The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-04

confess | cannot realize what gentlemen mean, when
they ta6 with sober seriousness about hanging ana soo
ing back into brotherhood and union with us 40
not understand their idea of perpetuatng the Republic
drenchng its broken fragments with traternal gore
Above all, cannot comprehend the phiiosopng %
those who believing that secession is unconstItutiena
still believe that the people of the South have oeen Soaa
ed to it by unconstitutional wrong, and would execute
them nevertheless because they not quite
patiept enough in enduring it The Union is a great
blessing and glorious privilege, but there is no law OF
God or which will uphold the doctrine OF cement
ing it together with blood, under color OF maintaining
government which rests upon two Leading prnelpes;
the one that all founded on the will OF the
governed other that the doctrine of non resistance to
arbitrary power is slavsh and absurd. tAPp!ause.l
/, for one have those who are bound to me by the
closest ties of kindred and Affection in two States whose
Conventions have solemnly repealed the ordinances
which bound them to the Union. There are thousand
before me, each of whom has some close BOND OF
friendship of family, where the old political tes nave
been sundered To say you and to that is our du-
ty under the Constitution have sworn to uphold, to go
among them with fire and sword, and to ravage and
despo their heritage in order that they may love us and
ceave hereafter is to doctrine, in sup
port of which Government can ever raise the arm OF
one free man in Maryland. (Appause)
This is not sentiment merely 1t is reason, and truth,
and manhood-and any theory that the Union is to be
preserved by cOmpuson will fall to the ground and SIM
in it, Of its own weight what then IS Mary 70 90,
compromise should fail and the line Of actual separation
for that issue She has right to speak and it is her duty
and her interest to speak Let her do it. tApplause
Down to this time man is able to say with authority
what her will is The people of the North have believed
her silence be Northern sympathy and they have re-
sisted compromise The people of the South have been
discouraged by it. and they have precpated action She
has not only held her hand from the good work of
mediation she has strengthened the hands besides,
that were already too strong for the Constitution.
Thank Heaven the sins fher withdrawal from the field
where her labors due is not on your heads or mine
If history should write the record of the disruption
of this government the blackest Of its pages will be that
which written the names of fthose-whether states
or men-who ought have stood up between the living
and the dead, yet did it not Let the evil of such re-
proach hang us no longer tApplause Let us as
semble Convention and declare resolves and no
longer destnie be shaped for by the will and
usurpation of single man. 1t may be that Governor
Hicks is wiser than al the rest OF oo the union s
information, not accessible to anybody else. 1t
may be that the Convention, when assembled, may
do so-yery WE'LL will obey If it should not, desire
him to obey But it is time We had insisted upon having
the point finally determined 1t is not only due to
independence, interests and patriotism but our
selfrespect and selfvndication demand it. Wars and
of conspraces and tumults, riots and routs
have been fitting in terrible array through the Cover
morris Imagination convincing him that were not to be
trusted with government and our own affairs,
and that 1t was his paramount and sacred duty to
keep quiet and attend to business himself
l suppose he has believed in all these visions and
dreams, (aughterl-at all events he has acted upon
them and it is high time We had made up minds to
say whether they true false and whether the Go
vernon is the only among in public or private
station who is honest and wise enough to be trusted with
stake in the Union or our destiny in the event of its
disruption. If he is right let the Convention say
II to go to the North, let the majority ruef
we are be spared that journey, let US know ii!
As to the questions which may come before the Con
vention when to deal with the great contnEen
cies Of the future and the terms Of possible relation
to Southern Confederacy, am only now prepared to
say, that they involve much complication and embarrass
ment demanding all the resources wise and patient
statesmanship There NAV be difficulties in nv way,
which will not be in yours, and difficulties in yours,
which may appear none to me- The balloboN will settle
tn differences. fairly and peacefully, and only the bal
lot-boX so deal with them.
1t is as far possible from my purpose TO say any
thing tending to excite, but certain ! am of
my existence that the Governor of Maryland able
carry his plan OF preventing the people from thus
determining these matters for themselves it would
ate domestic strife among u.s. as surely and as sadly as
coercion elsewhere would breed civil By tempera
ment and from conviction, am man Of peace and
turn therefore pacific arbitration of the balotbox
as our refuge from the horrors such an alternative.
citizens have finished what it has seemed to
me proper to say to you repeat to you so that no man
may misunderstood me-that desire, above all things,
this glorious Union and Constitution to be preserved for
it is the best heritage bequeathed to by fathers,
from whose dust every blessing of political existence
has sprung up If that Union cannot be preserved
by fair concession and honest and becoming compromise
desire the State in which was born, to take her stand
with the right That it is right is reason enough but
believe besides that with nations as with men, wherever
right is there every true interest is sure to be likewise
(Applause)
Whatever the decision of Maryland shall be- in that
decision shall acquiesce ormy home and my destiny
are here. But thing am sure of, and that istha
any reconciliation which may be patched up, will be n
wreched and melancholy failure ominous of future and
bloody dscord unless the question avey be taken from
the Congress ofthe United the discussion of the
institution apd the principles which surround it. be
moved forever from all political temptations The peo
pie OF the South Will not-the people OF aryIanu never
will submit to have religion and morality manufactured
for them in Massachusetts,. daughter and applause
We will consent to accept Plymouth Rock as the
touchstone of right and truth. tApplause.)
One word and have done. What have said to
you have said altogether private citizen speaking
his individual sentiments only and desiring represent
no one but himself I believe that on occasions Of pub
difficulty like the present, it is the duty of every
form his own conclusions. patiently and deliber
atey express them frankly and take the consequences
Applause That done his duty ends and it is for the
majority settle the rest. belong to party. say
this because desire be understood speaking in the
interests OF party and to please am pot
clan and do not coyet being regarded one for no man
be wholly devoid than am of political aSpra
tons ambition If you believe me to he man of truth,
ask you believe that l precisely what say.
For the opinions have expressed tonight claim no
gence, unless it be have them dealt with
honest whetheryou the community concur with them
do not.
rMr. wallis took his amid Immense applause
and cries Of ego on" ego on"