Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-10-01
TFrom the Baltimore American.
The Changes in Progress In Mary
land.

land.
Twelve months ago, more or less,
there were il the State of Maryland a
considerable number Of gentlemen who
were short-sighted enough to suppose
that the question of emancipation, or all
agitation of it, could be smothered,
frowned down, quashed, so that the in
ssitution of slavery, as existing here,
would remain undistuybed -4uite unmo-
Tested by the tremendous commotion 60
ing on in relation to it elsewhere. And,
US public journalists, we could at that
time give no greater cause of offense to
,aany than to admit any communication
into ocr columns bearing upon the chan
ges rapidly going forward. Whilst the
negroes were getting in motion for
fight beyond cur borders, and whilst the
country papers were every Gay pupllsh,,
ing accounts of constantly occurring ana
enlarged stampedes of slaves. the fact
that we presumed to warn the slavehold-
ers of what they nigh. expect was re-
ceived most ungraciously; ; that interest
and the iassilized politicians who believ-
ed vet in its imprcgnablc stability ap-
pearing determino,. to shut their eyes to
the facts, as if trying 20 ignore them
would suffice to prevent their occurrence
Well, the agitation has increascC, the
peril to slavery has increased, and rev.
olution is now going forward in our State
with an increased momentum which
promises rapidly, as we have before had
occasion to declare, to make the actual
overcome the speculative- make facts
beat down theories. Whilst in the past
the controversy might be considered as
having been largely in the hands of anon
vmous writers-of men little known to
the pu blic comparatively; yet when the
highest officials of the State are compel
led by circumstances, as IN the case OF
the Governor and prominent jndgc, to
enter the arena, the debate or the agita-
ton assumes character which must at
tract attention, and precipitate conclu-
sions little dreamed Of but brief period
since.
And now, as specimens of the COM
munications which from time to time
reaches us in relation to the interesting
subject under discussion, we give this
morning the following extract from
letter to Hon. Henry w. Hoffman, of
this city, from Samuel M, Semmes, esq +,
of Cumberland, brother Of the notori-
GUS commander of the rebel craft Ala
bama. 1t is under date of September
17th
Hon. HENRY W. HOFFMAN, Baltimore,
Md.
My DEAR SIR-If the address Of the
State Central Committee to the people of
Maryland, setting forth the political
platform of the Unconditional Union
party of the State, which was published
in the american of the 10th inst, has
been is ued in pamphlet form, l will
thank you to send me copy.
have for many years favored the pol
icy of making Maryland Free State.
and though a STAKEHOLDER myself, and
having no scruples Of conscience about
holding the black man in bondage, /
would at any time have accepted Eman'
cpation, even without compensation.
The citizens of the State, according to
my observation and experience, would
be far better off without their slaves than
with them, even though they had to re-
sign their title to them without receiving
any money consideration therefor In
State like Maryland white labor, which
is made faithful and efficient by the slim
ulant of reward, is far more profitable
than slave labor. Looking, therefore,
exclusively to the interest of the slave
owners of Maryland, should not hcsi-
tate to adopt the policy of Emancipation
if made gradual, so as to enable US to
accommodate ourselves with the neees-
sary white labor, whether the State,
with or without the aid Of tue General
Government, were to make compensa-
ton for our slaves or not. by making
Maryland a Free State, and substituting
white laboring population for our
slaves, we would, in my opinion, be full
ly compensated for the loss of our slaves
by the enhanced value of our lands, in
consequence of the introduction of free
labor And | have no doubt but that
this opinion has been gaining strength
in Maryland. | should say that it is
the prevailing opinion in all Western
Maryland"
Mr.. Semmes speaks as one who has
formed his opinions with perfect delib-
Grafton, and in full view Of the crisis now
upon the State and the next expression
Of opinion which we shall give in rcla-
ton to this interesting subject, is from
former citizen of Somerset county. on
the Eastern Shore, a region quite at the
opposite extreme of the State. Form.
crly somewhat prominent amongst the
public men of the State, his opinions,
also, are worthy of deep consideration.
His communication was not intended for
publication, being in the form of pri-
vate letter to the editor, and is as fol-
lows:
"MY DEAR SIR-I seize this opportu-
nifty of returning you my sincere thanks s
for your article of yesterday Oast Fri
day) in reference to the decided position
required of Union men in the present
crisis in reference to the slavery qucs-