Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-09-27
- EEaEE eoNsEITEEI0E


"A Convention composed of ez-Con-
federates and Northern friends of the
lost cause. have presented to the peo-
pie of Maryland a constitution which
has just been submitted for ratification.
There are tens of thousands of white
men in Maryland as loyal as anyin the
Union but they are. unfortunately kept
the minority by the disfrauehise-
ment, against the repeated protests
and urgent appeals of the loyal whites,]
IF the loyal blacks During the war
rebels were disfranchised aud the 10y
ii whites controlled the State and kept
it faithful to the Uaiou cause. Now.
he loyal blacks being djsfranehised
nd the loyal whites in the minority the
State has passed back into the hands Of
be rebels, and the constitution above
referred to has been ratified by a ma
j1rity Of twenty thousand. What Is
the nature of this document VIII be
seen by the following account oft:
"The Maryland Convention per
ormed its work as If its members felt
hat they were still ughtiug for the
lost cause, They attacked the
Jaion ofio holders Of the State wit
IS much reckless impetuosity as Lee S
5eteraus IN their last desperate assault
Ipan the Union lines before Peters
lurg. They framed their Constitution
apparently for no other purpose than
oobtt IN the State and local Offices
row held by Union men They have
tdmitted all the returned Rebels to the
uffrage, and excluded from il all col
red men. They have established no
est Of loyalty. On The contrary, they
nave made dislOyalty The test of suf
rage, by excluding c0lOred Union
uldie'-s from the use If the ballot
9oy, White white Rebels, who fought
lader Lee. or who stood On the picket
me around Andersonville, or guard
"a Libby, are admitted 10. Voie.- the
.olG1ed en- who fought under Gram,
nd aided in the defense of Washing
eu aud Baltimore. are denied even he
i ht of aumirsitn "a to the witness box
Xcept rs temporary aud special fa-
rnr. The Convention has pljced all
hecolured people OF Maryland at the
mercy Of a white pro Rebel Legisla
nre. No security of the least va ue is
iven in the new Consultation to Le-
.rees for either lie, liberty, OF. proper
y. Even the present laws of The Sra fe
u regard To negro apprentices may re-
main unchanged Nero chi dren nay
Je wresfed from their parentsand hired
1t TO their late owners. Bhuusald9
f cases OF This kind have recently oc-
surred in Calvert Auhe a rundt aud
.tber counties. Tae Civil R ghfs bin
pissed by Congress stppped this prac-
ice TO same extent: but Marl and
judges aud iuries refuse, riu many .ca> es
eufor- e that law. Many local laws
# simi ar character 10 the State Ap-
prentice la exist, and are enforced,
For instance, in several counties ne
groes are not permitted to deal I'D mer-
.handiSe, unless recommended by a
certain number Of white freeholders
md if a white man. Ia some places, en-
0Oys a caiOred clerk, he Is liable to a
dne of $50. In one county negroes are
aot permitted to hold public meetings,
Zcept on days fixed by their late
masters. Negroes convicted of crime
nay be sold into Slavery for term af
seaTs. Ghese and other laws of like
'haracter disgrace the statute book Of
Maryland. and the new Constitution
Ices not hold out, so far as we have
cen, any prospect Of Improvement
Fhe fact that it leaves the Legislature
At liberty to take away, at any time.
rom the negroes the right to the Wit
ness box, aud that it authorizes an ap-
peal to Congress for compensation to
laves. is very strong evidence in sup
OOrt of the charge that the Democratic
aarty in Maryland would reestablish
Slavery IN its worst form tomorrow, if
It had the power and courage"