Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-02-20
Emancipation in Maryland.

Emancipation in Maryland.
The dominant party in Congress seems de-
termined to abolitionze our State, if possible,
and to place her side by side with Massachu-
sets and the other New England States
With this view, a resolution has been intro
duced in that body, offering compensation in
United States bonds redeemable in thirty
years, upon condition that the Legislature of
the State adopt the proper measures for the
abolition of slavery by the first Of January,
eighteen hundred and sixty-three.
This proposition, to say the least OF it, is,
in our opinion, an unwarrantable interference
by Congress with the domestic concerns of
our State and should find no favor in the eyes
Of the people of any section. 1t presents a
startling issue to the people of Maryland; it
viii soon be upon them; it will, doubtless en-
ter into the fall campaign, and be made the
rallying cry of the friends of the Administra-
ton. 1t will make no difference to them that
our State Constitution prohibits all interfer-
ence by the Legislature with the existing rela-
ton Of master and slave, tending to disturb
it; they will, in defiance of this, make the
most strenuous efforts to elect to that body
men, who will not hesitate to ignore this pro-
vision at the mandate Of their masters-the
high priests of abolition and religious fanati-
cism. No time, therefore, should be lost by
the people in seeming out and compromising
the dangers which threaten them, and in pre-
pairing to meet this issue promptly, boldly,
and without equivocation.
1t is true that this bitter pill is offered to us
with the sugar coating Of nominal compensa-
ton but, whoever raises it to his lips will
find the proportion of the latter to be so small
that oil the bitterness still remains What as
surance have we, that, by the time agreed on
for payment, there will be any left to pay for ?
Compensation is to be made in United States
bonds, it appears. What, we would ask will
probably be the value of these bonds at any
future time, bAsed, as they are, upon the in1at-
ed paper currency Of the day, and which is
hourly depreciating below the true standard?
More than likely they would become utterly
worthless. Conceding, however, that the whole
thing is meant in good faith, and that, if our
people accede to the proposition, they will re-
ceiYe fair average price for their property,
payable in valid bonds of the United States !;
this would not mitigate the horrors which the
abolition of slavery would bring down upon
the people of our State
Emancipate the slaves Of Maryland, and the
time will come when the white men will be
politely requested TO take out their pocket
books and pay for the luxury Of taxing them
selves to help pay for the negroes with whom
they have parted. When this is done, what
have they got for their property?
Emancipate the slaves, and we shall have a
population which will labor at no productive
employment, but insist OIL living on the labor
of the whites Vice, crime, and pauperism
will frighdully abound among them-taxiug
enormously the resources of the whites for their
support in jails, penitentiaries and almshouses.
Emancipate heslaves, and you convert them
into indoeni, degraded, and dishonest vaga-
bonds-improvident servile, aud licentious
creatures. There might aud, no doubt,
would be some exceptions in this regard but
they would be so rare as rot to affect materi-
ally the general rule In word, Whenever
and however an attempt may be made to force
white mems rights upon the slaves, the lower
would they sink in the scale of morality.
Are the people of Mary land willing to adopt
scheme which will bring upon them such an
incubus of black laziness, vice and crime,
as this state Of affairs would produce to say
nothing Of degrading the white population to
"a level with the negro. Unless they are de-
priyed Of all right of sef-government, we
cannot believe, they will readily consent to be
reduced to such state Of degradation at the
instance of Congress, the President, or any
other earthly power.