The amendment to the order wag accord-
ingly agreed to.
The question recurred upon the order as
amended.
Mr. BRISCOE submitted the following amend-
ment :
Strike out all after the word "that" in
first line, to the word "the" in the ninth
line, and insert the words " the governor
and adjutant general of this State berequest-
ed, in conjunction with a committee of the
inembers of this convention, to be appointed
by the chair, to proceed to the war depart-
ment, and after conference with the proper
authorities to obtain."
Mr. BRISCOE said: My own view is that
even if the order is adopted by the conven-
tion and sent to the governor, it will result
in no practical good, at least to us in that
section of the State in which I live. It would
merely indicate a disposition on the part of
our friends to protect the citizens of that part
of the State in which I reside. But I am
fearful, and really think from what has taken
place in the past with reference to this whole
Bystem of drafting, that it will accomplish
very little good. My own idea is this: that
all the evils and the injustice that have been
heaped upon our section of the State have
resulted from that system which has been
inaugurated by the government of the United
States, and recommended by the President
of the United States, in calling out directly
by authority emanating from the central
government, all the forces of this country, to
carry on this war. The view we take of it
is that these requisitions should have been
made by the States. The States alone should
have contolled that; and if that mode of
proceeding had been adopted by the govern-
ment at first, it would have tended more to
accomplish the purposes for which the ad-
ministration were conducting this war.
It is not necessary for me to go on and
give in detail the manner and character of
the operations of the government in that sec-
tion of the State which the gentleman from
Prince George's and myself represent with
regard to this whole matter. We know very
well that the governor of Maryland is as
helpless as a new-born infant; that this con-
vention is helpless; that there is no authority
within the State of Maryland, unless it be by
the concession of the authority at Washing-
ton, that can bring any relief to us, so long
as this system operates as it has in the past
We know very well that we have been com-
pelled to characterize that proceeding as a
usurpation of power upon the part of Con-
gress and the government, and on the part
of the President. We denounce it now, and
we will continue to do it as long as this oppression
is upon us. As to the details, as to
the manner in which these things have been
carried on, I have only to say that there are
now hovering around the limits of my own |
county nefarious bands of ruffians who have
mounted their gunboats, and armed them-
selves, and are pissing through our section
of country, stealing, breaking our jails, and
stealing from us our property, under the
pressure of this draft, tor the relief of the
city of Baltimore and other parts of the
State We know that to be a fact. It has
occurred within our own midst within the
last week.
Not expecting myself that it will lead to
any great practical good, I have offered this
amendment simply with the desire and the
hope that if this is adopted, some step will be
taken by the executive of Maryland, weak as
it may be, insignificant as the State of Mary-
land may be in this condition of affairs, that
if anything can properly be done, it may be
accomplished by the proposition I have offer-
ed. With this communication the informa-
tion can be got from the governor of Mary-
land and after having it, it seems to me that
this committee, composed of three gentlemen
of the convention in conjunction with the
governor and the adjutant general, will con-
vey to the department in Washington all the
information they require on the subject if
there is any mode of conveying to them the
extent and the actual condition of outrages
heaped upon us. That will be the most effi-
cient mode of doing it, if it is done at all ;
and I hope the amendment will be adopted.
Mr. HENKLE. I sincerely hope something
will be done by the convention in this matter.
It will come with more force and authority, if
it comes from the convention. There is agreat
defect in one particular with regard to the
draft of the State, and I want to call the
attention of the convention to it particularly,
as my attention has been called to it; and
that is in regard to the enrolment of the State
as it now exists. I see that a meeting has
been recently called in Baltimore county in
the vicinity of Towsontown, where they have
appointed a committee to wait upon those in
authority to revise their enrolment and per-
fect it. There are many names on the enrol-
ment list which should not be there; some
men who are away, others already in the ser-
vice, and others over age; and in our section
of the State particularly great numbers have
absconded, because the enrolment embraced
all the slaves of Maryland who were here in
the beginning of the war; whereas in my sec-
tion of the State nearly all the slaves of the
military age have left. So the enrolment, as
it stands in my county, and I believe in every
county of the State, contains a number of
names vastly greater than it should be, con-
taining those in the federal army, many over
age, and others whose names for other reason
should not be there.
For that reason there is a great necessity
that the enrollment. list should be revised. and
that the attention of the authorities should be
called to this matter before the coming draft |
