The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-01-24
Emancipation In Maryland.

! There has been bill introduced by Mr..
Bingham, of Ohio, in the House of Repre-.
sentatives, offering aid to the State of Mary.
! land for the abolishment of slavery. Mr..
Thomas, Of Maryland, also presented res
| olution looking to the same object.
Such steps on the part of Congress, will
show the good faith of the Federal Govern.
ment IN its proposals to assist the Border
! States in getting rid of the dead body they
have been so long compelled to stagcer
under; but in order to have effect. Mary
lands own citizens must step forward and
HnI aside the barrier fixed in the Constitu.
ton by the cunning, and ever intriguing
slave power OF the State, to override the
| rights OF the white man, and make the ma.
Jority sUbservlent to the will of a minority
Before the shareholders of Maryland can
reap any bcEctt from the proposed aid of
the Federal Government, they must assist
| in bringing about reformation or amend.
! ment to the Constitution Of the State. We
have not heard Of any proposals of the kind
emonating from that quarter. We have
the owners of slaves in the State. We can
understand the policy Of Offering and coax
ing these hanghty rebels to accept benefit
from the Government, which they spurn and
deSpise and constantly sheer at.
Our conntry's unity and independence
mast be maintained by patriotism. and not
by entreating naughty rebels to ACCEPT com
pcnsation for contrabands which their own
wicked war is fast making value,ess. If the
shareholders Of Maryland wish to assist in
uphodlng the Government and putting down
the rebellion, let them move in the matter.
lhey know that treason sole hope Of exis-
tence and success rests upon slavery being
maintained III the Border States.
Let Maryland shareholders then. take mi.
,latory steps in measure which most vi.
tally concerns them. Let them first ask for
compensation for their slaves, rather than
turn their longing eyes South, while they
pray for the rebel oligarchy Of JEFF Davis
to com" and deliver them from the ac-
cdrsed Aboltionists. - Let them move IN
the matter of undoing the bonds which they
have i'll former times wrought in the Consti.
tuition Of the State of Maryland, to tie up
The rights Of free, white men, making them
in measure subScryient to their will. Let
these men who have all to lose, take some
step toward opening the way to receive com
pcnSation for their slave property, or let
them sink amid the blood, stained rubbish of
that rebellion and treason which they assisted
so willingly TO inaugurate, and are still aiAs.
ing by every means in their power to keep
alive.
Slavery is doomed in Maryland. and none
know it better than those who have the most
to lose by aiding the rebellion. If they
were patriots. they would willingly assist in
clearing the State of the cause of. a..d sole
excuse for. the rebellion. If they are trai-
tors they should share the lot which all trail
tors deserve. and not be coaxed and pcttcd
by offerings of gold.
We arc favorable to compensation to loyal
men. but we want to see them manifest 10y
atty by cvincng willingness to tear them
selves from their idol, when their ALLEGIANCE
to slavery or the Union must cease. They
cannot longer serve both. The first step in
that direction is Il change in the State Con.
stiiution. enabling the State to pass laws for
the extinction OF Slavery. Let the heavy
slave holding counties ask for. and assist in
inaugurating that Constitutional change, and
compensation will follow.
But in place Of this We find all of their
newspapers and their party leaders, kissing
ut, and dcnouncing every step which makes
the least approach toward emancipation on
any conditions; while they point trium-
phantly TO that claHSc in the constitution of
the State which forhids any interference by
the Legislature, of the existing relation
between master and slave.