The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-10-03
Governor BradfOrd's and Comp,
trOllcr Mathis Views Oh e.
Emancipation in Mary
land and IL COnStitu-
tiGnal Convention

lana ana IA CONSTITUTE
tiGmaI Convention
Mr.. WgHt opposes Goeernor Bradford
emancipation ana tntnkS THINKS the eyOrM ANIL
It unnecessary prosperity IF the State
- l do not, and can dcmaad EMANCIPATION.
mot approve the agi- % | am satisfied that
"tation ot the question the conviction has
" OF emancipation OF the been slowly, but sure
" slaves OF Maryland" ly, maturing in the
Again, Mir. Matiit minds OF the people tor
says That lie Is opposed years past, that the
TO the Introduction OF future growth and
TINS question, OF enian- prosperity OF our State
clallon, this Fall, and demand II change in
also opposed to any &c our system Of labor
tom touching at pres and the events OF the
cm as premature, ill-;,d- last two years have
rised aud unnecessarily" only served to show
the necessity of providing for that change with
the least possible delay. When we speak OF
grad""i emancipation it must not be supposed
that the phrase is employed by way OF post
poncment OF the operation, but it honestly
EXPRESSES what it truly means that such eman-
cipation shall only be 50 gradual us to guard it
against the evil consequences that must neces-
sarily result to slave as well as master from too
sudden change i'll any system of labor that is
Of indigenous growth. Nor will any one !
trust, Imagine that i'll speaking OF emancipation
by legal III practical means. we mean to embur-
rass or delay the project by the use Of any
equivocal terms calculated to leave any doubt
OF the good faith oi those who ayow that pol
icy"
Mr., Maft thinks rs Cor Bradford op-
ought to nan "mta this poses delay, "nd thinks
crHa ~ariSofer. the nhote question may
Let us wait for be settled in lo64
80 more suspicious times, Nor will DISPOSE
when the rebellion is ton of the question
suppressed, the coun- by this, the only means
"ry at peace, mems of meeting it, involve
passions cooled and the delay which some
" then see If we are seem TO suppose The
=" abic for so great an Convention which us
- undertaking." sembled in 1854, and
framed our present Constitution, was authorized
by an act which was passed by the Legislature
Immediately preceding it. The same act pro-
vided for submitting the question of Conven-
ton to the vote OF the people, and for the as
>cmbing OF that Convention, if authorized by
such vote. The same proceeding may be adopt
ed now, and shall not hesitate to recommend
it to the next General Assembly.
Thus may not only the question of a Con
yention be submitted, but the Convention itself
assembled by the Summer Of 1864, and the
whole question disposed of before that Summer
is ended"
Mr.. MoW opposes Gor Bradfom Says
convention, uni Snys it the cali ofa contention
is granting crerythiag is the first stcp IN
tie cmamcipationtStS ash emancipation, and that
''--lhis Glamour The nert Legislature
about the Constitutional MoMd by ali means
Convention, taking the make prorision for
sense of the people, such contention.
| Nc, comes particularly THAT Constitution
from those wishing to expressly prohibits the
abolish slavery i'll the Legislature from abol-
State. And the intcli- ishlng the relation of
gent reader will also master ana slave as al
see, in this proposition. present subsistnc
that, which if yielded in the State.
to, by anti-emancipa- The first step to be
;ionsts gives up all taken therefore, is to
| that the elnancipationist provide for taking the
can claim of the next sense of tho people up
Legislature This is on the sui icct of a
die extent OF its cousti- convention 10 revise
tutional authority over the Constitution of Tie
the question at this State
time, and II 1t is con- To advocate the call
coded there is nothing of such convention,
more needed TO inaugu- and 10 urge UPON the
RUE in Tie State, in full next Legislature the
blast the question Of necessity of submitting
emancipation" the question to the
people at the earliest practical day, as the only
| legitimate mode by which the most earnest adj
voca.c Of emancipation can inaur,lrate TINT
| policy. Iharc ncrcr hrSitated 10 atO,c tie opin-
iOn that The ncr Legislature shonid bp all means
make Such " proriSjon. The people of the
STATE have the constitutional right to express
| their views upon the subject of II revision of
| their organic law every ten wears, and, whether
| OF not the same constitutional duty of proyi-
ding for this right rests upon the next Legsm-
ule, as it did upon the last, no one vii. oucs-
| ton their right to do So
Mr. MGFt hinhs tic Cor. Bradford Mjnhs
| YHcSti0n Gf emoncipo- Mat among true Tnion
| ii0n wW distract aHd men the sentiment is
dicjfc the Union men. almost luminous IN
1t is "A question up Juror ofgradaui cman-
on which there are diff rp@tlo".
tercnccs Of opinion a. 7" The greater part if
nongSt the Inion men not all of the Seccs-
of the State, and it sionsts among us, still
should not, on that ac- strangely clnging to
| count, be allowed to the hope, that the re-
come into the political hcilion would succeed
arena tor it will distract the Southern Confcd-
and divide them when cracy be established
all should remain uni and Maryland he made
| icd.' a part of it, have been,
! as q matter of course. opposed to every mode
of emancipation, and determined to cling to
slavery as the great pillar of their new
| Republic BESIDES the class above mentioned,
| there are doubtless solnc-in my opinion. how
ever, small proportion of the true Union men
of the Statc-who from early ussocations or
outer influences, have not yet lelinquishcd their
attachment 10 slavery
They, too, however, as they camy consider
| the deah-hlow which the rebellion must ncces-
strily iltiict upon the institution, and acuarcd
| by IL desire to avoid all collisions with their
| loyal brethren upon any subject that may
weaken the effect of their united efforts in
behalf of the Union, arc day by day yielding
their first impressions upon the subject and
acquicscing in the policy of State enamel
patton by the earliest practicable means and
nothing but the most nconsderac and vio-
lent measures upon the part of those who
may be called ultra in their emancipation
views can prevent, ere long, an almost
! HhHniln0nS sentiment amOag the i0yai mcn Of
the st0tc in faror Of gradual emancipation"