Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-12-12

low -citizens; to whom it is due that [ ex-
plain, as briefly as | can. the reasons which
induced my course.
Ibelieved that | was thoroughly acquain-
ted with the proclivites of ma ajority of the
members of that Legislature. [ was per-
fectly convinced that they desired Maryland
to leap, no matter how hlinlly, into the
vortex of Secession. | believed the same
to be true of the most of those citizens who
so persistcntly urged the assembling of the
Legislature. [ was, therefore, unwilling
to allow that body an opportunity so to mis-
use its great power; not doubling that, IN
imitation of the Legislatures of then Scced-
ed States, it would exert that power to the
great detrimcnt of the people Of Maryland.'
1t is true that [ earnestly desired the
people to have an opportunity Of expressing
their will at the ballot-box inregard to the
position of Maryland, and I would most
Ichcerfully have afforded them such opportu-
nifty if had possessed the constitutional
power to do SO in any other way than by
converting the Legislature.
But | could not trust that body in so mo-
mentous a crisis. l did not believe the
people could possibly have fair and free
expression of their will under the provisions
of any law for that purpose which might
be enacted by that Legislature. [ WAS sure
that through some juggle Maryland would be
forced to secede [ need not speculate here
I in regard to the mode by which this would
have been accomplished whether by the
bayonet or some equally cogent Or persua-
~; ,,,ooocc T ,,,o,o1,, .c-,rt hot hn1iovo
the plans of the Sccessionists would have
been accomplished, if they had the great
| power of the Legislature to aid them.
was, during all that time, positively
convinced that a majority of the people of
Maryland did not wish the State to secede.
They knew that the secession of Maryland
would attempt to carry with it the posses
sion of the National Capital; and knowing
also, that our Northern and Western breth-
rem could not be expected to acquiese pea
ceably in such a step, concluded that our
people were not insane enough to wish this
State to become one vast battle field and
our homes made desolate.
I continued, then, to refuse to convene
the Legislature. 1 hoped that nothing but
was needed to cause even zealots for
secession to change their designs. In
Il eass, liz nc. accurately .nca-
sure The extent Of their madness
But did not know how much [ erred in
this regard until my eyes were opened by
the occurrences in Baltimore on the 10th
Of April and the subsequent events connec-
ted with that reasonable outbreak
then concluded that could not hope to
gain much more time in which the misguid-
ed mob might see its error. And, when
Coleman Yellott, Esq, the late Senator
from Baltimore city, after advising with the
Board of Police Commissioners, and insti-
gated by the more prominent of the conspi-
rators, unlawfulIy issued his ''Proclama-
ton" for an assembling of the Legislature
at Baltimore, where a large. and active por-
ton of the Secession element would be con-
gregated, | knew it was time for me to act.
| True, mi ght then have called upon the
President Of the United States to quell the
insurrection, but this would almost certain
| ly have caused the destruction of the city
of Baltimore. | might have called out the
militia to endeavor to restore quiet, and
indeed [ did make an effort to that end
But discovered that nearly all the officers
were in league with the conspirators, and
the valunteer corps of the city and vicinity
which possessed arms, where almost entire
| ly IN the same category. 1t is true there
wasAa considerable loyal military force in
Baltimore, but it was undisciplined and en-
tirely unarmed, So that if | had effective
ly called out thep,militia, at that time, ]
should have actuallysassistcd the conspira-
tors in their designs
[ concluded, therefore, aher anxious de.
liberation, that there was but One course
left to me. [ summoned the Legislature
to assemble at frederick City, in the mids
Of loyal population, on the Goth day o
April, believing that even the few days
thus gained would be Invaluable.
by the merciful intervention of Provi
dcnce this step accomplished my full pur.
pose. The State could not secede and blood
shed was averted from her soil
! The history of that Legislature is before
the country. Not only did it fail to do its
duty, as representing loyal State, but il
actually passed reasonable resolutions, ano
attempted to take, unlawfully, into it's hands
both the purse and the sword. whereby il
might plunge us into the vortex of secession
1t was deferred from doing this latter only
by the unmistakabIe threats Of an aroused
and indignant people.
Restricted in the duration ofts sessions by
nothing but the will of the majority of its
members, it met again and again; squan-
dered the peoples money, and made itself
a mockery before the country. This contin-
ued until the General Government had am
| pie reason to believe it was about to go
through the farce Of enacting an Ordinance
of Secession when the treason was summa-
rily stopped by the dispersion of the trai-
tors.
Inasmuch as the Legislature in ordinary
times is presumed to represent the people
of State, the reasonable action of the late
Senate and House Of Delegates has appa-
rently placed Maryland in an attitude Of
hostility to the General Government, and
her Union loving people in a false and un-
warrantable position. [ say apparently,