The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-10-29
Address Of tEc State Central
Com saistec.
ROOMS OF THE UNCONDITIONAL UNION
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE,

To tie unconditional Union Men Of Nd:
The Unconditional Union State Central
Committee has the satisfaction Of announc-
ing to you that the Free State Constitution
has been ratified by the people.
We congratulate you, fellow citizens, on
this suspicious result. The movement begun
in the Convention Of June 10th. 1868. hy
the adoption Of an Emancipation Platform,
and carried forward by the election of Henry
ii. Goldsborough as an Emancipation eau
,Iidatc. has been followed by the call of Il
Convention, the adoption of Constitution,
and now by its ratification by the people.
In less than two years the work has been
begun and completed. and the State Of Mary
land stands freed from the incubus of .Sla-
very, with the strongest cord that bound her
to treason snapped forever.
1t has seemed to the Committee that :.
while many would have preferred larger
majority for the Constitution, there is an
appropriateness in its being saved by the
soldiers vote.
1t was this detcstable institution which
shed the blood of Massachusetts in the
streets of Baltimore. 1t was this institution
that has been the cause of our true men
leaving the cndearmcrts of home for the
tent and battle field, and they have effect.
ualiy destroyed the enemy which has caused
fixed toward Rebels in the front, they have
sent their ballots homewards to the deatl. of
Slavery and the Copperheads in the rear.
Tbs smallncss of the ma ority for the Con
stilution is due to two causes: too great
confidence on the part of the friends of the
Constitution, and the desperate rally of its
enemies.
The provisions of the schedule wcro dis.
regarded: opinions of eminent lawyers sent
lar and wide to attack its legality, and thou
sands of men, whose hearts were rank with
treason, who had committed acts of disloy-
atty, deliberately pcriurcd themselves under
the advice Of a distinguished advocate.
We have now to complete the canvass.
and the result Of tie recent election is
guaranty Of that in November. if the friends
of the cause do their duty between this time
and the day Of election.
Having completed the cnfranchiscmcnt Of
the State. let us now inaugnratc the Govern
mcnt under il in the hands uf is friends,
and cast the electoral vote of Maryland for
Lincoln and johnson with those States, the
great mass of whose loyal men stand eady,
at any cost and sacrifice, to fight this war to
the end without amnesty, without compro.
mlse--to beat down the weapons of rebellion
and plant the ag of our fathers on restored
Union and land freed from Slavery.
this. The election of Mcclellan means the
rule Of the towards and traitors who would
deceive the people by military candidate.
while nearly the whole body of his support.
crs are the enemies of the war and the ad.
vocatcs of diSgracelul and disunion peace.
Peace without Union is for Maryland war
ut home.
The death grapple for the relics of Slavery
which the traitors of Maryland have Just
made, proves their desperate determination
to keep hold of anything that may help them
to renew the struggle for the possession Of
the State, aud on q cessation of hostihies
again attempt to put Maryland with the
South. Let us initiate the example of our
brave soldiers. 1t is grand example!
Men who met death staring them IN the
face, and bearing our flag before Petersburg
and Atlanta, and winning battles for free,
dom and the Union, they ask no relief ex.
cept in victory.
1t is those alone who have borne no bur.
dcns, who are enjoying at home the bless.
ings of our institutions safe from the dan gers
Of the conflict who utter the craven cry for
peace.
The Presidential election is already dcci-
ded. The great States Of PENNSYLVANIA,
Ohio and Indiana have rejected and scorneh
the submissonists Of Chicago. 1t is only
for the loyal people of Maryland to say
whether they will stand by the true. hearted
patriots who, after three years of battle,
again sound the war. cry or with the nser.
able minority of towards and traitors whose
feeble cry for peace is even now being
drowned by the battle. shouts of frcemen.-
Thanks to the true men who, in your new
Constitution. DISTINGUISHED traitors, you will
have an easier task in November. The
Constitution is adopted; the exclusion of
traitors is law beyond even the bubble of
lawyers: the taking of the oath now is per-
jury by all confession, and VIC must and will
see to it that traitors are excluded from the
polls, and that the peniteniiary shall receive
the pcrjurers. The Constitution makes it
the duty Of the Judges of Election "care-
fully to exclude - all who have aided the
Rebels-all who have expressed their desire
for the success Of the Rebel arms. The
taking of the oath alone does not qualify a
voter. The Judges must be satisfied of his
loyalty before he has right to vote, and we
urge on every loyal man to see that these
DISTINGUISHED persons are challenged and
excluded.
Fellow citizens the adopto of this Con.
stltution leaves much to be done. It's prn.
ciples and purposes must be carried into full
effect. a Registry law is to be made SO
that, apart from the excitement of the cleo.
ton day, IN the quiet of the registration
Office, the distranchiscd Rebels of the State
will have to prove their right to be placed
on the register; and that book, made by the
Constitution the sole evidence of right to
vote, must contain the names of none but
loyal men. The next General Assembly is
charged with that work. See to it, fellow.
citizens, that none but men earnestly in
favor of the principles of the Constitution
are sent to put in force its provisions that
with determined purpose the next General
Assembly may move forward with their
work as the Constitutional Convention did
with theirs. Send no doubtful men, no lag.
CARDS in the work of Emancipation. no men
who are afraid to incur the il-will of the
enemies OF their country, no men who wish
to naugurate a reactionary movement on
the very heels OF your victory. Let no law
OF apprenticeship, no law to impede the
efforts of freedom stain your now Free
State. Let the work go on until the last
vestige of Slavery and its laws are swept
from the Statute Book, AS they have been
from the Constitution. To effect this YOU
must know the men you send, and you must
roll up such majoritics on your State and
National tickets as to carry along by the
impetus OF that influence clear majority of
the General Assembly,
The moment of victory is often the time
OF danger. Successful labor invites to rest.
Resis this fatal influence, make this the
first stronghold of Slavery which you have
stormcd and taken, the base of new opera
tions-not place of encampment and re-