Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-02-06

From The President of the Senate and the Speak
n Of the House Of Delegates, 10 the People Of
HdruiGnd.

Il ~ 80 wv AH 1Ea4AH
H Of The House Of Delegates, 10 the People Of
MARYLAND.
In the present p%erilous condition Of public
affairs it has been generally suggested that the
legislature should be Informally convened By
the invitation of the president Of the senate
and the speaker Of the house Of delegates, and
thereby an opportunity afforded for the ex-
preston Of the opinion OF the State and the
initiation Of proper action in regard to its
daty in the present crisis. Tie necessity for
such a proceeding grows out Of the stolid and
unaccountable inaction Of the governor in the
present alarming condition Of national affairs.
We do not hesitate to express the opinion
that the legislature should have been convened
weeks since, or certainly cotemporaneously
with that Of Virginia-it being admitted on
/ all hands that our fortunes are indissolubly
connected with hers. We should then have
moved s'pari pasu" with her. We are the more
firmly convinced OF the correctness Of our
Judgment since it has been sustained by the
action Of every other slave State-the legisla-
lures Of all Of them having either already met
or are soon TO do so under calls already made.
One after another have the objections made BY
tn executive 10 the converting Of the legisla-
ture, by the happening Of the events which be
minated would induce him to act, been re-
moved. But no sooner has one objection been
answered or removed than he has invented
others, whereby ths will Of the people may be
defeated and their rights and destiny made
subis et to the policy OF the Biack-Republi-
cans, to which it is believed be has already
Internationally yielded. Is it possible any
one can believe be is the only governor Of a
Southern State competent to understand the
difficulties and embarrassmsnts Of the day?
We have read with no little surprise the ad-
dress of Gov. Hicks TO the people Of Mary
land. dated January 81, 1861. The general
r.--.-A II Eha adNraao fu avfNauA1~ I..f-,,I -.
1 impress the public mind with the idea that the
geaeral assembly if convened would forthwith
adopt measures Of secession. In other words,
that they would vote Maryland out Of the
onion and into a southern cOnfederacy. On
these assumed premises a terrible picture Of he
horrors of civil war is held up 10 intimidate
the 0eople Of the State. IL his excellencY
really believes the charge he has thus insinu-
ated against the general Assembly, we candid
" assert that we believe be is the only intelli-
gent man within the State who has ever been
disturbed By such a groundless apprehension.
We should be Just as willing to believe that
the true reason why the legislature is not con-
vened is, that the governor spprehends an in
vestigation as to what has become OF the
money voted at the last session for the pur-
chase Of arms. Public rumor has many re
ports with regard to this matter, but we pre-
fer to ascribe bis unwillingness TO act, as the
interests ofthe State demand he should do,
rather to political than to moral delinquency.
We know what we say when we assert that
there is not a member Of either branch OF the
general assembly who would think OF sssum-
ing to decide for the people Of Maryland a
question Ike that suggested, the decision Of
which every one must cOncede belongs Of right
to the people themselves. We think it would
be almost as presumtuou5 for the Legislature
to assume to decide that question as for the
governor TO do so.
IL the legislature were convened, it would
feel it to be its paramount duty to give to the
people Of Maryland an opportunity to declare
their will in regard to the present eXtraordina-
ry state Of affairs. They did not elect the
legislature fourteen months ago to decide that
question neither did they elect the governor
three years ago to decide it. The legislature
would not dare 70 decide it, bat the governor
has dared and assumed to decide it. While,
against the wishes Of Maryland, the pillars Of
the Federal Government are falling around US,
and new combinations are being formed, it
is not for either the governor or the legislature
to say where our State is to 60, or With what
portion Of the Union she will unite her fortunes
it is for the people themselves to decide.
But when State after State is going from US to
the South, and we may soon see every other
slavsholding Sta'e out Of this Union, no action
on the part Of Maryland is virtually annexa-
tion to the North and separation from the
South. The governor, by proven ing action,
( virtually decides thai question, and Endorses us
over to the North. We say that tue people Of
the State elected him fl no such purpose, and
that the question is one to ne decided only by
the people themselves, by a convention elected
for that especial purpose.
It is contemplated BY some persons That the
legislature has no power 10 call a convention.
If 20, then, who has? Where does the COVER
nor get his power?
Article 10:h Of the al Of rights provides
"that for the redress Os grievances and for
amending, strengthening and preserving the
laws, the legislature ought to be frequently
| convened;7 and the 1854 section OF the second
article Of the Constitution provides "that be
(the goverRor) shall from time to time inform
the legislature Of the condition Of tue State,
and recommend to their consideration ouch
measures as be may judge necessary and ex-
psdient.o
The pain meaning Of these provisions is
that The legislative branch Of the government
is intended to be the protection Of the liberties
Of the people. The danger is from executive
encroachment.
As to the power Of the legislature to call a
convention, the court Of appeals, in their de-
cisioD in 10 Maryland Reports, 472, in sub
stance say they have the pos er. By denying
the power there is asser ed the absurditY that
in times like these, when the Union is crum-
bling TO pieces, when civil war is pending,
when every other State is acting, Maryland
alone is so fettered that her people must lie
supinely on their backs and wait for others to
decide her fate, without daring to raise their
own voice on the subisct. Such is the "'mas-
terry inactivitys which the governor adopts
and eommends to the intelligence, prudence
and manhood Of Maryland.
The bold assumptions Of the governor as to
the course the legislature would pursue in case
Of its being c0nvoked, are, we are assured,
utterly false, and are equaled only by the as
sault made on the cotton Sta'es in his late adj
dress, after the most solemn assertions Of de-
votion 70 the South and southern interests, de-
elaripg bis Intention to live and die in a slave
State. ihe DISCUSSES in that address are go
transparent that the ab0litionists from Penn
sylvania to Maine have shouted their appro-
baton Of Governor Hicks, and fired guns in
honor of bis devotion to their interests. And
one State has already sent a Blaek-RepUblican
commission to counsel with him on the affairs
Of Maryland. Can be expect that the people
Of Maryland will not also see through bis shall
low pretsHees? that Maryland and the South
will not look beyond the letter to the spirit,
true intent and purpose OF his address?
Had not bic excellency condescended to as
sail the motives and purposes Of the members
Of the legislature, we should not have felt
EhlAEQ upon 10 hnkE AlE1E 4ilA,AAua ~ an "a
dress, which has been repeated in most Of bis
recent communication to the public. To TIE
people Of MARYLAND we desire to say that we
recognize in them the sovereign power Of the
state, and if the governor persistently refuses
to call your legislature together, we have no
Official authority TO do So In the people them
selves is the power to resist executive and all
other oppression, and We shall be among the
last to surrender our right to act with them.
On the executive alone must rest the response
bility of debating he policy OF Maryland IN
til the people may be found to exercise their
reserved rights Of self-dsfenae, We are not
aware that at this moment, when We are fast
drifting toward civil, and perhaps servtle war,
that a single eonntyin the state has organized
and prepared for service men ani arms enough
to resist a thousand Well-driIied and well-aFn-
ed soldiers. Our property and our lives, 80
far as we know, are thus unprotected oy mas
terly inaetivity.o
win thew awake and sec that the State re-
ceive no detriment2 Can they Do it2 OF, has
the golden opportunity passed, when the State
might have called a convention, advised and
counseled delay to South Carolina on tho enc
hand, and harmony and United action Of the
border slave Statas on the ether, with a view,
If possible, to preserve the Union-if not sac
eessfal in that, then to prevent civil war fall
ing in both purposes, then to make unit Z de-
tense against aggression and al aggres51Ts.
People Of Maryland, we again say that "mas-
terlY inactiVityn win annex you to the Black
Republicans-to the aggrsssors, and will place
you under their flag, may compel you 70 aid
them in further violating the rights Of the
South, and commit you to az UNJUST criminal
and perhaps seTyiie war. Will you consent to
be thus annexed and thus committed to wrong
aRd opprsssion2 God forbid It'll The question
ia a moral onewthsFe is a right and wrong to
be considered 10 this question, and you muEt
determine whether You viii join those who
have stolen your property and murdered your
citizens, OF make common cause with those
who are now resisting like aggressions? You
will determine It without fear and without
delay. -
The respopgih.l 80 ~ W -enszr- ~asrsetbia
slave sd Potatoes. children
.sssti. YELLOW PINK RYE PofAroEs. fer The re,