The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-07
THE GOVERNORS PROCLAMATION
TO THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND,
Executive CHAMBER,

EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, !
ANNAPOLIS, Jan. g. 1861 I
The exciting character of the events now trans
plring in our country naturally agitates and fill
with care the minds of the citizens of this State
There naturally exists among the people an anxiou
desire to earniwhat will be pursued by thos
whom they have placed in positions of trust, and
know that my own course is watched by them wit
deep interest. They have right to be informe,
on the subject, and although have in several pub
llshed letters indicated my views, yield now t
the requests ofmany of my felow-ctizens, and ad
dress you this frank statement, calmly and truth
fully, IN my plain way, representing the actua
condition of the question as believe it to be, an
giving my own convictions of what is requir cd O
me in this crisis.
| have been urged by considerable number O
citizens to convene the Legislature in special Ses
sion, as the proper measure to be adopted at thi
time. After most anxious and conscientious ex
animation of the question, | have failed to be con
vinced of the necessity or propriety of such
course. The Constitution, in entrusting a discre
ti0nary power to the Governor of calling such Ses
sion, never designed that he should in so serious
matter, upon the judgment convictions of Other
men; and in opposition to the clear and unbiased
dictates OF his own conscience. He was not in
tended to be mere machine to act in this matter
when others should deem it necessary although ht
himself might feel morally certain that it would bt
unwtse and dangerous. | have, therefore, fell
obliged to decide this question for myself subiec
to the dread responsibilities which attach to those
who corruptly, or against their judgments, violate
an official oath.
From the location of the National Capitol with
| IN our limits, ard our peculiar geographical posi-
ton, Maryland would inevitably become the chosen
battle-ground of the sections in the event of civil
war. Her long line of exposed frontier would be
oran 20 attack from every quarter, and her peace
! full waters would soon become the theatre of this
horrid contest 1t needs no argument to convince
rejecting mind that such war would brine upor
us more than the usual accompaniments of war
loss of life, destruction of all domestic peace op
pressive taxation-runous depreciation of proper
! ty, aud almost universal bankruptcy. As border
slaveEolding State she would especially suffer in
the utter destruction of a cherished domestic insti-
| tuition with which all our sympathies are firmly
united. A brave people, forced into necessary
war, would partially estimate even these great
evils and Maryland never has been, and never will
be, touno backward in such a contest. But man,
who has real stake in the community, would con-
sent to embark in such future il it could be avoid
! ed with honor.
firmly believe that the division of this Govern
ment would inevitably produce civil war. The Sc
cesson leaders in South Carolina, and fanatcal
demagogues of the North, have alike proclaimed
that such would be the result and no man of sense
in my opinion, can question it.
Is it not then the bouuden duty of all of u.s. and
especially of those placed in authority, to endeayor
to prevent the occurrence of such catastrophe, By
opposing anything even ending to produce it?
| fervently hope, and firmly believe, that the
Union may be preserved. Our forefathers would
not have admitted that the Government was utter
ly dissolved if the Hartford Convention had resolv-
ed the New England States out of the Union-nor
can we agree that similar resolves, passed BY the
Conventions of One or two, or half dozen of the
Cotton States, should be considered as working its
dissolution at this time. 1t is yet, thank God, in
full existence, recognized by every Government on
the Globe, and prepared and willing to redress with
the whole power Of the Nation, anv indionitv or
injury, inflicted by the proudest Power on earth
upon the humblest citizen of South Carolina or any
other State.
1t is unnecessary for me to make extravagant
professions of devotion to the South. Such pro-
testations may be necessary from imported North.
ern politicians, who, by indirect abuse of their
own Northern brethren, and trucking aattery of
the Southern people, have worked themselves, and
are hoping still further to work themselves, into
power at the South. am Marylander by BIRTH
and descent, and by residence of more than sixty
years. Every dollar of property | own is invested
| in this State. | am stakeholder, not by accident
but by purchase, out of the hard earnings of long
life of toll. | have not conviction or prejudice
which is not in favor of my native State. | have
never lived and should be sorry to be Obliged to
live, in a State where slavery does not exist and
never will do so i'll can avoid it. Whatever would
impair the rights of shareholders in MARYLAND
would equally injure me, and the instinct of self
interest, if no higher motive, would impe me to
stand by the South while life shall last.
How shall we preserve. this Union, founded BY
the labors and prayers of our ancestors and ce-
mented with their precious blood?
Each one of US has his part to perform in this
labor of love- and each of you has responsibilities
connected with it, as |, myself, have. Upon each
private citizen devolves that duty, so earnestly
pointed out by the father of his country, of cher
ishing, by every word and deed, interchangeable
devotion to it, and frowning Indignantly upon every
attempt to destroy it, Upon those in official posi-
ton is imposed the responsible task Of so exercising
the power committed to them, that those who
would drive us headlOng into and misery, shall
derive no assistance in their mistaken and criminal
course from those who ought to oppose them
With these feelings and under conscientious
sense of my obligations, before God and man. have
calmly considered my duty in this emergency
Two courses were before me. The one was to suf.
fer myself to be hurriedly borne along into the
turmoil of the political movements of the day,
without any effort to subdue its violence, and Join
ing in the cry of disunun, to allow MARYLAND to
slide into the ranks of the seeding States. This
course would have been by far the easier, the most
certain to find favor with the floating of noisy
politicians, who can only breathe with comfort in
an atmosphere heavy with discOrd and excitement.
1t would have secured me the ephemeral outward
popularity of the day, and might have spared my
humble name many eXecraton and SANDER,
which the advocates of this policy have heaped
upon it. But most solemny believe that it would
have brought ruin upon my country; and | would
rather die a thousand deaths than be instrumental
in accomplishing such a result. | therefore
adopted the other course - to await with
calmness the progress of events-tO remember my
Joint obligations to the Constitution of the United
States, and of Maryland; both of which | have re-
that fearful excitement, which was threatening to
undermine and destroy that sacred palladium of our
liberties, committed to US by the great father of
the Republic who has raised to be power
among the nations, and which is so ardenty cher
ished by the people of Maryland. | knew that the
adoption of this course would bring upon me vio-
lent abuse, subject me to sanderous reports from
those whose particular schemes it might Illustrate;
and, what | most Of all regretted, would subject
me to the censure of good men whose convictions
on the subject might be different from nv own.
Believing that the interests of Maryland were
bound up with those of the border slaveholding
States, have been engaged for months past, in
full interchange OF views with the Governors of
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri, with
a view to concerted action upon our part. Those
consultations, which are still in progress, feel
justified in saying, have resulted in good; that
when the proper time for action arrives, these sis
ter States, bound up in a common destiny, will, |
trust be prepared to act toget ther
| have been forcibly impressed with the fact, in
considering this question, that every Disunionst in
Maryland, land to our shame be it spoken, there
are some such among u.s. is an earnest advocate
for the immediate call of the Legislature. One of
the papers of to-day contains report of the pro-
ceedings at a meeting which adopted resolution
in favor of immediate secession, which was warmly
advocated by the present Speaker of the House of
Delegates, and the last of the series of resolutions
directs the appointment of a committee to urge
upon me to convene that House of Delegates forth
with. 1t seems to me that a measure thus earnestly
tion, at once, of the Union, and the happiness Of
cur State, can hardly be the proper means of pre-
serving both.
[ have hitherto forborne to dwell particularly
upon an objection to this measure which deserves
to be maturey weighed in a crisis like this, when
the people are i'll prepared to bear increased bur-
dens. 1t is nevertheless proper that you should be
informed that on the lst of October there de-
hcit in the State Treasury of at least $50 000 and
that the Treasury officers have repeatedly been
without the means of paying drafts upon it, in con-
sequence of the appropriations made by the last
Legislature. Nothing but the most rigid economy
and careful management enable the Treasury
to pay the April interest upon the State debt.
Maryland knows something of heavy taxation, for
ming to relieve herself from Its crushing weight
That her people would bear it again without
murmur, if they were convinced of its necessity,
well know; but should not our past experience
warn us against mourning further burdens unless
they are positively required by honor. Espe-
cially, should not avoid it, il it be probable that
the consequence of this renewed taxation should
be woes and suferings for the people of
the State?
What could the Legislature do in this crisis, if
convened to remove the present troubles which be-
set the Union We are told by the leading spirits
in the South Carolina Convention, that neither the
election of Mr. Lincoln or the non execution of the
fugitive slave law, nor both combined, constitute
their grievance. They declare that the real cause
of their discomfort dates as far back as eighteen
hundred and thirty-three.
Maryland, and every other State in the Union,
with united voice then declared that cause INSULT
cient to justify the of South Carolina. Can
it be expected that this people, who then unan-
mously supported the course of General Jackson,
will now yield their opinions at the bidding of
modern secessionists?
H.. r.. 4aII