed with
high by the State of for the protection
OF Its citizens and haye actually put an end by force to
the exercise by said Board of its lawful and important
function, and have appointed sundry individuals, in
large numbers, to govern said city Police, in contempt
of the constitutional rights Of the State of Maryland and
in open violation of its laws; and
whereas the Congress OF the United States instead of
rebukng TIE and usurpaton aforesaid, has just
fled and approved the same under color of a"miItary
necessity, not known to the institutions of the country,
and fatal to its liberties and has app oprated large
of money for the said unlawful police force that the
members thereof are manained thereby in daily and
oppressive hostility to the laws of Maryland, aud the
rights of its citizens and constitute in fact civil
men established by Congress- the chief city of the
State and
WHEREAS. Charles Howard, VIM H. Gatchell and John
W. Da is, Police Commissioners aforesaid, having been
arrested by orders of the General commanding the army
of the United States and imprisoned at Fort McHenry
under frivolous and arbitrary preeXts, without OATH
warrant or presenment OF Grand Jury, lawful
disclosed trial had have since been removed by mill
ary force under the order Fort Lafayette in New
York. where they held as prs Stae'' at
the arbitrary pleasure of the President of the United
States and the affairs under him. at distance from their
homes and families in defiance of law and constitu
on and in criminal violation of the painest and dearest
right to which American citizens are born therefore
be it,
ReSoIved by the General Assembly of Maryland that
solemnly protest in the of the State and her
people, against the proceedings aforesaid, in all their
parts. pronouncing the far they affect in.
dividuals and unconstitutional abuse of power
which nothing paliae excuse and in their leaving
fegss 81 the sGsie refs aad prvi
the Federal Compact
ReSoired T at we appeal, in the most earnest man
ner to the who epeope Of the county, of all parties
tions and opinions to take warning by the usurpaons
aforeu entioned and to the the nsti
tutions Of the country that whatever may be the issue
of the melancholy conflict which is covering the
the land with sacrifice and sorrow, and threatens to
oyerwhelm it with death and ruin, there may, least
survive to when it is the Republican form of
which fathers bequeathed to and the
nestimabe rights which they framed it to perpetuate
Another resolution provides for the transmission
of copies of the report to our Senators and Repre-
sentatives in Congress, and to the Governors of
the several States be laid before their respective
legislatures The reading of the report fire.
quenty interrupted with applause, and the resolu-
tions were adopted by a vote of yeas AZ, nays Z
three Union men, Messrs. Nelson, Medders and
Dennis, in the affirmative.