The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-12-07
Message OF Governor Hicks.

From the Message Of Governor Hicks we
make the following extracts -
About the time ut which South Carolina passed her
ordinance OF ScccSssr and during several months there
after was imrortunc'l to the Legislature.
The history of that Legislature is before the country
Not only did it fail to do its duty as representing loyal
State. but it actually passed reasonable resolutions and
attempted to take unlawfully into its hands both the
purse and the sword, whereby it might plunge into
the vortex Of Secession. 1t deferred from doing
| this latter only by the Uuinstakabr threats Of an
aroused and indignant people.
Restricted in the duration Of its sessions Ivy nothing
but the will Of majority Of its members 1t me, again
AMI again; s'luandrrcd til" peoples money, and made
itself II m"ckcry before the country. This continued
until the General Government had ample reason t"
believe it was about to 60 through tie farce If cnactns
Secession Ordinances when the treason was sumarily
| stopped by the dispersion Of the traitors.
lE'snuc rs the Legislature in ordinary times is pre-
sumed to represent the people of State the reasonable
action of the late Scmtc and House Of Delegates has
apparently placed Maryland in attitude Of hostility
t" the Genera, Government and her Un",-oviug people
in false and unwnrranablc position. say apparently
because the votes uf the people the 18th uf,unc and
again on the 9Th of November. kavc declared in most
emphatic tones what have never doubted, that Mary
land has no sympathy with Rebellion anl desires to do
her full share in the duty of snppressing it,
Looking therefore, to the evil done by your prclcccs
and decming it impossible mistake the wishes Of
the people, as expressed ut the bllotbox, have not
hcsated to your honorable bodies in special
session, in order that you may at perform the will
Of the people, by taking such steps WILL in your wis
DOM seem most effective to vindicats the honor and
| loyalty Of our State.
| The taxpayers in Maryland are looking with great
action tle AZ
raising the money which is required to pay proper
ton of the National tax levied by Congress aid in
drfnyins thc expense of the war. and also the either
sums which will be necessary enable this State to fol-
low her own former patriotic example, and that of her
| loyal sisters.
Our proportion of the National tax amounts the sum
of four hundred and thirty -six Thousand eight hundred
and twcntythrce dollars and thrty-thrce cemts and
Congress has allowed fifteen per of this sum to
he retained by to dcfray the and charges of col
| lecting the same.
1t impossible for me- offer any estimate of amount
that will be necessary for the other purposes have
Indicated But look upon the whole subject rs one in
which dollars and cents should not be regarded. The
rebellion is to be put down, wLt cost Our
State must bear her share Of the EXPENSE her people
have shown their desire to do by casting an over
whelmng majority of their in favor If the main
| tcnancc of the Union.
Yours then, should he nigcarl hand In this case
lper'ty Will be economy; and the people look to You
thus to vindicatc their devotion to the Government.
ar''' t"N' to raise the necessary amount would in
my "lhh"h iii heavily upon the people at this time.
"'1se vi 'e partial PRESERVATION OF the mercantile and
iuS'Fai pursuits VI COURSE If the money can be pro-
'"eo Ill no o'her way dfcct taxation must he resorcd
| TO- But as s'ch tax Is always unacceptable, and
wouli be "nerols unicr all the circumstances, trust
y" VIII be able TO devise some method by which its
imposition III 'h'S Time may he avoided.
The Legislature being constiutonally empowered to
contract debts t" any amount that may be necessary for
the defense oil the State it seems to that the host
method OF raising the required sum would be to borrow,
on the BONDS OF the state an amount sufficient for our
purpose after deductng thercfr"m proper proportion
to be reserved us sinking fnnd for their redemption
y thus pedsinS the state credit, the people will be
relieved from paying at once the heavy debt which has
been fastened upon us by the insane conduct of the
Rebels. We shall also he spared the modification which
woni certainly ersue in consequence of our inability to