Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-05-31

mittee are not prepared to admit the
accuracy of the statement made by the
Governor in the letter referred to, to the
effect that "the principal part of the or.
ganized military forces of Baltimore
took part with the 'disorderly element
in the affair of the 10Th of April On
the contrary, they have every assurance
and every reason to believe that the or
ganized military of Baltimore, under the
direction of the constituted authorities
and in implicit obedience to their orders,
did all that could have been expected
from brave men and good citizens to pre-
serve the public tranquility. But whether
the hasty statement of the Executive be
well or ill-founded in that particular, the
determination of the State Of Maryland,
upon the question of furnishing her quota
of militia to make war upon the South
ern States, ought not, in the opinion of
your committee to rest moment longer
upon any such collateral and accidental
issue. 1t becomes the self-respect of the
State that ste should speak out openly
aud decidedly upon the point, and the
question should no longer be left Deepen
dent upon what may be hereafter regard
ed as prudent by the Executive. For
this purpose, your Committee have pre-
pared and reported resolution, which is
appended to this report, and the adoption
of which they respectfully recommend.
1t is but justice to the Executive OF
the State to observe, in this connection
that his Excellency appears to have been
misled, in his action upon the requisitiou
of the United States Government, by the
/ two letters Of the Secretary of War,
dated April II, in which that gentleman
informs him that "the troops to be raised
in Maryland will be needed for the de.
fence of the Capital and Of the public
property in that State and neighborhood. y
"Therc is no Intention" the Secretary
adds, "of removing them beyond these
points" In conformity with this infor-
nation, the Proclamation Of the Govern
or--of which he has notfurnished copy
to the General Assembly, but which is
matter of public notoriety- informs his
fallow-citizens to the same effect, and
holds out the idea that troops from this
State may be furnished for the purposes
indicated. Your Committee would be
happy to persuade themselves that in
suggesting the possibility of its being
"prudent," at any time, for the Maryland
quota to be furnished to the Government,
his Excellency could only have contem-
plated their employment. in any contn.
gency, for the limited purposes in ques.
ton. But it does not become the HOUSE
Of Delegates to allow themselves to b,
deceived by any such limitations from
the Government, as these which imposed
upon the Governor. The proclamation
of Mr.. Lincoln, under which the troopi
of Maryland have been called into tht
field, is directed Gas has already beer
observed) against the seeded States ant
none other The militia we're summoned
to execute the laws and suppress unaw
full combinations in South Carolina, Goor
| gia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi Lou
isana and Texas, and not in Maryland
or the District of Columbia. The very
requlsition of the Secretary of War upor
the Governor, is in direct and absolute
contradiction to the assurance contained
in his letter. The one asks for troops t
be used in the South, and not at the Fed
eral Capital, the other declares that thei
employment, at the Federal Capital anC
not in the South, is the only purpose
contemplated.
One Of two things, therefore, is per
feetly clear. Either the Government
had called out troops under the pretenct
of needing them for one purpose, whilc
intending % use them for another, or i
contemplated employing portion ofthen
at Washington, as a guard and n reserve
but in aid, at the same time, Of its often
; sive movements to the South Of the Pc
tomac. In the one case, it can have M
claim upon our confidence; in the other
we should be false to ourselves and Il
free institutions, if we were to hesitate
about refusing it our cooperation. What.
ever destiny the people Of Maryland may
be able or willing to shape for themselves
now or hereafter, the Committee would
be poined to believe it possible, that {
single citizen Of the State could be forced
or persuaded to take part, directly or in
directly, in the slaughter and subjuga-
ton Of our Southern brethren and the
overthrow Of Constitutional Government
by usurpation aud brute force. IF the
Government desires to put an end to al
doubts as to the safety Of the Capital, il
can do so at word, by putting an end
to its own purposes Of coercing the
South.
What the Committee have already
suggested in regard to the character and
purposes Of the conflict, which Mr.. Lin.
coin has inauguratod, under the pretensc
Of enforcing the laws, is 80 manifostly
and indisputably corroborated by his
course since the Legislature was convok
ed that the Committee cannot discharge
their duty without alluding to that course
in this connection. Reference is espe.
cially had 10 the Proclamation Of the Sd
of May, calling out over forty-two thou.
sand additional volunteers, to serve in
the militia for period Of three years,
and increasing the regular force Of thc
United States by an addition Of nearly
twcnty-three thousand men to the army
and eighteen thousand seamen TO The
navy. The most INSCRIPTIONS advocate
Of tho Administration and its policy.
would be compelled to shrink from the
task Of pointing out any legal or Con.
stitutional authority Of any sort, for this