The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-03-16
1)nlititol.
SECOND ADDRESS
TO TIE
PEOPLE OF MARYLAND.
BY WIN. II. COLLINS.
OF BALTIMORE.

Will You listen if speak to Won of loyalty.
Of love Of country Terrible times have fall
en- TO your lot. Whatever of manhood of
rud,ncc. nf courage Of pltriotis,n hrlnngs to
You. now is the lime TO show it. The Union
is in dargcr: your country is near the throcs
Of death that Onion and that country which
have been to you. for seventy years. one CON
timed shower Of blessings: to which Won
have been accustomed to look from your child
hnrd as the palladium Of Your safety. ~ the
object Ct your dearest affections. State after
State has seeded from the Cover nmrnt, re.
f,sirg obedience t. its laws. and attempting
to form another Government independent Of
gu, Cnirn.
In Maryland, as in much the larger part Of
our country. ii has ever been held that. to the
extent Of the powers given to the General
Government by ti:e people of the States at the
adoption If our Constitution. that Government
became unit, and rightrully claims from us
direct ail'g'ancc; that, 20 the extent of
'he powers SO given. the people of the States.
in wha'rvcr f"m they may choose to act .
have parted forever with all the great powers
given To the General Government hy the Con.
stitutinn: that the people o! any one of the
States. or the State itself, whether acting by
its Legislatures or Convention. have no more
power over question. Of war or peace IF am
hasSad"is or treaties. Of cuniEg money or
establishing p"s: tfliecS, cf union or dsnnion
than has the General GnvrInmcnt within Il
State over the distribution Of the estates of
ln!tstatcS. or the forms Of wills. or the descent
"f real estates: that in each case the powers
OF the General Government and of the State
Govelnsncnt are respectively supreme.
People Of Maryland, do you wish to break
mp your General Govrrnmn :? Have YOU
become weary Of be holding the Stars and the
Mr'res. the emblemS Of your nations glory !
Will you desert your country because others
have proved false to their all, giance? Is
your patriotism so versatile that the long
cherished passion "f your souls has suddenly
per>hed! Are you ready to draw the sword
against your country which, heretofore, you
have drawn only IN her defence!
What is patriotism ! From the beginning
Of nations, in al ages and countries. the pa
'riot has ever been held in the higl,ts, vencra-
ton. The impulse under which he acts has
ever been laud.d by painters. sculptors. Jocts.
historians. as the noblcst that belongs to our
nature-save aud except only the sacred hom.
age that binds us to our Father in Heaven
and the mystic tie that connects us with hu.
,nan!ty itself. Next to these, love of country
is the highest and noblcst feeling of which
the heart is susceptible. Higher and NOR,
sacred than the ties which bind the husband
10 his wife, or the parent TO his child, il
stands forth, has stood forth, and will stan
forth forever, as the generous aud nohl,
passion of our souls. The m ore his country il
in danger, the dcarer she becomes to the ratri
ut. Are her ranks thinning ? The quicker i.
his step to take the place Of the desert ter or til,
fallen. Is she poor T. lie lays If his wealth a
her feet. Is his life demanded lie lays j,
down, has ever laid it down. and ever will
lay /, down freely al his country's hi!dlnna
whether the altar for the sacrifice he al
Thtrmopyl@. or Bunker Hill or Princeton
or Trenton, or Cowpcns, or Yorktown.
lell me not oi serving our country, or o
Standing by our country as long as it is nul
interest TO do so. The doctrine is a libel o,
humanity. unscliish love for our country
not for the blessings she has bestowed or will
bcslow, but btcause she is our country. be.
cause we delight to serve her, because lk,
your children she is twlntd around YOU,
hearts, and il is happiness to labor for he,
welfare: this, this is the love W hich has made
and trust will make again and again an,
again. those grand and heroic men to whom
history gives immortality.
notwithstanding am fully aware ant
justly proud Of the well known festy ana
loyalty OF the people Of Maryland to Their
State and National Gove,nms nts. il seems IL
me that 1t may be profitable. in these days o
rebellion and d'sunion. to recall to your view
some general outline Of the powc,s vested ir
those governments respectively. under which
We have so lorg lived in prosperity and hon
or.
The General Government as we'll as tho
Governments Of the States, in their respec.
tive spheres. were intended by the Constitu
ton to be immortal. The State OF MARYLAND
has no more right either by her State Con
ventinn or oth,rwise-to release you from
allegiance TO the General Government. thar
has the GcDel al Government to release 80,
from the duties you owe to the State of Mary
land. Each has Its separate orbit and thu
on. has no r'Sb: 10 inl,rtv,c with the otLrr