The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-01-10
Che 4flarl!au0 Orators
Exposition of Events in April, 'Gl
Reply Of Hon. John Sherman to
:. Teakie Wallis.
Important Disclosures.

/ tht i>e2lsia uic VI MAR lana, were guilty
or even premeditated treason to the
! Government, Mr.. Sherman has replied
. to him as follows:
, Il LeH = from Senator Sberm1n, of
| Ohio, to jOa. s. Ieok,e Wail'S, Of Nd.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dee. 26, 1862.
Hon. S. 7. WALLIs-Su Your
let cr If the 18th OF December has been
received
If was convinced by it tina it was
not the purpose Of the Maryland Legis-
la are, of which you was q member, o
avail itself Of the first safe and practical
bic opportuui y to join the Contederatcs
III rebellion against the United States. |
would cilecrfully correct what said in
he Sena Of you aud your colleagues.
AS a udcnt Of the common law, have
been taught regard the right Of per-
sonal Liberty as the most sacred privilege
Of IL freeman, never be atlcc ed except
for crime, or in the case provided by the
Constitution, when the public safety is
icopardized by rebellion or invasion. If
your imprisonment WAS not, in my opinion,
vi hin his rule, certainly would no
justify your arrest.
! he language attributed to me III your
quotation is not accura c y rerorted.
| said in the debate referred to-
$50 in the case of the Maryland Legi,-
lature, where the President believed that
certain gen lemen were conspiring to
overthrow the Government, not probably
by open force, bat by he exercise of
their power as members of the Lecisla-
ture, believe the President would have
been wanting i'll his duty to his country
If he had not arrested these men, and
detained them at leas until he defeated
their disloyal and REASONABLE purpose
Your e|ubora letter nowhere contains
any denial of the &" reasonable and dis
loyal purpose " Of he Legislature nor
is here any denial that they were con-
spring the overthrow of the Governments
by he exercise Of their power as mcm-
berS Of the Legislature nor could | fail
TO be impressed with the entire absence
Of any avowal Of loyal obedience to the
Government on your part. Your letter
confines the vindicatlon of the Legis!a-
ture to a citation Of their proceedings to
Show tina both Houses had early in he
session voted their opinion that they had
no power to pass an Ordinance of Seces-
sion, and that on the 18th of May had
voted i, inexpedicnt to call Sovereign
Convention. You add your asserva ion
to the truth of these facts, sufficiently
proved by the record, and as | under
stood your letter, you pledge your per-
soma. vcraclty that there was no in en-
non to pass such an ordinance.
This defense. it Is apparent, is merely
a cchnical denial of one form of arrayng
the State Of Mary land agans. the Uni
'od States; but it is simply the asscr-
ton, of the accused party even on that
point, which a few momcn in altered
circumstances could reverse; and, unfor-
tunatciy, he evidence of their purpose,
on the first favorable Occasion, to DEFY
the I'M ed States aud resist its au hority,
Is in the possession of the public, and
therefore, probably of the Government
corroboraled by the avowed purposes OF
some of its members just on the eve OF
their elect'on-your own among them.
cannot sta G he facts alfec ing nd-
vidual eases, and shall fortify the opinion
expressed by me in the Senate by events
happening since the commencement of
! the rebellion, leaving to the proper
authorities the task of dcsigna ing indi-
vidual> afl'cc ed by them.
On the l9ih of April, 1861, when the
blood Of United States soldiers, shed in
yonr streets withou provocation, was
still warm, meeting Was held in Monu-
mrnt Square, under the auspices of the
Mayor, III wi ich your participation is
thus described in your ci y papers:
IS. Ieakle Wallis, Esq. was called
for, and responded in short, but forci-
bic address. Like the Mayor he coun-
seized the people to relpupon the auihori-
ties. 1oho mo2ld stand by them. He had
not come to he meeting for the purpose OF
making speech, but had come with he
Mayor at his request. 1t was not ncces.
sary to speak If the blood of citizens
on the stones in the street did not speak
was useless for man to speak.
" H| nssured lie meeting taat has heart
ans ~iih the South, md he was reada
to defend Baltimore. lie hoped the
blood Of the citizens, SHED BY AN IN
vADlNG FOE, would obilerate all par Y
differences, and seal the covenant OF
bro hcrhood among the people,"
W It'll that speech before the people,
not diSavowed, which was an nc Of war
a formal par icipation in what had
occurred and what Immediately followed
you, on the 9th of April, with nine
others, were elec ed to the Legislature
The Legislature me on tue 10Th, and
on the 9th of April-the day on which
the Senate discained all constitutional
power to pass an Ordinance Of Secession
both Houses passed, by a suspension Of
the rules, the first law Of the session
which is as follows.
" The Mayor and Ciy Council may
and they are hereby authorized to raise
and appropriate at Meu discretion, and
ina the modes and at the times which
they may judge best, all moneys what
socYcr, which they may deem necessary