evils that have fallen upon her, the enemy
which has tried to strike her down from her
proud place in the van of nations; which
has for the first time draggled her proud atar-
ry flag in the mud and mire—that enemy, as
God is my judge, I believe to be the institu-
tion of human slavery. Right or wrong, I
believe it. Nay, sir, I take that back, and say
that I know it. And though I am the
friend and daily companion and associate of
the slaveholder, I am as true and earnest a
halter of the system as breathes God's free air
this night. Many a day and many a night
have I followed the bloody history of the
times, and as I have done so I have promised
myself that if the day should ever come when
I could strike that system a blow, when I
could put the knife to its heart, God helping
me, I would strike strong and sure. The
gentleman from Anne Arundel (Mr, Henkle)
quoted the lines—
"The flesh, will quiver when the pincers tear,
The blood will follow where the knife is driv-
en."
I have marked for three long years, three
long, dark, terrible years, the quivering flesh
of my torn and bleeding country. I have
maked the flowing of the precious priceless
blood which slavery has drawn from veins that
ought to be immortal. And loving her as
I do; watching her agonies as I have watch-
ed them, I will never forgive, so help me hea-
ven, that thing which has torn her flesh,
her quivering flesh, and drawn her precious,
her priceless blood !
Now, let me give you a quotation from a
good old yankee sung. I sometimes take a
social glass; and sometimes I do it in compa-
ny of gentlemen with southern proclivities.
But I hardly ever in my life did so with one
of those gentlemen, who, when be came to be
a little—off his guard, [laughter] did not
like to hear the Star-Spangled Banner sung,
or even Yankee Doodle. It is an American
instinct and will out some time or other.—
Now, about that yankee song, its chorus is—
" There's a good time coming, boys; wait a
little longer." There is great virtue in those
words. Wait and hope; the night is very
dark, the storm is very high, but God is at
the helm ! and if He watches the fall of the
sparrow, it he counts the bails of your head,
do you think He cares nothing for a nation's
agonies? Do you not think that if He so
loved mankind that He gave our Master to
die tor them, He will not at last stretch out
His omnipotent arm, when His hour comes,
and save us? Ida from my heart believe it.
I believe he is working our salvation now,
and by the destruction of that evil whence
has sprung all our woes. Then I say " there's
a good time coming." Only think of it. Does
it not make your heart bound? Does it not
make the warm blood in your veins course
with double swiftness, to think of it? A time |
when our nation shall learn war no more;
when the erring on both sides, who have
done each other mutual wrongs, shall mutual-
ly lay down their arms, and declare them-
selves brothers, one nation, one land, one
people, having one grand destiny, and that
destiny to lead all nations to liberty and
Christianity. This day is coming. Do we not
long for it? And if we had the power, would
we not bring it about? And has not God the
will to do it—more pity and more love than
we have, and has He not the power to do it,
and will he not do it ?
Brothers, and I call every man on this floor
now, my brother; let us at least be brothers
in this; that we will look to such adestiny, if
God shall perchance give it to us. Whether it
shall come sooner or later, let us look to it and
labor fur it, and my word for it, it will not be
long before you will hear again from south-
ern mountains, and southern valleys, from
that grand old lyric which Maryland's son,
in days of gloom, gave to his countrymen ;
those words of good cheer:
' 'The star-spangled banner in triumph doth
wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave."
Mr. KENNARD. We have determined to act
upon this question at 2 o'clock to-morrow.
I therefore move that when this Convention
adjourn, it be to meet to-morrow morning
at 9 o'clock. That will give us an additional
hour to hear some member who may want to
speak upon this question.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. PUGH. I have received a telegraphic
despatch from my partner informing me that
he is very ill. I therefore ask to be excused
from attendance on this Convention for a few
days.
Leave of absence was accordingly granted.
On motion of Mr, PURNELL—
The Convention then adjourned to 9 A.
M. to-morrow.
FORTIETH DAY.
FRIDAY, June 24,1864.
The Convention met at 9 o'clock, A. M.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr, Owen.
The roll was called and the following mem-
bers answered to their names:
Mess's. Goldsborough, President; Abbott,
Annan, Audoun, Baker, Berry, of Baltimore
county, Berry, of Prince George's, Billings-
ley, Blackiston, Briscoe, Brown, Carter, Cham-
bers, Clarke, Crawford, Cunningham, Cush-
ing, Dail, Daniel, Davis, of Charles, Davis, of
Washington, Dennis, Duvall, Earle, Ecker,
Edelen, Farrow, Gale, Galloway, Greene,
Harwood, Hatch, Hebb, Hollyday, Hopkins,
Hopper, Horsey, Johnson, Jones, of Cecil |
