Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-05-31
Vol. vI.---No. AZ.

to al!ude, in previous, to tile humiliat-
ing facts which are disclosed by the pre-
sent position of Maryland A State of
the Union, held to the obligations Of that
relation, and having never through her
constituted authorities pretended to re-
pudiate or abjure them, she is treated us
a conquered enemy. Her soil is occu-
pied; her property and that of her citi-
zens are sequestercd her public high
ways are seized and INSTRUCTED her laws
are suspended her capital is converted
into military post; her Legislature is
compelled, in the language of her Exc
cutive, to consult its " safety" by hold
ing its sessions at distance from her Of
fees and archives; troops are quartered
around the peaceful homesteads Of her
people; her citizens are subjected to the
illegal and arbitrary violence of military
arrest and confinement her very free.
dom, in fine, all that distinguished her
from Neapolitan province, before Ma
Piles was liberated, is under tho armed
heel of the Government. That such
fnte is imposed upon her without consti-
tutional authority; that indeed no respect
to the constitution is even pretended in
her regard; the frank admission of the
federal authorities to the commissioners
recently accredited to them by this J.e-
gslature, renders notifying and al
most intolerable certainty.
The State of Maryland is under mill
tary rule Partly for military conve-
nience, and partly for cbastisement, her
free institutions have been temporarily
suspended by the War Department, and
her name blotted out, for the time, from
tho list of free governments. It is not
the desire of the committee to aggravate
by comment the humiliation which is in
separable from these facts in their sim
plest statement. It is not their dsposi-
ton to provoke a review of-tho unhappy
policy, in her own councils, which has
contributed to plunge the State into so
hopeless and helpless condition. They
wish to deal only with the practical ques-
tons it suggests for present determine
ton and this brings them to consider
the recommendations Of the message
transmitted by the Governor.
The committee understand his Excel
lency as recommending, in general terms,
a policy of peace. SO far as that naked
proposition goes, they give to it their
warmest and hearliest concurrence, but
they are not sure that they exactly APP
prehend the mode, in which the Govern
or proposes that the policy he so favors
should be carried out. His language 10
as follows " honestly and most earn
esty entertain the conviction that tho on
ly safety Of Mary land lies in preserving
neutral position between our brethren
Of the North and South" lie then on.
ters into consideration of the part which
Maryland has taken in the sectional con-
test that hns been waged, and adds:
" Entertaining these views, cannot
counsel Maryland to take sides against
the Federal Government, until it shall
commit outrages upon US which would
justify us in resisting its authority"
What class Of outrages would furnish
such justification for resistance he does
not announce, but proceeds TO say ''As
a consequence, | can give no other coun-
sci than that We shall array ourselves for
union and peace. and thus preserve our
soil from being polluted with the blood of
brethren. Thus, if war must be between
the North and the South, VIC may force
the contcnding parties to transfer the field
Of battle from our soil, so that our lives
and property may be secure"
fHLa ooto,u itfoo nos, fao, ill.,
in perceiving how, consistently with a
policy purely pacific, these counsels can
possibly be made available. No matter
how decidedly and enthusiastically wo
array ourselves for union and peace" it
is altogether impossible for us TO preserve
our soil from the pollution Of fraternaI
blood, unless we possess the means and
assert the power to force back the tide Of
war, if it comes surgng across our bor-
ders. And that We should consolidate
and employ such power, to the extent
which the exigency may demand is OBJ
yiously the counsel Of the Governor, for
be proceeds to tell us, that by tho action
he advises, We may be able, 'if the war
must be-" to =" force The conteadraq par
ties 10 traasJer he feH Of doitle franz our
soil, so that our lives and property may
be secure" Surely we cannot " force"
belligerent armies from our midst, with
out employing force Of our own II is
out Of the question that we eau prevent
them from making our homes their battle
field, unless we have the strength to re-
pei them, and are willing and prepared to
use il.
4 No peaceful "array" wbateyer--no
legislative protest--no executive remon-
strance-from Maryland, can stay tho
strife Of contending squadrons. A depu-
tation from the Peace Society would have
been as eiIectual in arrosting a charge at
Solferino. RI, then, tho neutrality" Of
the Governor means any thing. (speak-
ing with all respecD it must mean neu-
trality armed and prepared TO
assert its policy, and able to vindicate il
on the field. Otherwise il would be no.
thing and would come TO nothing. 10
would only irritatc both parties and stay
the arm OF neither.
Aud yet although this is the result aud
the only practical result Of the recon-
mendation Of the Message, it is difficult
10 reconcile such conclusion with tho
other views which the Governor an
nounccs. Upon the authority Of our
most learned and intelligent citizens, he
Z admits tho riohk &c tLo Cto,,o.r,,ont -