Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-01-12
Address Of Governor Hicks, OF Maryland.

His Reasons for Refusing to Convene the
Legislature.
BALTIMORE, Jan. 6.-Governor Hicks has
published an address TO the citizens OF Mary.
land, giving his reasons for refusing to con-
vene The Legislature. 1t fills two columns
OF the american, and abounds in most empha.
tic Union sentiments. The following are
extracts -
| firmly believe that % division Of this
Government would inevitably produce civil
war. The secession leaders iD South Carroll
na and the fanatical demapgogues Of the
North, have alike proclaimed that such would
be the result, aud no man OF sense, in my
opinion, will question it. What could the
Legislature do IN this crisis ii convened TO
remove the present troubles which beset the
Union2 We are told by the leadog spirits
| n the South Carolina Convention, that
neither the election Of Lincoln nor the ron
execution Of the fugitive slave law, nor both
combined, constitute their grievances. They
| declare that the real cause OF their discomfort
dates as far back as 1888. Maryland aud
every other State in the Union with united
voice. then declared that the cause was
insufficient to justify the course Of South
| Carolina. Can it be expected that this
people who then unanimously supported the
their opinions at the bidding of the modern
secessousts? ! have been told that the
position OF Maryland should be defoed, so
that both sections can understand it. Do
any really misunderstnnd her position? Who
that wishes to understand it can fail to do so
If the action Of the Legislature would be
simply to declare that Maryland is with the
South in sympathy and feeing-,hat she
demands from the Moth the repeal OF often.
sive and unconstitutional statutes, aud appeals
to it for new guarsntees- that she will wait u
reasonable time for the North to purge her
statute books, and do justice to her Southern
brethren, and if her appeals are vain, will
make common cause with her sister Border
States in resistance to tyranny, it need be,
he would be only saying what the whole
country we'll knows, and what may be said
much more efIectually by her people them
selves in their meetings, than by :be Legisa
ture, chosen eighteen months since, when none
of these questions were raised before them.
That Maryland is conservative. the Southern
States all know who know any thing of bel
I people or ber history.
The business aud agricultural classes, The
planters. merchants, mechanics and labo;ine
7 men, those who have real estate 10 tbs
community, who would be forced to pay
taxes aud do the 6ghting, are the person,
7 who should be heard 10 preference to eYctet
T politicians, many Of whom having nothing Il
u. lose IRON the destruction Of the presen
!. Government, may hope to derive some gai,
. from the ruin Of the State. Such men will
naturally urge you to pull down the pillars o
: this accursed Union, which their allies at th
. North have termed "a covenant with hell"
3 The people OF Maryland, if left to them
e selves. would decide, with scarcely an excep
ton, that there is nothing in the presen
causes Of complaint, to justify immediate
secession. and yet, against our Judgments aDt
= solemn convictions Of duty, are We to b.
y preciptated into this revolution becaus
e South Carolina thinks differently Are W
? not equals or shall our opinions control on
actious after we have solenDly decided 70
ourselves. as every man Of you must do. AR
We to be forced to yield our opinions to thos
= of another State. and thus n effect obey he
l mandates? She rsfuses TO wait for ou
Z counsels. and are we to be bound to obey he
commands The men who have embarked
II 10 this scheme TO convene the Leglslatur
will spare no pains to carry their point. Th
whole plan of operations, 10 the event G
assembling the Legislature !s, as have bee
informed, already marked out The test c
ambassadors, who are to visit other State
agreed on, and tho resolutions which the
hope will be passed by the Legislature, full
D committing this State to secession. are sal
u to be prepared. 10 the course Of nature
l. cannot have long to live, and ierveutl
e trust to end my days citizen OF this gloriou
Union, but should be compelled to wtues
G the downfall Of that Government iuherite
from our futbers, established as It was by th
especial favor of God, will at least have tn
consolation at my dying hour, that neve
J. by word or deed assisted 10 Fastening its dl
J rup:ion.
y "(Signed) THOMAS II. Hicks