Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-22
VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF MARYLAND.

C'estN 1870 "'As~N
their devotion to the Union may be success |
fully impugned, if they question the wisdom
expediency of retaining certain features of
the Registration law, we arc not of that num- |
ber What our judgment dictates as called |
for by the best interests of the commonwealth, |
that course we purpose to pursue. We must |
fain believe that if the whole loyal population
of the State were called upon to fairly and
deliberately consider the question at issue,
eighteen in twenty would, on mature refec
ton, admit that, sooner or later, IN the best
interests Of the commonwealth, ats peace and
prosperity and happiness, the State 'ciU hare
to modify his lar.
Reminding our readers again, that certain
features of the Registry law-the more strin-
gent-were intended emphatically as war
measures, and very properly so; that they
were intended as check on existing treason;
that evil which at the time threatened every
thing most valuable in the State and in free
government with disintegration and ruin, what
could be more in accordance with the usual
course of events than that with treason de
feated, and its pains and penalties RENTED
by the General Government these penalties
must, sooner or later-we repeat-be RENTED
likewise by the State!
And however men may feel in regard to
the wickedness Of the late rebellion, the con-
dition is absolute, which prevents Maryland,
for any great length Of time from being the
one exception in the list Of States similarly
situated; she must somehow, in vindcaton of
her reputed noblest attributes, do away with
enmities generated by conflict she did not
orr. innate.
That there are men here, however, or at
present in exile, who deserve no favor what
ever at the hands Of the preservers of the
Union, the defenders of the commonwealth,
from those terrible evils that fell upon Vir-
ginia is emphatically true. Such men may
well be excepted in making up the list ofthose
who. devoted to war when the State desired
peace, should abide the penalties they in
cured whilst insisting upon strife and blood
shed. We need not specify any of these per-
sons-there is time enough for that, should
action be had upon these matters by the Legis-
lature of Maryland
Again-let us remember in duly considering
these matters that Maryland was in some par
ticulars less imbued with the spirit of copper
headism and treason in its worst forms, than
the States of New York or Ilinois-andi in say
ing this, we mean no disparagement to the no.
BILE loyalty which in those commonwealth
poured forth hundreds Of thousands Of true
men IN defence of the Government and Of free
institutions. Be it remembered, too, that al
though Vallandigham and men of that stamp
could, month after month, spout treason there
with impunity, there was no time during the
war, when they could have done it here, and
have gone unscathed before the patriotic indig
nation Of the populace. And we may now
we'll remind all concerned, that no wholesale
riots and murderS-after the issues of the con-
fict were fairly understood stained our good
name, as was the case in New York city-in
the very agony of the great crisis; nor were we
called upon to contemplate the terrors of u
gigantic conspiracy amongst our own people,
which, as in the case of the one at Chicago.
threatened to engulph the whole Northwest
Indeed, with the amplest encouragement held
bel cause, upon his different irruptionS into the
State, how much substantial aid and comfort
let us enquire-did he receive? Who does not
feel and knOr, that Maryland was at that time
really more loyal than many other States which
made vastly greater p.etentions to patriotism.
If it was not so. indeed. then the boasts and
protestationS of that period must have been
largely for effect; but we, at least. amongst
the rest, firmly belieced IN and gloried in it
And yet. thronged with copperheads as certain
States North of us were, are those men dis
franchised to-day forthdt cause.-were theyso
even during the height of the conflict? And
II not, may we not well ask-whether now that
peace is established, and with these cases to
confront us, should we insist to the end of time
npon wholesale disabilities here checks upon
our harmony and prosperity, unknown to other
States-either North or South?
In dealing with this matter further, we would
say-let our legislators approach the subject
with all proper and needed caution; let them
do nothing hastily, or under undue pressure
from the disloyal element; but let them, at
least, consider the expedency of doing some
thing, that which will bring from those inter
ested in having their old rights and privileges
restored, declarations and sentiments in favor
of the loyalty which is vital to our future peace.
There can be nothing wrong or ilnprudent in
this; nothing that savors of conceding unduly
to the spirit of disloyalty. Already made to
realize that the rights and franchises of citi-
zens of great and free commonwealth are of
a value but poorly or not at all comprehended
when the conflict begun, they will have learn
ed by the lessons received, that it is no light
thing to part with their franchises as the pen
atty of reasonable practices; that treason is,
indeed that tedious thing the Federal Elk
ecutive long ago pronounced it to be.
Finally, word or two on probabilities, as
springing from the obligation to hold future
elections. From the conduct and policy of
the General Government in permitting the
entire populations of States like Virginia, the
Carolinas, and other States an hundred fold
more deeply implicated than ourselves in
treason, to vote, and from the persistent and
wholesale disarmament of troops that is going
on, what is palmer than that the Government
having Dlttl6S
themselves conduct their elections their own
way, maintaining for themselves order at the
polls? A law not enforced is no aw-prac-
tically-at all; it is only an exhibit of weak
ness; and is there a man in Maryland look
ing to the past history of the State, who does
not know, that with the General Government
out of the field in this thing, and with Mary
landers alone to enforce certain features of
the law, men could not be found to do it; or
if they could, that the polls would again be
scenes of violence, disgraceful, and, to the
last degree, injurious to the State.
What could be done in Baltimore witha well
organized police, is one thing; and what would
be the fate of the law in the rural districts,
the countless is another. Would not recur-
renee of these things, indeed, "set the State
back twenty years." driving from us anew the
capital and labor Just now seeking us so largely
from other States; and is it not worth while in
view of all this, to inquire-whether inan-
ciallv, even,-to say nothing of the social and