in the remarks I have read ? In other words, whether the means pointed out by this section be dishonorable, and whether the gentleman who voted in favor of that proposition, have been guilty of a dishonorable act I If that be not so, then I claim that upon the position the gentleman has assumed upon page 303 of these debates, he shall stand with as, and do all he can in an honorable way to effect this object which is proposed to be reached by the section introduced by the gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr Stockbridge.) Mr. sands. i am glad my record stands as it does. I am going to live up to it. I want my friend to understand what I mean by honorable means. In regard to this section, and in regard lo my conduct hereafter, for in all probability, we will have a committee to wait upon I he President. I want the members of that committee who go for me, to understand what to say for me. And I will keep my promises, as I have ever done to man and woman. But I will do nothing that violates my views and ideas of right and wrong, to save all the negroes in the State of Maryland, and the white men with them. Now, if I went to the President of the United States, and said to him—sir, there is a legal and a moral obligation upon you and upon Congress to pay for these negroes, I should violate my conscience, and know 1 was saying what I did not believe. Now, who says it is honorable to lie? It is not honorable to do so. lam willing to go there and say lo him—Sir, there is much suffering in my State, and many loyal men are among the sufferers ; if you, if Congress, if the government of my country can in your generosity relieve them, for God's sake do it. I will do that; that is the pledge I made to my people, and I will keep it. Bat if I am to be driven to Washington city to declare to the authorities there, that I believe thy are legally or morally bound to pay for losses in slave property, then I shall be driven to do a dishonorable thing. I will not do it, Mr. bERRy, of Prince George's. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him one question ? Mr. saNds. Let me get through. Mr. bErry, of Prince George's. It is this : was it not equally a lie to make a pledge to the people of the State of Maryland, and then not keep it? Mr. saNdb. who made that pledge ? Mr. berRy, of Prince George's. The Congress of the United States. Mr. sands. i am glad my friend has asked the question. It was not a pledge that if the border States did whatever they pleased Congress would appropriate this money. The offer of Congress was, that if they would then emancipate their slaves the money would be appropriated. Mr. berry, of Prince George's. There was no condition attached. Mr. saNDs. they would have appropriated

the money. If the gentleman does not believe it, I do; and that, perhaps, gives me more faith in the good faith of my government than be has. That offer wag made not without an object. What was that object ? Why, sir, if Congress had said to the border States : we will give yon $500,000,000 to stand boldly and firmly by the government, and the border States had accepted it and had stood by the government, it would have been a cheap money arrangement under the circumstances. It would have been right and moral, in that case, to have struck the bargain and paid the money. Why ? Because it was meant to stay this infernal rebellion and war. I know, and my friends here all know, that if the border States had accepted that proposition, and put their shoulders to the wheel, this rebellion would have been over long ago, and we would now have been in peace. There wag a great consideration for that promise. The chairman (Mr. Bond.) The chair would remind the gentleman from Howard (Mr. Sands) that he is wandering very widely l'rom the question before the convention. Mr. sakds. Is not the whole object of this section to prepare for getting payment for negroes from lhe general government? And 1 am answering questions pat to me and. charges directly mad" against me. The chaikiias. the question before the convention is upon the motion to reconsider the vote adoiiting this section. Mr. sards. and does not that bring up this whole matter ? Mr. jokes, of Somerset. Let the gentleman have an opportunity to respond to the personal allusions made to him. TheCHAlKMAK. If the convention are willing to allow this discussion, of course the chair has nothing to say against it. Mr, sands. the larger portion of my remarks were in direct answer to my excellent Iriend from Prince George's (Mr. Berry.) 1 say, then, that as a cheap money arrangement, it would have been right and proper, and brought God's blessing upon the land, if those to whom the offer was made had accepted it and lived up to it. It would have been a saving not only of blood, and suffering, and of sorrow, but it would have been a saving of money. Now one word more that is purely personal, and that is about bad faith. My friend from Somerset (Mr. Jones) must not understand, when I talk about rebels, that I have any allusion to persons here. I speak of rebels who are rebels. I know there are as good Onion men in the Stale as I am. I am willing to take the Spartan's epitaph : "Then light the laurels on a loftier head ; And be the Spartan's epitaph on me : ' Sparta bath many a worthier son than he.' " 1 an) glad there are so many good Union