to this Convention, what appropriation, if
any, will be made by Congress, In pursuance
of the recommendations contained in the
messages of the President of the United States,
of December 1862, and December 1863, and
the joint Resolutions of Congress No. 26, ap-
proved April 10th, 1862, to aid the State of
Maryland in the adoption of a system of
Emancipation, and "to be used by said State
in its discretion to compensate for the incon-
veniences, public and private, produced by
such change of system."
Mr. NEGLEY submitted the following
amendment :
Strike out all after the word Congress, in
the ninth line, and insert, " and call the atten-
tion of the President to the fact, that this
Convention intends to insert a clause in its
Constitution, abolishing slavery immediately
and unconditionally, and to suggest to him
the propriety of bringing the question of re-
munerating loyal slaveholders in this State
before Congress, in accordance with the
recommendations contained in his Annual
Messages of December 1862 and 1863, and
the Joint Resolutions of Congress, No. 26,
approved April the 10th, 1862, to aid the
State of Maryland in the adoption of a sys-
tem of emancipation.
Mr. DANIEL moved to lay the whole subject
on the table.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's, demanded
the yeas and nays and they were ordered,
The question being taken, the result was—
yeas 52, nays 30—as follows :
Yeas—Messrs. Goldsborough, President;
Abbott, Annan, Audoun, Baker, Barron, Ber-
ry of Baltimore county, Carter, Cunningham,
Cushing, Daniel, Davis .of Washington,
Earle, Ecker, Farrow, Galloway, Hatch, Hebb,
Hoffman, Hopkins, Hopper, Jones of Cecil,
Keefer, Kennard, King, Larsh, Markey. Mul-
likin, Murray, Negley, Nyman, Parker, Pugh,
Robinette, Russell, Sands, Schley, Schlosser,
Scott, Smith of Carroll, Smith of Worcester,
Sneary, Stirling, Stockbridge, Swope, Sykes,
Thomas, Thruston, Todd, Valliant, Wickard,
Wooden—52.
Nays—Messrs. Belt, Berry of P. George's,
Billingsley, Blackiston, Bond, Briscoe,
Brown, Chambers, Clarke, Crawford, Davis
of Charles, Dennis, Duvall, Edelen, Gale,
Harwood. Henkle, Hodson, Hollyday, Horsey,
Jones of Somerset, Lansdale, Lee, Marbury,
Mitchell, Miller, Morgan, Parran, Turner,
Wilmer—30.
Pending the call of the roll, as their names
were called, the following members explained
their votes;
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I shall
vote—no. At the same time I want it dis-
tinctly understood that I shall oppose any-
thing like the abolition of slavery under any
and all circumstances. As to the question of
compensation, I take it for granted that there
is not a man within the Bound of my voice |
entitled to a seat upon this floor, who by his
vote would take any property of mine or any
other citizen of the State without a just
compensation; because if he can take my ne-
groes, be can take my purse;—
Called to order by Mr. DANIELS on the
ground that while a member might explain
his vote, he could not argue upon the subject,
pending the call.
Mr. BILLINGSLEY. I vote in the negative ;
but wish it to be distinctly understood that I
do not commit myself to the policy. I am
anxious to ascertain whether the overtures
which have been made by the General Gov-
ernment in regard to this question, are sin-
cere, and whether it is the intention of the
party which has made the overtures to carry
out in good faith what they have provided.
Mr. CLARKE. I have only to say, inasmuch
as I offered the resolution, that I offered it
in good faith. I desire to ascertain, under
the President's message, and the act of Con-
gress, what appropriation will be made by the
Federal Congress in order to carry out the
purposes and objects specified in the resolu-
tion. Until an answer is given to that, I
commit myself no way. When the answer is
before us; when the proposition shall come
from Congress what will be done, then I re-
serve the right to judge whether I will accept
it or not. If it is a fair proposition, one
which the State of Maryland, acting as a sov-
ereignty, chooses to accept, it will be for the
people to determine upon it. It may be pre-
sented in such aform that it may be desirable
to accept it. I therefore vote—no—without
committing myself to the acceptance or non-
acceptance of any offer which may be made,
leaving that question to be determined here-
after, when the offer shall have been made.
Mr. DENNIS. I should have voted for this
resolution, not because I expected any prac-
tical results to grow out of it, nor because I
thought Congress had any right to do this
thing. I vote—no—to prevent the impres-
sion that I am in favor of the amendment of
the gentleman from Washington, (Mr. Neg-
ley,) and for the further reason that the
amendment proposes to announce to the Cab-
inet in Washington and the' officials there
that this Convention intends to abolish slave-
ry; and I wish this motion to fail, that this
thing may be discussed by the House. I
really desire to learn how that determination
has been arrived at. I want to know whether
the Convention are determined to abolish
slavery, whether they have come into this
Hall with a predetermination, independent of
the argument here, to adopt or to reject cer-
tain measures.
Mr. KING. Upon the "expectation that this
will be taken up from the table when the proper
time shall arrive to discuss it, I vote—aye,
Mr. MULLIKIN. I am opposed to the resolu-
tion, because I think it is premature, and
therefore vote—aye. |
