The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-14
Maryland Legislature-MesS o
Governor SWauu

submitted his message to the .extrs
session Of the Maryland Legislature to
day After expressing gratitude tC
Almighty God for the protecting arm
which has been extended over the State
during the late rebellion, and for the
overwhelming triumph of free princi
Piles in the conflict so recently termin
ated, speaking Of the finances Of the
State he gives the reason for the call oi
the present extra session. The finances
Of the State, under the extraordinary
demands growing out Of the rebellion
and the failure OF our credit, available
under the provisions of the late bounty
act upon terms satisfactory, make il
my duty to call YOU together in advance
of the time appointed for the regular
meeting of the General Assembly. The
| Governor rcongratulateS the people upon
healthful condition Of the State Treas
ury. He says that at the close of the
/ fiscal year of 1868 her sinking fund had
/ increased TO such an extent as 10 Justify
a large reduction of the losses aud keep
/ in her Treasury continually more than
a million of surplus over and above her
| legitimate wants
It may be gratifying TO the people Of
I the State thai the Wh5le increase Of the
{ permanent debt, referable to the ex-
penditures of the war, owing to the
healthy condition in which the Treas,
ury was found, and the aid furnished
by taxation, does not exceed up to this
time $500 900, and our claim on the
general Government, should the war
debt OF the State be assumed by Con
gress, q measure not unlikely to be re-
ported during its present session, will
amount to 5000 900 and upward
Referring to the bounty bond Of the
State, the Governor gives the cause Ofthe
failure to procure the four millions ap-
propriated for bounties by the issue Of
bounty bonds.
1t could hardly, he says, have been
expected that, in competition with the
Government and other securities offer
ing the strongest temptation as to
soundness, and at much more favorable
rates Of interest than the bonds Of the
State of Maryland, it could be thrown
upon the market unless at great disad-
vantage, and would recommend that the
Bounty Act be SO amended rs to ex-
empt these bonds from both State
county and municipal taxation, before |
another attempt Is made TO offer them |
in the market. The Governor sustains !
the justice and constitutiOnality of the |
State Registry law, in reference to the |
Acknowledgement of q portion Of the |
citizens OF the State.
He says it has been alleged that the !
dominant party who now control the |
State represents only a minor part Of
the aggregate population Small, how !
ever, as the minority may be, it cannot |
be deemed that it is the fair and legiti- !
mate representation ofWhatever there is |
of loyalty among our people They /
are the men to whom YOU are indebted |
for the safety Of your State, and with
out whose uncompromising devotion to |
the Union Maryland would have been |
handed over to indiscriminate destruc-
ton
In reply to those who urge the repeal |
of the laW he says DO not need AN
thority TO recommend g reputation by
the Legislature OF the organic law Of
your State by any radical modification
Of the terms Of the registration.
The Governor next discusses at length
the subject of the Federal relations, re
and negro suffrage; he ap-
proves the reconstruction policy Of !
President johnson, who has adopted
the same plan of reconstruction. Re
ferring to the suffrage question, he says,
will the Southern and Middle States,
and perhaps our own State, stand il?
This issue Of negro suffrage is q sub
iect of the greatest importance-Mas-
sachusetts with her nine or ten thou
sand negroes, in an aggregate popula-
tion of 200, 900 souls; Maine with her six
hundred, in an aggregate OF more than |
! 800 600 souls; Nermontwith her seven /
hundred, in an aggregate population Of |
more than 100000; New Hampshire, /
with her five hundred, in an aggregate /
of more than 100000, and the other
free States, standing in the same nu-
merical relation, would hardly claim 10
approach this issue from a common
stand point even with our own State.
The loyal men of the South, admitted |
TO be ever so limited in number, stand
in no relation which would Justify, even
if the power expressed under the Con
stitutiOn, the forcible suffrage Of their /
country into the hands of the African |
race. ] have adverted to Maryland |
and throughout the country because / |
believed il 10 be q measure of duty as |
we'll as an urgent State necessity, but / |
could not Justify myself to the people !
of Maryland if I should give ccUnte- |
nance to the effort making by some i'm
pulsiye men, no doubt sincere and hon |
est in their convictions, TO confer uni. |
yersal suffrage upon the negro race.
| cordially accept the views Of Pr esl- |
dent johnson in reference to the
only practicable mode Of adjustment
between these conflicting interests. |
am willing TO do the oolored race fall
justice if they prefer to remain with
as on terms not inconsistent with the
State, l am willing to try the expert
ment without prejudice and 10 the full
est extent But 1 am not at liberty to
opinions which were fore
shadowed by my taking the 9th OF once /
under your new Constitution, whose
provisions denied the right Of suffrage
to the negro, that his manifest destiny
assigns him sooner or later, not IS the
result Of legislative compulsiOu, but Of
his own voluntary nature, to some more
eongenial locality where his distinctive
character will furnish 10 barrier 10 his
enjoyment of social and political rights