The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-06-01


our Government.
The politicians of desperate fortunes, dis.
appointed expectations or dccaving hopes,
maddened at their failure to accomplish or
continue success, are the Troublesome ele-
ment.
Active, energetic, bold and desperate,
quick to plan and daring to execute, they
have presumed upon their acknowledged tact
rather than their strength of numbers, to
withdraw our State from that attitude OF 10y
atty and conservatism which the nndoubtcd
sentiment Of her people demands that she
should occupy.
Secession for Maryland can bring nothing
but ruin to her citizens - the destruction Of
her every interest. 1t converts her soil into
an immense battle tield-a pray to the per.
haps alternate fortune of conlending hosts -
The scourge of war is bToush to the door of
every citizen, and her citizens themselves
brought into desperate conflict with each
other, and this is TO bc done at the bidding of
conSpirators who have forlnented the troubles
which unhapplly alllc; our country, and who,
having done so. now seek to divert from
themselves, in the States of the Gulf, the
consequences ofthcir acts and place upon US
the horrors and mlscricS which secession
VIII inevitably entail. Our interests, our
duty TO ourselves no less than our patriotism,
'orold 1t. Such proposition merits and
receives our scorn and Indignation.
lie secession of Maryland accomplishes
beyond peradventure the abolition Of slavery
within her limits. and that speedily by bring
ing Government forei On to her and inimica
10 that institution upon her border, and to
whlch slaves once escaped cannot as now be
recovered. 1t diminishcs largely the value
oil her slaves, by the fact that if they are not
sold South they will run North. and the effort
to sell them Sonth will seriously reduce their
value 10y the large number thus thrown upon
the market from Marylan and other States
similarly situated, at a time Of great pccuniary
embarrassment. This sacrifice, amongst
others, it is sravely proposed that Maryland
shall make, to the cupidity of planters in the
Gull States who are interested in cheap
negroes, and who in .urn will contcmn
Maryland for the condition of anti slavery
into which their Vaccinations, aided by
conSp'rators within her own borders, will
have coerced her.
Secession is wrong, even if it could he
peacefully accomplished it is Grim. and &
shame: no warrant fer it is contained in the
Constitution given US by our patriotic anccs-
tors; resort to it is reproach to their UNI
Outstanding who designed for us a perpetual
Union, II cannot be defended upon any
principle of right, duty or the interest of
Maryland. or indeed Of any other State.
Revolution can only be justified as relief
from intolerable oppression, and when the
wrongs sought to be rcdrcssed are greater
than those entaled in the effort to accomplish
It, and when also tn. benefits to he derived
from it Shall fully compensate for its sacri-
fees.
Can the people of Maryland claim any such
right ofrevolulon under existing circums,an-
ces! Who will pretend that any symptom
OF such an oppression has at any time existed
within the borders Of Maryland or any other
State! Nowhere upon the face of the broad
earth can people be found who have heen more
abhndant.y blessed with all the evidences OF
prosperity and power than those of our own
loved land; and never was there period IN
our past history when all the material ele-
ments OF that prosperity were heaped together
III richer prolusion than at the very time
when these wicked conspirators reduced their
long cherished plans to practice. But for
tins secession movement, instead OF the bank
ruplcy, beggary and Iuin which have every
where followed in its footsteps, we should be
greeted on every side with the thrift, enter
prise and prosperity resulting from the last
years< overlooking harvest: and our broken
merchants and unemployed mechanics and
begsared laborers would this day be chcered
as Of old. with peace throughout their borders
and plenty at their board.
But the example of other States. and par.
llculary Virginia is held as good reason why
we should embark our substance, our rights
and our liberties upon unknown and unex.
plored seas, with certain danger and sacrifice
confronting us before We arc launched, and
with probability of being engulYhed, with
all we hold dear, early in the voyage. Eel
low-citlzcns, Is it wise! is i: safe ? is it pru
dent thus to act! We apprhend that you
will have no difficulty to answer these cues
tons, if you but permit your honest iudg
ment to control you. Can crime be sancti
lied in your eyes because those you love ar,
guilty oft =! And if secession for Maryland
as an abstract proposition is wrong. how
can it become right because Virginia has re-
sorted TO it! Is Maryland an appendace O
that or any other State bound to do wron.
against her own judgment because Virginia
in defiance of the " Ill of her people so alel,
and so enphatically expressed, has seen pro
per SO to act 1t will not be forgotten tina
the Secessionists or sympathiZcrs with tina
heresy in Maryland do not in all cases openl,
avow it, but mask themselves behind wha
they are pleased to denonina,e opposition t,
coercion of the Son,h; and this is made b,
them broad enough to cover all the purpose,
that avowed Secessionists desire.
The collection Of the revenue, the protec
ton of public property, the performance o
any of the functions Of Government in opposi
ton to tho dictation of Scccssi0nisls, accord
| ing 20 their theory. is coercion. The use o
the public ways of travel, the employment il
fact Of any means necessary to protect an,
point in danger Of assault by iasurrcctionist
is denominated an mUaSion, and relying uroI
the decentralization in public sentiment which
they have endeavored to effect, they raise al
cutlery and create mob which outrage
every principle ofright and causes the shed
ding OF the blood Of The people. The right 0
transit of troops, when ordered by the Gov
ernment Of which Maryland is Iart !
made an occasion OF disorder, and the inst
tuition of reign Of terror, whereby all free
dom Of the citizen is lost, the CONSTITUTED
authorities intimidatcd, and. in the midst Q
the confusion brought about, with II contelnp
OF legal forms, on election is held in the city @
Baltimore under circumstances utterly pre-
Guiding the freedom of choice. The L.gs
la'ure is convened, and the attempt made +
place us under the control of military dicta
torship. absolute and irresponsible, with tw
millions of the public treasure placed in thei
hands and from which nothing saved US bu
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