a labyrinth without a clue, and in either case
alike I should become hopelessly lost.
When I vote for this article, I shall do so
because it declares a principle which I believe
to be vital to our happiness as a nation.
There is a, difference between the sovereignty
of the United States and the sovereignty of
the State, and it is this: the one is paramount,
and the other is subordinate. And
the existence of both depends upon keeping
each in its proper sphere. I shall vote for
the article as it now stands,
Mr. BELT obtained the floor but yielded to
Mr. CUSHING, who yielded to
Mr. KING, who moved that the Convention
do now adjourn.
Several MEMBERS. Oh ! no, withdraw the
motion to adjourn.
Mr. BELT. Before the vote is taken on the
motion to adjourn, I desire to say, by way of
personal explanation, that so fair us I am per-
sonally concerned, I am perfectly willing to
proceed with my argument now. But I doubt
whether this Convention, having been in ses-
sion since ten o'clock this morning, are in a
condition to listen to me for the hour I may
occupy. But the. gentleman from Baltimore
(Mr. Cushing), if he will allow me to refer to
him, will probably nut want to occupy so
much time as I will. And I would suggest
the propriety of hearing him now.
Mr. CUSHING. I am willing to proceed now,
or give way for an adjournment, as the Con-
vention may desire, with the understanding
that I shall be entitled to the floor upon this
question, when we meet to-morrow.
The question being taken on the motion to
adjourn, it was not agreed too.
Mr. CRUSHING. Mr. President: I have no
prepared argument to submit, nor do I de-
sign to go into all the political questions or
make citations from all the different authori-
ties who may have spoken at various times
in the past history of our country upon the
issues involved in the question now before
this body. I merely wish to enter my pro-
test, so far as I have the power, against cer-
tain statements and certain assertions which
were made upon the floor of this House yes-
terday, and which, if not contradicted, may be
regarded by some as representing the unanimous
sentiment and belief of this body. There
were statements and assertions contained in
the argument of my friend from Prince
George's, (Mr. Clarke) that struck me as so
new, so utterly surprising and startling in
their import land importance', that I would
not willingly allow the opportunity to pass
without at least entering my protest against
their gneral acceptance.
He expressed opinions so strong, that they
took the form of assertions in regard to the
position of the people of this State at the
time of the breaking out of the civil war in
which we are now engaged.. If I am not
mistaken—and I do not think I am, for that |
was the first thing that peculiarly attracted
my attention—the gentleman asserts that at
the beginning of this war, the people of
Maryland, referring to those who then held in
their hands the control of the policy of the
State, were strongly Union; and had they in
all respects been seconded by a governor dif-
fering in political views from the one who
then occupied the gubernatorial chair, the
State of Maryland would have interposed her-
self in favor of peace, and the civil war which
now rages throughout the length and breadth
of the land would not have been begun.
Mr. CLARKE. In my opinion.
Mr. CUSHING. In his opinion.
Mr. CLARKE. I made no assertions, only
expressed an opinion.
The PRESIDENT. The Chair will take this
occasion to say that if any member desires to
interrupt one speaking in any way, he must
rise and respectfully ask permission of tie one
occupying the floor to do so.
Mr. CLARKE. I meant no disrespect. I
simply desired to say that I merely expressed
my individual opinions yesterday, but made
no assertions.
The PRESIDENT. The Chair did not sup-
pose that the gentleman meant any disrespect.
But as the Convention is well aware, so much
time has been taken up heretofore by these
interruptoins, and so much will be taken up
hereafter if the practice is permitted to con-
tinue, that the Chair desires to announce
now that he will interpose in future to pre-
vent these continual interruptions. A speaker
has a right to characterize the remarks of
another in any way he may see proper, pro-
vided he does not convey any imputation
upon either the Convention or the individual
member. If he does, then the individual
member has the right to rise to a matter of
personal privilege.
Mr. CLARKE. If the position of a, member
is misrepresented, has be not a right to make
the correction ?
The PRESIDENT. With the permission of
the speaker.
Mr. CUSHING. I understood the gentleman
from Prince George's (Mr. Clarke) to put his
statement at the lime in the form of an asser-
tion, which he understood to be so generally
admitted that it would meet with no denial.
I will say to the gentleman that at the time
to which he refers I happened to be living in
a portion of this State where there was evi-
dent a sentiment wihch, if it had controlled
the State, would most certainly have led to
different results from those which the gentle-
man from Prince George's adverted to in his
argument yesterday. I happened to live in a
community where one single man, acting
against the Government, presumed to arro-
gate to himself the whole power of the Gen-
eral Government, and to lay an embargo
upon the commerce of the port of Balti-
more. |
