that as usual in deliberative bodies, the re-
ports of committees would be supported by
the chairmen of those committees. But up to
this time the gentleman has seemed to fold
his arms. He will not deign to open his
mouth. As the oracle of his party he does
not now choose to give us his oracular teach-
ings as to the purposes of iris committee in
offering this article to the consideration of
this Convention. But be as Pollock says of
Byron:
" On the loftiest top
"Of fame's dread mountain sits, not soiled
and worn
"As if he from the earth had labored up,
" But as some bird of heavenly plumage fair
" He looked, which down from higher regions
came,
"And perched it there to see what lay be-
neath."
Or it may be that he proposes to—,
—" bestride the narrow world
" Like a Collossus; and we petty men
"Walk under his huge legs and peep about
" To find ourselves dishonorable graves."
I am here in part representing the people
of Prince George's county, as the peer of the
gentleman. I only wish he had pursued the
course which is ordinarily pursued in such
cases, that we might have had from him
oracular teachings of wisdom upon the pro-
position which he submits as an addition to
our Constitution. I shall, however, abide
his time. I shall wait, with an anxiety per-
haps that never man felt, to hear that gentle-
man open his mouth, to hear him give the
reasons why this inroad upon State rights,
this monstrous article should beincorporated
in our organic law. I shall perhaps learn
from him whether we are here to make a
Declaration of Rights, or whether we are here
to make a declaration of wrongs.
I propose to examine into the course of
other gentlemen before I approach the main
subject. In referring personally to gentle-
men, let me say that I do it with all due re-
spect to you, as the President of this body,
and to the Convention, and to the gentlemen
to whom I may refer, it has always been
my course to try to cultivate amity and good
feelings with all persons with whom I am
brought in contact. I have never yet vio-
lated that rule of courtesy which I hope will
always characterize me in my intercourse
with gentlemen,
I beg leave now to refer to our friend from
Howard (Mr. Sands.) He seems to feel that
the whole weight of this government is on
his shoulders. He seems to have taken the
whole responsibility upon himself. Like At-
las of old, he appears to feel that he not
only has the world upon his shoulders but
that the heavens itself rests upon him, Archi-
medes said that if ha had a base upon which |
to place his fulcrum, with his lever be could
move the world. I am afraid my friend is in
the category of Archimedes in this respect;
that he has no base upon which to fix his
fulcrum.
Mr. SANDS. Will the gentleman permit me
to say this: If I had that base for my lever,
and the power of Archimedes, I would lift
these States rights heresies so high they would
never come down.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I thank
my friend for the suggestion. Let me add
that he is not only in the position of Archi-
medes in that respect, but from the fallacies
of his arguments and positions here, I will
not say from the promptings of fanaticism,
hut certainly from erroneous reasoning, with
all this weight and responsibility upon his
shoulders, he is sinking into the quick sands
of fanaticism so deep that I am afraid even
Archimedes, with his lever, and with a base
for his fulcrum, would never be able to raise
him. My friend in his speech to the Conven-
tion took occasion to turn his eye in this di-
rection, and ask if we knew the fate of Ha-
man: he was hanged very high. Let me ask
my friend whether he recollects the fate of
Judas Iscariot, who, if I am not mistaken,
sold the life of the Saviour for thirty pieces
of silver, and then came acid threw it down
in contrition at the feet of the powers from
whom be had received it, and went out and
hanged himself.
Mr. SANDS. The parallel does not run be-
tween Judas and myself, because I have not
turned traitor yet,
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I beg now
to turn my attention for a short time to my
friend from Baltimore city, (Mr. Cushing,)
who entertained us with a speech for which I
tender him my congratulation; not for the
matter of his speech, not for any conclusions
of his, but for the manner. It was so beau-
tiful that I might almost say it was an exotic.
it was almost fragrant. I really enjoyed it;
perhaps as much as any man on this floor.
But my friend announced heresies here that
need to be confuted, and I propose to confute
them before I get through. I admired him
for the manner in which he delivered himself,
the boldness with which he announced his
own views—for no other man upon this floor
has undertaken to say that hew sin favor of
ignoring all State rights, that be was in favor
of a consolidated government, and if I am in
error I hope my friend will correct me.
Mr. CUSHING. Perfectly right.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. And he
declared that it would be the proudest act
of his life to be able to vote here for the entire
extinction of State lines, and building up a
consolidated government,
Mr. CUSHING. Not State lines.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I will ex-
plain that. I say that that was the necessary
conclusion of the gentleman's arguments; for |
