Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-12-13
Peace Resolutions of the Maryland
LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, in the Judgment of the General
Assembly of Maryland the war now waged
by the Government of the United States upon
the people OF the Confederate States, is uncon-
sttutional in its origin, purposes and conduct;
repugnant to civilization and sound policy;
subversiye of the free principles upon which
Federal Union was founded, and certain TO re-
suit in the hopeless and bloody overthrow of
our existing institutions; and
WHEREAS, the people of Maryland, while re-
cognizing the obligation of their State, as
member of the Union, to submit in good faith
to the exercise of all the legal and constitu-
tional powers Of the General Government, and
to join as one man in fighting its authorized
battles, do reverence, nevertheless, the great
American principle of selEgovernment, and
sympathize deeply with their Southern breth-
rem in their noble and manly determination TO
uphold and defend the same; and
WHEREAS, not merely on their own account
and to turn away from their own. soil the ca
lamities Of civil war, but for the blessed sake
of humanity, and to avoid the wanton she'd
ding Of fraternal blood, in a miserable contest
which can bring nothing with it but sorrow,
shame and desolation, the people Of Maryland
are enlisted, with their whole hearts, on the
side of reconciliation and peace now, there
fore, it is hereby
Resolced By The General Assembly Of Nary
land, That the State of Maryland owes it to
her own selfrespect and her respect for the
constitutions not less than to her deepest and
most honorable sympathies, to register this her
solemn protest against the war which the Fee
deral Government has declared upon the Con-
federate States of the South, and our sister
and neighbor, Virginia, and to announce her
resolute determination to have no part or lot,
directly or indirectly, in its prosecution.
ResolUed, That the State of Maryland earn
estly and anxiously desires the restoration of
Peace between the belligerent sections of the
country, and the President, authorities, and
people Of the Confederate States, having, over
and over again, officially and unofiicialy, de-
! clared that they are willing to throw down
the sword, the instant that the sword now
drawn against them shall be sheathed, the Sc
majors ana Delegates of Maryland do beseech
and ilnplore the President of the United States
to accept the olive branch which is thus held
out to him and, in the name of God and hui
manity, to cease this unhoy and most wretch
ed and improbable strife, at least until the
assembling Of Congress in Washington shall
have given time for the prevalence Of cooler
and better counsels.
ResoIred, That the State of Maryland desires
the peaceful and immediate recognition of the
independence of the Confederate States, and
hereby gives her cordial assent thereunto, as a
ihShDtL vi tuG Tue pro
found conviction that the willing return of the
Southern people to their former Federal rela-
tons is thing beyond hope, and that the at
tempt to coerce them will only add slaughter
and hate to impossibility
ReSoltcd, That the present military occupa-
ton Of Maryland, being for purposes, in the
opinion of this Legislature, in fragrant viola
ton of the Constitution, the General Assembly
Of the State, in the name of her people, does
hereby protest against the same, and against
the oppressive restrictions and illegalties with
which it is attended; calling upon all good
citizens, at the same time, and in the most
earnest and authoritative manner, to abstain
from all violent and unlawful interference, of
every sort, with the troops in transit through
our territory or quartered among us, and pa
tiently and peacefully to leave to time and rea-
son the ultimate and certain establishment
and vindicaton of the right.
Resol0ed, That, under existing crcumstan-
ces, il is inexpedient to call Sovereign Con-
vention of the State at this time, or to take any
measure FOR the immediate organization or
arming of the militia.