The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-01-19

~ wv NtaitStlicli VI IcIIntSSte ana AlHSShcnu
sets would have been cast for the Democratic
nominees.
On the other hand deem it perfectly
! certain, if the Democratic party, finding
itself unable to agree on candidates Of its
| own, had agreed to adopt the nomination
already before The country, ofthc distinguish
cd statesmen Of Tennessee and Massachusetts
that in that event John Bell and Edward
Everett would now be the President and Wee
President elect Of this great country. The
truth is, and it should 5e kept in view
always, that the Republican, party has sue
ccedcd not by its own strength, hat by the
divisions of It's opponents. II stood as a unit
whilst It's opponents were divided amongst
three sets of candidates. lis triumph and
Their defeat Were Just as certain at the begin
ming as at the close of the contest.
What then must be the surprise and con-
de:Enat,on Of the Union LOVING and Law -abid-
ing Citizens of the State of Maryland when
they hear the cries of secession, rebellion.
dlSunion, borne upon the winds in strains
louder, fiercer, and more appalling than when
they struck the car Of Andrew jackson and
reused his livn heart to resolve that "The
Union, 1t must be preserved" Why these
cries! What reason is assigned for them 3
lhe election of Abraham Lincoln is the cause
$500 ''N'' hiS 10 slldiSt, IHSSlllS hlIaISc,
when it is remembered that these ominous
| cries come from the Sunny South-which in
fact secured Mr. Lincon's election through
divisions created by herself. The South
might, If she had so pleased. have defeated
MIR. Lincoln by nominating either Bell or
Douglas. 1t seems she preferred the election
OF Lincoln to either for to put her candidate
IN the field was to insure the success Of the
Hrpubhcun nominees.
| desire to place before YOU, citizcns of
Maryland. some Of the horrible results which
lnu>t How from Your abandonment of the
mon and going of into new government
with no matter whom. | wish to show you
that the ancient and uniform fidelity Of the
people of Maryland to the Union, is not the
result only OF lofty patriotism which |
trust will be immortal with you and your
descendants but that your safety, your
| freedom, your very existence depend on the
continuance Of that Union " now aud forever,
one and inseparable."
do not deny that various States at the
| North have passed laws in violation Of our
constitutional rights, and of the sacred obi
cations they owe to onr common country
do not deny that those States owe it to our
common rotheihood-to the clear provisions
Of the Constitution. and to the most sacred
| ties which bind them to tier country-to
repeal those laws. do not deny that you
have suffered from the laws in the loss of your
property-more probably manifold more,
than all the cotton States Of the South. All
this you know full well, and have waited
patiently and periodically for the returning
reason and honor of the North to do You jus.
| tice. And yet under these wrongs. good
honest, brave, dear old Maryland, has never
| Il, Il E
She has trusted and still trusts to the pa triot-
ism, the justice and the honor OF the Northern
States for the rereGl Ct all laws passed bv
them Inconsistent with the clear provisions
of the Constitution of the United States
THIS trust | am sure, will, at no distant day,
be redeemed and justified.
People of Maryland, if you are asked
What is the Union worth g. would you
not with one outbinst reply, 1t is a thing of
love: IL is thing 10 worship. if anything
deserves such homage except the great God
who rncs the world. Its eagle. its stars,
and its stripes, have ever been proudly borne
before the nations OF the earth. They have
often been baptized in blood upon the land
and upon the sea but never diShOnortd. -
That ensign is known throughout the world.
and IN every cline the name of American
ensures respect. Born under the Union we
have shared its countless blessings. Come
what may, we mean TO abide in il and bv il.
IT others leave it we will stand by it. We
| devote ourselves and our children. AMI our
children children to lis maintenance, now
and forever. So long as American blood
flows IN American veins, We pray and bcseech
the great Ruler of the world TO give our coun-
trymen courage, devotion, patriotism and
strength, to uphold the sacred banner of our
liberties on every land and on every sea
where it may be unfurlct, with firm resolve
never to allow Star to be struck from its
enSlgn-but TO uphold and maintain and
defend our American Union against every
foe.
Such, people Of Maryland, am sure would
be your answer.
| now propose to present to you what
would he your condition fin any mad hour
you abandon your present resting place
III the bosom Of the Union. and make
Mason and Dxon's line, which separates
you from Pennsylvania, the Northern
boundary nf the new government into which
| you would enter
| 1t seems to me too clear for question. that
the government oft the North, which, no doubt,
would continue under the present Constltn-
ton and with the present name of the q" Uni
| ~" r'a'o vi AIHcIICa. WOuiI DC superior III
maritime power to that of the South into
which you are supposed to have entered
What then would be your condition? Look
at the map of your State--you will find there
a straight line of about two hundred miles
separating you from Pennsylvania. That
line is purely artificial, and can be defended
only by your keepng"a superior military
force ready to take the field, trained and
equipped for battle. On that line a rapid
march of one or two hours would reach the
Potomac at Cumberland. The possession of
| Cumberland by an enemy would cut off your
coal fields on which large part of your peo-
| pie depend for fuel and would stop all trade
and traffic on your principal railroad west of
Cumberland.
Your State is also divided by the Chesa.
peake Bay into two portions Of unequal size,
and if the North would, as she must be the
| superior maritime power, she could by few
vessels of war command the Chesapeake Bay,
control the mouth of the Patapsco, seal up
the port of Baltimore, and prevent aid or
communication from the one shore to the
| other.
On the Western Shore your State gradual.
| ly narrows, without single military point,
to the mouth of the Potomac, where that
noble stream meets the Chesapeake Bay
! The tidc-watcr of the Potomac extends a
mile or so above Georgetown below which
is, noble stream Incapable Of being forded.