The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-01-12


our sacred duty to mainta in The Union as the
bulwark of civil and religions liberty. and
10 anathematZc al whose sacrt,igiOus hands
would tear its bonds aSundcr.
IA: THAT the rash conduct Of South Car
ol ina cannot but merit cur disapproval Her
attitude towards the Federal Government and
her sister States cannot be defended upon any
fair principle Of proprety. OF her own act
she has prccipitat.d upon the border Slave
States Qucs' ions Of fearful magnitude and inn
port to them and such as seriously disturb
the peace and repose of their otherwise happy
citizens. Her course has been taken without
consultation with the people of Maryland, and
III utter disregard and apparent contempt of
our rights, sentiments and interests, and she
has, therefore, forfeited all claim to our
sympathy.
5M:- That the right of the people of a
single State TO absolve themselves at will and
without the consent of the other States from
their most solemn obligations, and hazard
the Liberties and happiness of the millions
comprising this Union, cannot be aclinowl
edged. Such authority is believed to be utter
~ repugnant both to the principles upon
which the General Government is constituted
and the objects which ii was expressly form
I'd to attain.
Oh: That the people of Maryland are not
suffering from, or thrcatcntd wit any gr;cv-
ance requiring or justifying revolutionary
methods of redress. That whatever evils
now exist find their adequate remedy by the
ordinary course of administration of Govern
mcnt, and in the Courts Of Justice. and that
the converting of the Legislature by the Gov.
crnor, at this time, to consider the present
revolutionary conduct of certain States.
would, in our Judgement be unwise and tend
greatly TO intlhlne the public mind in Mary
land. - shake the confidence Of the PEOPLE in
the Government Of the United States, and en-
courage conspiratols against its existence.
Hh That the people of Maryland are I'M
altcrably attached TO the Government of the
United States as established by tho Constitu-
ton, and will adhere to it against all enemies
domestic or foreign.
Sh:-lhat we join our testimony to that
of all Union loving citizens in doing honor to
Maj or Anderson for his brave and discreet
action in Charleston Halbor, and that we
regard his movement as necessary to the pro-
lection of the lives of his command. and as
conservative Of peace ra ther than initiative of
hostilitieS.
After the adoption Of the above Preamble
and Resolutions John B. Rowan, Esq, offered
the following additional resolutions:
Resolrcd, 0th That we will support
James Buchanan j President of the United
States, in what measures he may adopt
to support Major Anderson and maintain the
supremacy of the Constitution and Laws of
the United States.
10Th; That the propositions submitted by
the Border States Committee, as briefly re-
ported in the BALTIC. American Of the 18th
INST, should he taken by the whole country
as fair basis Of Compromise, alike honora .
bile to both sections Of the Confederacy.
Mr.. Rowan read the brief statement Of the
propositions referred to in the 10th Rcsolu-
ton, as follows:
l. Recommending the repeal Of oil the
Personal Liberty bills.
=. An efficient amendment of the Fugitive
Slave law, so as to prevent kidnapping and
rcscues; oquaIIzlng the Commissioners fees,
&c.
). That the Constitution be so amended
as to prohibit any Congressional interference
with slavery in any IF the States.
4. That Congress shall not abolish slavery
in the dock yards or in the District of
Columbia without the consent of the lnhabi-
tants, nor without compensation.
3. That Congress shall not interfere with
the Interstate slave trade.
e. That there shall be perpetual prohi-
bition Of the African slave trade.
I. That the line of So deg. 80 min. sha Il
DC run through all the existing territory of
the United States. and in all north of that
line slavery shall he prohibited south Of
that line neither Congress nor Territorial
Legislature Shall hereafter pass any law
abollShing, prohibiting, or in any manner
interfering with African slavery; and when
any Territory, containing sufficient popua
ton for one member Of Congress in any area
of GO 900 square miles, Shall apply for ad-
mission as a State, it shall be admitted with
or without slavery, as Its Constitution NAV
determine.
These propositions of the Border States
Committee were received by the meeting,
with nncquivocal expressions of satisfaction
and general applause. and the Resolutions,
as offered, were unanimously adopted.
twas further Resolved, That copies of the
proceedings of the meeting be forwarded to
Gov. Hicks, and our Representatives in Con-
gress, and that they be, also, published in
the county papers, amt in the BALTIC. american
and Clipper.
On motion, Hon. Alex. Evans, who was
present as an active participant in the
meeting, was requested to address the audi.
cncc and when IL was aScrrtoinel Inv thp
crowded asselnblage that he would do So and
that once more, and under such peculiarly
interesting circum stances the voice of Cecil
most eloquent son was likely to be heard by
his former constituency of this county, the
enthusiasm of the people rose to Its highest
pitch.
\ large crowd on the outside of the Court
House urged that Mr.. Evans should speak
from the steps Of the building SO that all
might hear, while many in the house, out Of
consideration for the Speaker, who, for years
past, has been unaccustomcd to outdoor
speaking, desired to have the speech deliver
ed in the Court room. Mr.. Evans conscnting
however, to the proposal of the outsiders, ;"
the audience retired from the room to the
Court House Yard, filling it to its utmost
capacity with a multitude whose remem-
brance of tho thrillingly eloquent speeches of
" Little Sandy" in the good old Wing days,
(wonld they were here again y lit up their
faces with unaccustomed pleasure in prospect