The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-02-23
Union League of Maryland.

At u meeting of the Grand Council OF
Maryland of the Union League of America,
held on the 9th inst, the following report
was presented by special committee to
which the matter had beea referred at pre-
vious meeting. After full discussion the re-
port and resolutions were unanimously
adopted, and it was voted that the Union
papers throughout the State be requested to
publish the same. III. STOCHDRIDGE,
President Grand League Of Maryland.
G. II. Catch, Grand Secretary.
10 the Grand Council Of Maryland, U.L.A.
Your committee appointed to consider
and report upon the question Of manhood
suffrage respectfully report that they have
given the subject that careful attention which
its Importance demands, and in presenting
the result Of their deiberation to this body
they do it, as they believe, to body-and
they fear to the only political body in Mary
land-which is prepared to give this subject
a candid and unprejudced hearing.
The question "Who shall govern?' which
lies at the foundation of all Governments,
is now before the people of Maryland, and
in fact the American nation, and it must
mine whether we shall be monarchy, an
aristocracy or n republic.
The people of our country are so thor
oughly attached to republcanism, in theory
at least, that the question can receive but
one answer, IN pords. 1t has, during the
past, received but one answer, and if there
has been a distinction between the zeal and
fervor with which that answer has been given,
it has come with most promptness, persist
ence and vocferations, from the political
school that has striven earnestly all the
while to make our Government the Govern
ment Of class.
If we would not adopt and pcrpetualc this
Inconsistency, we must either rcpudiatc all
that we and our predecessors in the State
have received as aXioms, or we must strive
to give them practical effect; to cmbody
them in the fundamental law, and to bring
our statutes and institutions into conformity
to these accepted truths.
There is no alternative. If republics arc
to be, if great principles arc TO govern, and
those principles which shield the rights of
men by the cnunciation of eternal truths,
whether called magma charta, body Of libcr-
ties, declaration Of independence, or bill of
rights, are 10 be the foundation on which
those republics shall rest, the practice in the
Government must conform to those princi
Dles. and the rule must be rs so we'll ex.
pressed in the original Constitution Of our
State.
Every man having property in com
mon interest WITH and an attachment TO the
community, ought to have a right of sut'
fragc.'
This is so palpabc a logical necessity that
YOUR committee deem it unnecessarily argue
the proposition. If we receive as true what
the Congress of l77G "hcld to be sclf.evi.
dent and use our reason, instead OF our
prejudice, there is but ono goal to which We
can tend.
The injustice Of requiring men to give
their property to the maintancc of the Gov
ernment, or their bodies to the defence o.
the country, and at the same time refusing
them voice in the shaping Of its policy, is
too gross and glazing to find justification III
any republican heart.
Equal to this injustice is the impoicy o.
excluding any class of community having 9
common interest with it, and sufficient in
teligence to understand its ends from advice
in tho direction of its affairs.
Justice and sound policy, therefore, re
quire that, save such wise distinction as tn
safety Of the State, and the security OF tn
people, based upon intelligence and char
acter, may require, all citizens shall be equa
before the ldw and equal in political right
What may be " expedient," good polio