St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-02-14
SELECTED MISCELLANY.
SPEECH OF HON. R. T. MERRICK.

(but formerly of this State, was a dele
gates to the Democratic State Convention
Of Illinois, recently held at Springfield,
the capital Of that State He was one of
the committee on resolutions, and was
called upon after the close of their labors
for o speech. which he responded to in an
eloquent and forciblc manner. in a pretty
full review of the state of the country,
and the aggregate progress Of anti-slavery
sentiment and action in the North against
the South and its people and their rights,
which had caused all this great trouble.
He also in the end touched upon the
"monstrous cure" which the republican
leaders were now promising for the ter
rible results they had produced in the
,sismemberment of the Union, by "coer-
cion" of the States. This was the only
cure they proposed, and what he says
on this subject, and how it was received
in the very capital of the great free States
Of Illinois. the home of the President elect
and the Governor of Illinois, who had
but q few days before recommended the
tender of the State military, is certainly
very significant. We annex the cOnclud-
ing portion of Dir. Mcrrick's speech.
which presents some striking points, and
will be read with interest:
Such being the various and aecumu-
latipg causes that have brought upon the
country the fearful disasters under which
she il now laboring the question recurs,
how can these disasters be met H,se
tun the Union be sdred?
Give to the Southern States what they
have always demanJed-what it is your
duty to render-give them Truth, JUS
tire anti the Constt'aion--and if it be ad-
mitted that thc con tuition az IL s. IS liable
to various constructions with regard to
the protection Of the property and rights
of the South, amend it in such manner
as to place it beyond the possibility of
nisc0nstruction, aud to secure that pro-
perty aud those rights forever. But,
gentlemen of the convention, yom cannot
save this Union, nor can our democratic
brethren of the North save it. The causes
of its danger having originated with the
republican party. aud from the policy they
have adopted and the principles they ad-
vocate, that party must meet the crisis,
aud with the,u rests the duty of saving the
Union or the responsibility of its destruc-
ti0a. Let them understand the position
in which they are placed--lct them see that
the democratic party understand it-let
them feel that We here.to day call them
before the American. people in the name
Of the liberties of our country and the
existence of the Union to heal the dissen-
sions they have created, and if they do
not perform the sacred duty that is upon
them, we will hereafter, if the worst
shauld come. hold them responsible for
the ruin they have wrought in the pre-
sence of the fragments of our government.
which will bear testimony to the reckless
adhesion to party discipline by which it
was torn down and destroyed. Loud ap-
plaase.
must confess. gentlemen Of the con-
vention, that the portentous silence of.the
President elect and the most extraordina-
ry course taken by the Governor of this
State, ill me with alarm and apprehension
for the fate of nay country. What is now
our condition Since the election Of Mr..
lincoln revolution has been in pro-
gress. aud one after another of the
Southern States have thrown of their al
legiance to the federal government, until
four have withdrawn from the Union, to
be followed in few days by three of those
that yet remain: aud. in my humble opin-
iuu, the border States that have not gone
will uct more decidedly and promptly than
those that have preceded them. and unless
something is speedily done to pacify ex-
isting disturbances and restore peace to
the country. BY the 4th of March next
the fifteen slave States will have formed
sn independent Southern confederacy
but Notwithstanding this unparalleled ex'
etement of the public mind, and notwitb-
standing the unmistakable evidence b
we are in a mighty revolution, which
could be ended now and forever by just
concessions on the part of the republican
party, Dir. Lincoln has remained as silent
ns che grave. apparently well pleased to