127

The President laid before the Convention a report from the
clerk to the Court of Appeals for the Western Shore, in obedience
to the order of the 5th inst.;
Which was read and referred to the committee on the Judiciary,
Mr. Chambers, of Kent, chairman of the committee of "twenty
one," submitted the following report
WTBEREAS, The Constitution of the United States was designed
more effectually to secure the civil and political rights of the citi
zens of every part of the Union, and especially to protect their
persons and property as well in other States, as in the Slate in
which they might reside; and whereas, amongst the rights of pro
perty there was none more generally known or mire distinctly
recognized, than that of holding slaves; and whereas, the pecu
liar risk of loss to which this species of property was exposed,
was so obvious, and the absolute necessity of a suitable provision
to guard against it so universally felt, that no one hesitated to ac
knowledge that without such provision the Union could not have.
been framed; and whereas, certain persons in various portions of
the Union, instigated by a spirit of fanaticism, have combined for
the purpose of openly resisting and defying the guarantees of the
constitution and laws by which alone the slave holding States can
be assured of the rightful possession, and just protection of their
property, we the members of the Convention of Maryland, lately
elected from the body of the people, and intimately acquainted
with their feelings and opinions, deem it proper to declare in calm
and deliberate terms, what we believe to be their views in rela
tion to the exciting subjects to which we have referred and do;
Therefore,
1st. Resolve, That the Constitution of the United States, has
accomplished all the objects, civil and political, which its most
sanguine framers and friends anticipated, and that the affections
of the people of Maryland are justly rivetted to its principles, by
the memory of the sacrifices of the wise and good men who framed
it, as well as by the blessings it has so liberally dispensed to our
country.
2nd. That a proper appreciation of these blessings should lead
every State in the Union to adopt all such measures, as from time
time, may be necessary to give complete and full effect to any pro
vision of the constitution or of the laws pursuant thereto, intended
for the protection of any portion of this great family of States.
3rd. That while we do not conceal that the several acts of
Congress passed at their late session, relating to the admission of
California, to the territorial governments of Utah and New Mexico,
to the adjustment of the boundary of Texas, to the prohibition of
the slave trade in the District of Columbia, and to the reclamation
of fugitives from labor, do not, to the extent we desired, meet the
just demands of the South; nevertheless, viewing these several
acts as parts of an entire system, to be adhered to and maintained
as a whole, proceeding on the basis of compromise, and intended by