The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-12-14
The Proposed New Construction of
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The Proposed New Construction of
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
We publish that part of the Secretary
of Wars Report which offers for consid-
Grafton new arrangement of boundaries
of the three States delaware, Maryland
and Virginia,) and also the statistics of
area and population the statistics of the
latter being based on the census of 1850.
Whatever grave objections may be urged
against this proposed new construction
Of State lines, it has some strong points
to recommend it. The boundaries sug-
gested by Secretary Cameron are the
natural divisions of the territory. The
Chesapeake Bay dividing Maryland from
Delaware, leaves embodied in one State
the territory lying between the two bays,
comprising an area of $3.50 square miles,
with population whose social habits
and business pursuits are identical a
climate and soil in no way differing, and
with natural advantages for trade and
commerce, which could, and would, be
developed in much greater degree by
a unity of Legislation. throughout the
whole peninsula. The advantages are
so very evident that, if new boundaries
were really to be determined upon, Or if
the territory were primitive wilderness,
no one would think Of, or propose any
others.
The prepondorance of slave population
on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and
Virginia, might, and doubtless would,
be urged by Delaware as serious objec-
ton to her agreeing to the arrangement,
under the old system of representation ;
but the Secretary's proposition of a
change in the constitution basing repre-
scntation in the States on the white pop
ulation alone, would at once dispose of
this difficulty. And however some of
the counties further down tile Shore
might object to being thus shorn of
political strength, which is the very
essence of injustice, no sensible man in
Cecil would, for moment, oppose the
measure for this county has suffered
very seriously from this unjust political
system.
There is another consideration invol-
we'd in the question which strikes home
yet more forcibly, and would be more
likely to influence the people of the
Eastern Shore in weighing this subject !;
and that is the getting rid Of the State
debt which the Western Shore has been
mainly instrumental in heaping upon the
people of the entire State; and for which
the wealth of the Eastern Shore has
been taxed ; without ever having derived
a cents worth of advantage from any of
those public works, the weight Of which
burdens she has been compelled to bear.
These " Internal Improvements - are
all in a distant part of the State from
the Eastern Shore counties, and, hence,
whatever of advantage, publicly, may
flow at present or in future from them,
the Eastern Shore does not or cannot
expect ever to share any of it. There
fore, nowhere within the range of justice
could the people on this side the Chesa-
pcake be required to bear along with
them in case of separation, any portion
of that debt, the benefit of which can
never be enjoyed by them. The Eastern
counties of Maryland and Virginia,
would, in uniting their fortunes with
Delaware, at once turn their attcn-
ton to developing the resources Of the
Peninsula, and opening up the aven-
ues OF Commerce, Agriculture, and
Manufactures to their own doors and
by thus applying their resources at home,
where they will yield greater profit,
invite capital and enterprise to this dis
trict between the two bays, which has SC
long languished for the want of those
fructifying causes that have been pre-
vented from developing the resources OIL
this unsurpassed region of country
, which by nature has been made SC
entirely one, but divided and paralyzcd
by the bancful effects OF two govern
: ments !; the one weak mainly from its
meagre territory, the other cons family
bestowing its fostering care upon dis
tinct region.
Notwithstanding these apparent ad-
vantagcs, we feel rather certain thar
otherwise, that the majority of the peo-
pie even on the Eastern Shore of this
\ State will oppose this plan of division.
altho' so many benefits would be reaped
by them, growing out of it, while any
objection we have ever heard urged, OIL
that can ever be made against it is myth
zeal.
1t is very evident that the Western
Shore will not agree to separation, as
it is contrary to all rules in modern
ethics and every maxim of trade for .