The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-11-03
COmpensa tiOi, for Emancipated
Slaves,

Rebel hearts, is iurbly denied by some OF the
leaders of their counterfeit Union purity
Driven TO the wall, Mr.. Magraw declared IN
arecent speech that if the question came
mp aud he was in the Legislature, that he
| would vote against compensation. All, in
deed! OF course he would. for the question:
will never be brought squary before the
Legislature till the needed prcliminaries are
settled. 1t must be borne in mimi that the
Constitution of the State as it now stands,
prohibits compensation for slaves AS, a legal
measure but IL viii he remembered how
violently that Constitution was opposed by
the Rebel party, now calling itself the Ma.
rional Union party, i'll this county, when it
was before the people for ratification, and
how bitterly it was assaulted in every cam
paTgn, by the same party, till the present
canvass. The war now is upon the Registry
law. This is the entering wedge. They
hope by SWANS treason to get control of
the Legislature, and repeal the Registry law,
which, like flood gate, wonld let all the
Rebels, whether they had served in Lee $
army, been blockade runners, acted as spies
for the "Confederacy," or been 10 sympathy
with the rebellion, vote. This point gained
the Legislature would have but one more
to make, which would be to propose an al
teration of the Constitution. Every Rebel
in the State, every ex .slavehoder, and what
was formerly known as the great blind rab-
Bile OF the Democratic patty, would vote to
man against the ''.lbolitionists, or negro
equality" or NEGRO suffrage, or any other
man of straw the demasoguc leaders of the
slave party might get up. With the thirty or
forty millions claimed for slave property,
five Or ten would be very willingly detached
for electionecrng purposes. When we see
post-oilice Or an inspectorship, or other
trllling office, purchasing blatant, loud
mouthed tnionists, how many such cattle
would millions buy?
. We tell property holders that by stealth
the slave party, which is always the party of
treason, is trying to steal a march upon
them. From Senator Creswcll's late speech
in Monument Square, we subjoin the follow
ing condensed account showing the animus
Of the Democratic, alias Rebel, alias Nation.
al Union party, on this question. Mr..
Creswell said:
"Turn to the records of our late State
Convention, and see the spirit that animated
them then. When section &c of the Sd arti-
Gle OF the Constitution, which prohibits the
General Assembly from passing any law or
making any appropriation to compensate for
,f,.,t, 81. ]
Mr.. Davis, of Charles. moved to amend by
striking out the word Assembly and insert.
ing, "Shall pass laws making appropriations
to justly compensate the masters or claim
ants Of slaves emancipated from scrvitude
by the adoption of this Constitution and
every Democrat voted for it, whilst every
Union man voted against it, thus defeating
it by IS to 80. (Sce debates of Convention.
page 914.) On motion by Mr.. Jones, of
Somerset, to postpone, the result was the
same. On a motion by Mr.. Dent, of St.
Mary S. to strike out the original proposition,
a like result was had and on the vote on
the adoption Of the section AS it stands every
Union nun voted aye and every Democrat
no.
Undeterred by this signal defeat. efforts
were subsequently made to ensure registra-
ton Of all manu7nitcd slaves, giving their
number, ages, names and sex. locking to
future action for compensation, but always
without success. owing to the prcponderating
Union vote against them.
Thus it will be seen that the people of
Maryland are indebted to the Union party
alone for the security they now have against
this crushing burden in the shape of $50.
100000, or more, OF State debt
We see with what tenacity that party stuck
to the hope of future compensation. After
being defeated on the question, that party to
man, we find moving to have a registry
made Of the slaves emancipated. That hope
they cherish to this hour. Hence their VIC.
lent denunciations of the Congressional plan
Of reconstruction, there being clause in the
amendment proposed by Congress which, if
Incorporated into the Federal Constitution,
would forever debar State, ;.s we'll as Fed
eral compensation for slaves. If this is not
their motives for opposition to the amend,
ment, what else can it be? Maryland would
lose no represcntion in Congress by it. Her
leading Democratic politicians have not held
office under the Confederate Government and
would not suffer from the clause which dis
qualities such from again holding Office un-
der National CT State Government The
hope of saddling debt on the property of
Maryland of thirty millions or more, to pay
for emancipated slaves, is the secret of our
"National Union opposition.