The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-06-22
Gov. Hicks ard the Legislature. .

oVS' niSAS dHu tuC' 1AcSlsfAtuFc.
The House Of Delegates having on the 18th
inst. appointed committee to examine the
records and call for persons and papers, for
the alleged purooseof asccrtaining the precise
character Of the relation established by the
Executive with the FEDERAL Government,
Gov. Hicks on Monday sent them message
in which he severely rchukes their imperti
ncncc and tItason. He says:
I .-havc heretofore had the honor to inform
you, i'll response to an order. that ! have
" furnished your honorable body with copies
of all correspondence between mysyl( and
officers of the Strerai Government, which ]
deem it necessary to lay before YOU" In
makirg hat response officially and in good
faith. il did not occur to uie that my verscity
would be impugncd Ivy a coordinate branch
Of the State Government. with winch have
earnestly endeavussa to- maintain harmonious
relations. Ccpt%inly, i, did not occur to me
that a paItry partizan Split could SO far per.
wade the Legislative halls of Mary land US 10
cause the gentlemen assembled there to forget
the respect due to the Executive office, in
fanaticn desire 10 prop up. ny such support
the unholy cause Of treason against the GENERAL
Govcrnaent.
have patiently srborne to demonstrate
against the bitterly malsnant spirit evinced
against 'he pcrsonly by the majority of your
body. 1t Is n matter Of no consequence what.
ever to me what your opinion of me may be i,
but when your official acts reflect IL on the
dignity of the office which hold feel it to
be my duty t"p'olest against them. In such
case forbearance on my part is not only not
virtue, but it is q tacit dcreiction of my
duty. csnno, find in the Constitution any
warrant for the action proposed by your body.
You have the power TO call for public or
oaicial papers and record. and il will always
ahor9 me pleasure 70 comply with any such
call from you withcut beng requested by you
!urn,shcdyou with all the correspondence
| have had with officers of the General
Government. have omitted nothing hsv-
ing the slightest public importance, and
am thoroughly convinced that your body is
fully aware Of the fact that have kept back
no'hing having the least bearing upon the
relations between the General Government,
and the Executive Of Maryland. am COM
PEELED. therefore. to look upon your order for
an examination Of the Executive records as u
feeble offort to offer an indignity to me. But
as this is Thing Of no consequence 10 me.
hereby tender to yonr Committee every facil
ity in my power in fur,h.rance of the task
imposed upon it,
Indeed had the examination Teen proposed
in proper manner should have been highly
gratiticd at the opportunity of showing to the
people Of Mary lard that All Official cxalnina-
Ton by my enemies Of the executive records
prove the utter fnlsity of the many malignant
charges brought against me by pa'tiza -
In thus rendering iacilli.s to ynbr Commit.
tee, however. respectfully tn. firmly demand
that the Committee shall fully and efftctualy
discharge the duty imposed upon it, whereby
the people Of the State will become convinced
tina. although originating in pallizan feeling.
and IN an effort to offer an indignity to me,
your order conld elicit nothing in the premises
not already fully LAID before tbs public.
On Tuesday in response TO an order passed
BY the House the Governor favored that body
with the following spicy letter:
Gentlemen Of lie House Of Delegates.
In response 10 your order Of this date, in.
to'ming me that certain arms, shipped by the
Adjutant General on board the schooner S.
Il. Nelson, were seized on the l4th of May.
by General Butler, and en9uiring whether
said arms were seized with my knowledge
and conscnt"-'iur what reason they are
kept from the possession Of Captain Moore
and Company and whether any action
OH my part has been taken to cause sa i'd ari.s
to he delivered up to the State authority in
order tie be given up TO Captain Moore"
have to say
To the first enquiry-That it is impcrti
nent.
To the second That refer you to General
Butler for an answer.
To the third That chapter 1885, of the
acts OF 1860. makes it the duty OF the Adju.
tant General to distribute the arms in accor-
dance with the requirements of the code of
public general laws. and that the Inquiry
should be addressed TO him.
THOMAS II. HICKS.
Gov. Hicks will receive. as he deserves
the unqualified commentator Of every Union
loving man for his straightforward way of
replying to the impudent heterogeneous of
the gang Of meldliug conspirators. who are
in concave at Frederick. for the purpose of
connecting reasonable schemes. The people
heartily susta in the Governor, and We regret
that circumstances should ever have trans
pirtd TO cause US TO condemn his course.
But We may as we'll say in this connection,
that We hold patriotism far above expectancy
or party policy, and shall, looking 10 the
interest of the country, condemn, no matter
in whom, what we consider wrong, and
endorse and approve which we believe to Le
right, regardless Of consequences.