that this country could not stand divided, but
must become all one thing or the other. In
a few months after his inauguration he issued
his proclamation telling the people of Mary-
land that this work is his peculiar work, and
that it bad been the philosophy of his life
and must be accomplished, I happened to
be in your legislative halls at that time. I
resisted it then. In a very few months I
saw the standard of abolitionism raised in
Maryland. It hoisted its banners and called
on the people, but in a few months alter, on
the 10th of March, 1862.
(The allotted time under the order, twenty
minutes, having expired, the hammer fell.)
Mr. THOMAS. I had intended to say nothing
on the subject before the convention; and I
have sat quietly in my seat this morning and
listened to sentiments, emanating from men
of Maryland that have actually made my
Maryland blood boil in my veins. The
gentleman who has just taken his seat pro-
claims to this convention that he came here
expecting nothing, and that he goes away not
disappointed. In my humble judgment he
could not have paid a higher compliment to
the majority of this convention than when he
littered that sentiment. He expected nothing.
I came here to abolish slavery; and thank
God, my vote has helped to do it. I came
here to rid the State of Maryland from this
curse of slavery, because just such men as the
gentleman who has just taken his seat bad used
the slave power to bring upon us the very
troubles of which we are now endeavoring to
rid our country. He thanks God that there
is a time of vengeance that is to come.
Mr. BRISCOE. Not vengeance. I did not
use that word.
Mr. THOMAS. At the time when the aven-
ger comes, he will meet you and me, and give
us our deserts. An outraged and indignant
people will meet us at their bar of judgment,
and they will mete out to us our deserts.
What have we done, that an avenging God
and an avenging people are to visit upon us
the violence of their wrath? Have we de-
prived men of their liberty? We came here to
give men liberty; and we have given it. Have
we deprived men of their rights? We came
here to give men their rights; and we have done
our duty, thank God, nobly. In so far as
the avenging judgment of God is concerned,
I have an approving conscience in me that
tells me that I have done right; and I can
stand before the same bar of God and render
up an account for the deeds that I have done,
alongside of the gentleman from Calvert (Mr.
Briscoe.) And in so far as standing before
the bar of the people is concerned, I have gut
the same nerve to meet whatever fate the peo-
ple choose to award to me as be has to meet
the fate awarded to him. Threats coming
from what quarter they may, cannot intimi-
date me in the honest discharge of my duty.
This constitution is to be submitted to the |
vote of the people of Maryland, I for one will
never give my vote that that constitution shall
be submitted to the disloyal people in Maryland.
I want a loyal constitution. I have
endeavored to make a loyal constitution.
And so help me God, if the lightnings of
heaven shall strike me down when I utter it,
or if the knife of the assassin is to drink my
blood hereafter because I have uttered it, no
rebel, no man in armed rehellion against this
government, no man who sympathizes either
directly or indirectly, or who has given aid,
comfort or encouragement to those in armed
rebellion, shall by my consent ever vote upon
this constitution. Ami right? if yon are
to have blood, drink in your blood. If you
are to have peace, meet me half way and have
peace. But am I to have peace when my
brother has been murdered in cold blood by
those hell-bounds who first brought on this
war; desolating my happy home? And be-
cause gentlemen who dare to get up on this
floor and express their sympathy for these
men are not to be. allowed to vote, that is
sufficient cause for vengeance to be meted out
to me.
Gentlemen have said here this day what I
thank them for. They have said that George
B. McClellan was their candidate. I am
glad of it. The speech of the gentleman from
Prince George's (Mr. Marbury) was made for
the ears that will soon bear it, to be carried
along to them at their camp-fires, to ask them
to vote for this noble patriot. All I have to
say to the soldier is to take up the speeches
of the opposition of tills convention, who have
been giving their sympathy to those in armed
rebellion; and then put alongside with them
their indorsement of George B. McClellan,
their adhesion to him as their candidate, and
their determination to support him; and then
let the soldiers consider upon how many bat-
tle-fields they have fought, how dearly their
brothers and companions have spent their
lives, what desolated homes and firesides
they have left; and if they can then vote for
the candidate that these gentlemen will vote
for, then my confidence in Maryland soldiers
is gone.
Gentlemen take exception to the test oath
as to the adoption of this constitution, and
say that the soldier has no right to vote for
it. The more honest and brave of them tell
us that they want the soldier to vote for
their peace candidate. The soldier is not
good enough to vote for your constitution,
but he is good enough to vote for George B.
McClellan. I had intended not to say one
word upon this matter; but I would respect-
fully refer gentlemen to the speech of their
own representative, delivered in this peace
convention which nominated this pure pa-
triot, whom they will now support, and see
what Mr. Harris, of Maryland, said there
about him. Here is his language :
" One was nominated here to-day who is a |
