The Cecil Whig., 1867-04-06
Speech OF Archibald Stirling, Esq.
To the Republican state Con-
yentiOn, which assembled at
Broadway Hall. on the 27th
of March last.
OF BALTIMORE

Nv Fell0p Citi-cns--I AIN, rs all of you,
extremely gratifcd at the deliberations Of
this Convention, from the time when it as.
sembled in Baltimore on the 9th Of Febru.
AIRY, and first unfurled the banner Of Impair
tial suffrage, down to the present time. 1t
has been marked with entire unanimity in
the enuncia.ion of high principles, showing
the certainty Of success which, amid the
somewhat gloomy oncns Of the present.
must attach to this great party in the future.
While give my cordial support to the pol
icy pursued in the resolutions, was myself
in favor of using the machinery of the ballot
box on the 10th of February for doing what
the committee proposes in another form
The great question that meets us is, whether
we are going to allow a reaction which has
been set up by the treason Of our own trust.
ed officers, seconded by the votes Of people
who had no right to vote, aided by the votes
of men who come back from the South to
secure the control Of the very army which
defeated them, whether We will allow them
10 bar down the Constitution Of 1864 beneath
which our State has advanced to freedom,
aud to wipe out of that Constitution the oh.
legations of paramount allegiance and ballot.
box, and strike from the free counties OF the
State their proper representation. and to
deny not only to the negro the right to vote,
but to place in the hands Of the disloyal
white population OF great part of this State
a representation in the Legislature, based on
the very votes of the disfranchised negroes
whom they are cndcavoring to Cypress and
whom they desire to represent against their
wishes. The Legislature of Maryland has
become by its course os Inconsistent lcsisla'
lion, by the madness aud reoklessness ofts
policy, by the corruptions WHICH SEND ap
stencil foul to Heaven from the Capitol at
Annapolis, i. has become Il nuisance in the
estimation Of the nation. Has that Legisla.
lure done anything to advance the internal
interests Of the State. except to pay $4,000
as salary, aud s 500 as expeuses, to the
agricultural chemist to travel over the coun.
try, and over the Northcra States, for the
purpose of exhibiting the beautiful spectacle
that Maryland nov offers to loyal mcn to
emigrate hither? Laughter aud cheers.
They have with n lavish hand gone to the
public treasure and squaudered away on cvey
worthless object the money of this people.
They have refused to take any action on a
lust aud wise measure, to secure within the
limits Of this State pon,entiary to relieve
the prisoners il the crowded institution at
Baltimore. They have planted them selves
upon the Same platform as the Legislature
Of 1861, by declaring that the Uuited States
was not justified in the arrest Of that Legis.
iaturc, and by appropriating out Of tho pub.
lie treasury to pay that Legislature for the
timo they spout as prisoners iu Fort Warren.
They have passed bill for the purpose of
paying the police force in this city which was
disbandod by tho arm of the Federal Gov.
crnment-mauy Of whose members left this
city, and have only come back now from
four years service in the Rebel srmy-to
pay them for the whole period for which they
we're battling under the banner Of the Con-
federacy IN arms against the Upitod States.
Even beyond that, au amendment was offered
that members Of that police force should not
be psid who had gone South, and It was