The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-28
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, MAY %, 1861.
THE POSITION OF MARYLAND.

THE POSITION OF MARYLAND.
As reference is continually made, both here ana
outside of the State, to the resolutions OF the Legs
Iature defining the position of Mary land, we re-
publish them in order. that the public may become
thoroughly familiar with their purport. 1t will be
remembered that in the House the vote upon their
passage stood ayes 49, nays u, and in the Senate,
ayes IL, nays 3.
WHEREAS, In the judgment of the General Assembly
Of Maryland, the waged by the Government of
the United States upon the people Of the Confederate
States is unconstitutional in its origin purposes and
Duct repugnant to civilization and sound policy sub
versve the free principles upon which the Federal
Union founded and certain result in the hopeless
and bloody overthrow of existing institutions and
WHEREAS, The people of Maryland, while recognizing
the obligations of their State IA member Of the Union
to submit in good faith to the exercise Of all the legal and
constitutional powers OF the General Government and to
join in fighting its authorized battles do
erence nevertheless the great American principle oise'f
government and sympahize deeply with their Southern
brethren in their noble and manly determination to
hold and defend the same; and
WHEREAS merely on their account and to turn
away their soil the calamite of civil but
for the blessed sake of humanity and arrest the wanton
shedding of fraternal blood. in mise abe which
bring nothing with it but sorrow, shame and desoa
ton, the people of Maryland enlisted with their
whole hearts, upon the side of reconciliation and peace
Now, therefore, 1t is hereby resolved, by the Gene
raj Assembly OF Maryland:
That the State of Maryland owes 1t to her own selfre
spect and her respect for the Constitution not less than
her deepest and most honorable sympathies to regis
ter this her solemn protest. against the war which
Federal Government has declared upon the Confederate
OF South and sister and neghbor Virginia.
and her resoute determination to have
part lot. directly or indirectly, in its prosecution
ResOlred, That the State OF Maryland earnestly and
anxousy desires the restoration of peace between the
begerent sections Of the country; and the President,
authorities and people of the Confederate having
and over, officially and unoicialy declared that
they seek only and sefdefence and be let alone
aud that they viii ing to throw down the sword the
instant that the sword now drawn against them shall be
sheathed:
The Senators and Delegates of Maryland do be-
seech and imploe the President OF the United States,
accept the olive branch which held out him.
and in the of God and humanity cease this un-
holy and most wreched and Improbable strife least
until the assembling OF the Congress Washington shall
have gwen time for the prevalence of cooler and better
counsels
full and immediate recognition of the independence of
the Confederate States and hereby gives ter cordial
thereunto, a member of the Union entertaining
the profound conviction that the willing of the
Southern people TO Their former federal reia
thing beyond hope and that the ATTEMPT to them
will only add slaughter and hate to 7NPTssibility.
Resolved, That the present military occupation of Ma
rylaud being for purposes which, the opinion Of this
Legislature in fragrant violation Of the Constitution
the General Assembly of the State in the peo
pie, does hereby protest ainst the same and against
arbitrary restrictions and egalities with which it is at
tended; calling upon all good citizens the time
the and authoritative to abstain from
all violent and unlawful interference of every sort with
the troops in transit through territory quarteed
among and patiently and peacefully to leave TO time
and the ultimate and certain establishment and
vindication OF the right
Resolved That under existing is mex
pedient to call Sovereign Convention Of the State at
this time, to take any for the immediate
ganiZation arming OF the militia.