Year: 1865




On THE CHoPTANK,
Dorchester County, Nd, Jan 2i, 1865
Sufficient time has elapsed to permit some
conclusions to be drawn with reference to the
| immediate working or results of the recent ac-
tion Of this State in summarily putting an end
to the institution OF domestic slavery within It's
limits. Having been an earnest advocate OF
the policy, have watched its operation (as i
shall continue to do) with much solicitude, and
shall, through the Star, take occasion TO COM
municate to the public such Information con.
cerning the effects Of the change as can gather,
because the subject is fraught with abiding in.
terest to the future Of the whole land.


If emancipation answers good ends in Mary
land (where slavery was as deeply annealed
into the social and Industrial status of society
and business OF every description as anywhere
else on this contnent), il cannot fail to con-
tribute equally as much to the general we'll
being and the industrial progress and prosper
ity Of the community, throughout the South.
That's wherever among US it may uproot the
institution, as one OF the natural consequences
Of the paracidal rebellion gotten up to minister
10 the ambition, pride and avarice of the small
class who assumed TO be the sole guardians and
best friends Of its (sIavery's) so-called rights
and interests. II paid negro labor, with its
sure eventual adjunct OF an immense increase
OF white labor employed in work of which
slave or uncompensated negro labor not long
since enjoyed monopoly, shall increase popu-
lar intelligence and in industry-speedily mul.
tiplying fold, the aggregate number Of
good schools accessible without price to the
poor, mechanical, and really to a considerable
extent scientific well as literary, throughout
Mary land-it will inc vitably increase enor-
mously the results of all Maryland agricul-
tural, mechanical and other business pursuits.
hold to the belief that such must speedily be
the effect OF emancipation here. l therefore
gee no valid reason for imagining that the
adoption OF the policy which the necessity of
securing our country against another such
waste Of life and substance as the rebellion
has brought about has rendered an absolute
prerequisite before the war can be safely ter.
minated, can fail to eventuate similarly in
louisiana, South Carolina and Mississippi.
And dn it should SO eventuate throughout the
South, the consequent changes in her methods


and modes will in twenty years pay back to


her not only what has been her pecuniary PEN


atty Of the war, but to the loyal States every


dollar which it has SO far cost them The
precious human lives sacrificed on both sides


OF our International strife not to be recalled


But in the history OF the progress of the world


from barbarism, the life of q generation in any


one land weighs but as feather. In twenty


i've years but comparatively few will be


left who will mourn for an hour in a thou.


sand over the loss Of loved ones sacrificed


In fifty years all will think on those who


may have died martyrs for the rebellion, or for


the cause OF American liberty and national


unity which the rebellion seeks to destroy, lust


as our present generation think and feel with


reference to the martyrs OF our original revo-


lutionary times. Nevertheless, the great prin-


nj fory oh fho m


the oligarchy of the South-the right Of the


masses in all pa .ts of the continent to self


government, and, consequent national progress


in elevating ideas on every subject. Industrial


moral and lnteilectual-will then be as dear to


the hearts OF our countrymen as to- day. Mil


lions OF the South whose ancestors up to this


time have drawn all their thoughts, all their


comprehension OF their duties to themselves


their families, society, and their not long since


sincerely loved government, from the oligarchy
and its exponents, VIII wonder, indeed, tha,


those who SO recently occupied their places as
the people OF the South, could have made such
sacrifices of lifes blood and treasure to aid and
abet this rebellion. That is, in g. vain effort to
destroy government that had made the m the
treest, happiest and, in the aggregate, the most
prosperous people the earth. in order to
spread, increase and strengthen the one ele.
ment of their own social and us trial condition
which deprived them Of many OF the immense
advantages (of cheap popular education, ,oppor-
tunities for any and ali to become thoroughly
skilled in any calling, and of the enjoyment OF
the condition OF complete individual independ.
ence,) which have in the main resulted under
our government, IN the loyal States, from their
earlier abolishment of slavery They will
ponder over that problem as long and earnest.
ly as the intelligent and well-read of Europe
do at this hour over the tact that their ancestors
could have fought for decades, quarters and
half centuries to crafty the ambition, pride
and hatreds of oligarcnies and dynasties,
whom, all now realize, were simply bent on
sacrificing all else OF value in the State to the
preservation OF their own unjust class priyil-
eges originally acquired Dy violence when the
world was even more deeply stepped than ar
that time in the mental darkness of barbarism


But in writing fer the busy readers OF the


times, may not thus venture TO philosophiZe
longer-to write of this rebellion as it will
surely appear TO ali intelligent men after but
those are left who know Of it only as we now
know of our original revolution or of the civil
and other wars which so frequently desolated
Europe since the fall Of the Roman Empire.


The act OF the pe"nle of Maryland in seek
ing, by promptly avolishing slavery, positive
security for themselves against the possible
sucCess Va uio oliBoTcHy Ill bringing tnem under
the yoke which SO heavily bears upon the
South, created more temporary confusion than
aught else. 1t did not, as alleged, deprive one
slaveholder in hundred Of that which was
OF the astpecuniary value to him. His every
negro, except mothers of young families, who
had been of pecuniary value, had either gone
of or remained at home virtually free Those
SO remaining would not sell on the block for
SIS apiece in The condition of uncertainty as to
its future to which the oligarchy's war had
brought slavery in Maryland. The negroes
remaining at home worked as little as they
pleased. And that was little indeed; as their
wants were necessarily supplied by their own.
ers simply as the condition precedent to their
consenting to remain in nomin al slavery when
they knew as well as their masters that free.
dom, with far share OF the worlds labor,
was at any moment within their reach.


Ever since the beginnn Of 1862 the Mary |
land master was the real slave, not the negro. |
3.