The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-05-24
The blindness in regard 10 til,

| NE DllluneSS III regard 10 lnclf
own interests, which. has characterized the
great mass Of American shareholders. has
ever been to us a mystery. The thing of all
others most fraught with danger to them, in
the past, was the agitation of the slavery
question : and yet they have been constant in
season and out of season in this agitation.
breaking mp old parties, and cementing the
whole North, with its immense prcponder-
ancc of political power, in opposition to
them and their interests, by their mad
determination to force slavery into the Ter
ritories. where the labor of slaves would
have been entirely proGtlcss and the lives of
slaves would have been sacrificed in the
nnconeenial climate. This, too. in the face
OF the tact that the State Of Texas had the
territorial area and the legal permission to
accommodate all the natural increase of
slave population, and to extend the political
power of the South to the extent of six
United States Senators, and Representatives
in proportion to their population.
They rushed into rebellion with the GER
tanty staring them in the face, and lacking
eyes to see it, that rebellion and war, whether
successful or unsuccessful, must result in
\ the destruction of slavery. Always held by
Il most uncertain tenure, slaves become in
| times of civil commotion free from the last
vcstigs q rss rant, and in the very presence
of their terror. stricken masters FLYING from
an invading foe. assume % freedom of action
III ND fnr tbnir
their threats, which must seem strangely
harsh to cars accustomed Only to implicit
obedience.
Backed by the counenancc of II fl class
power, this institution. the anomaly of the
nineteenth century, escaped at least the
open condemnation of christendom: while
stripped of this protection it would be the
target for the moral shafts of civilized
nations, and league them for Is suppression.
Here i'll Maryland, where already the
labor of slaves is Improbable, where they
are running away constantly by scores and
hundreds, where daily events are transpiring
which convince even such dolts as Anthony
Kennedy that "thc institution is doomed
question is whether their owners will take
fair price for them or lose altogether those
having legs enough to run away with And be
forced to feed and clothe those too infrm or
too crippled TO- do anything but crone in a
chimney sorner: l.oTc, in the face Of these
plain facts, shareholders rcsolutely shut their
eyes, and draw the wool over their ears, and
humble about compromises and abolition
ism, and anything or everything, except the
| vital thing which concerns their own inter.
est. g But STOP says one, "thcse ID
| abolitionists have done it aH!' Agreed {:
but does that alter the fact? IL is dome. no
matter by whom. If your house is on fire
do you stop TO curse the inccndary? If
you do you are simply a fool. Your business
i. to put out the fire. But we despair of
making them see their interest.
OF one or two other things they may be
assured. Emancipation will obtain in Mary
band. The non shareholders have been will
ing heretofore to uphold every measure
necessary to preserve the Shareholders in
their rights. Not because they loved the
institution, but because they loved justice.
! They hate the institution. 1t degrades
labor; it keeps them and their wives and
children in a dcbased positions it depresses
the value of all property, and now that they
have an opportunity to get rid of these gycat
evils and yet work no injustice to their
slavcholding ncighbors, they mean to do it,
and do it ch'ectually. They will not brook
opposition, aud let men who oppose take
care of the righteous anger of the sovereign
people. The resolution passed by Congress
is, - that the Government will extend aid to
any State, to be used in its discretion, to
compensate FOR the Inconvenience, public
and private, produced by such u change of
system If the legislature hereafter to be
chosen to- carry out this measure shall say
that the chief " inconvenience of this change
of system is the presence of the liberated
slaycs in our midst and shall further say
that the money allowed the State by tire
Government ought to be applied to pay the
expense of their removal, 30 that We may
be rid forever of the filth and stencil, of all
negroes, free or slave, could the shareholders
complain after their factious and noHsensi-
cal opposition to measure which, if not
designed for their benefit, Injured greatly to
their advantage? If they did so complain
they would have precious few sympathisers.
EypEIJrD ron DIsIoYAITy-1hc trial Of