would not have stood by and seen that man
sent back to slavery after having travelled
hundreds of miles to gain it. Whatever may
be the inconsistency of that, I have not been
go inconsistent as to both admit that slavery
was wrong and that I was a slaveholder; or
that the law making slavery was wrong in
its inception, but that I would assist in up-
holding it on the BORDER=0s of a free State and
making that a hunting ground for slaves.
The gentleman from Prince George's (Mr.
Clarke) with an assumption not warranted
either by his years or by his wisdom, has pre-
sumed to speak as if my youth was such that
I had barely left the parent nest. I would
call the attention of this Convention that his
experience covers a period of not quite sixty
days. That full-blown statesman has come
here after an incubation of about sixty days;
and one would suppose that he had been con-
sulted in framing the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, and the Constitution of the United
States, and had been in public life from that
time to this. I thought perhaps the gentle-
man from Prince George's might have sate at
the feet of my colleague (Mr. Stockbridge)
during the last session of the General Assem-
bly of this State, and so have learned from
him, but my colleague was unfortunately
born upon the hated soil that produced such
iniquitous anti-slavery men as Jay, Everett,
Alexander Hamilton and Franklin, and the
chivalrous inember from Prince George's (Mr.
Clarke) could not stoop to study in that
school. Moreover, the lengthy Latin quota-
tion paraded in the gentleman's speech proved
during its utterance that such pronunciation
and scanning could not have been learned in
any New England school. I thought per-
haps the gentleman might have supposed I
was not capable of expressing my views upon
the floor of this House, because I had not been
like him engaged in the trial of those cele-
brated cases which have made his name
already so famous, that it will be doubtless
quoted as authority by all generations yet to
come.
In conclusion, I have but to say that I am
here to represent a constituency that thought
me old enough and wise enough to come here.
If gentlemen can bring any arguments to
disprove anything I advance, I shall be de-
lighted to hear it. If they can utterly over-
throw any propositions I may advance, they
will be heard by none mure gladly than by
myself, it shows the inherent weakness of
the cause they attempt to defend, when not
touching the arguments, not denying the
facts, they attempt merely to slur it over by
an allusion to my youth. |
Mr. MILLER. I have a personal explanation
also to make. The gentleman from Balti-
more county (Mr. Berry) has made some al-
lusion to the vote that was taken on the 12th
of May, 1864, on the resolution offered by
the gentleman from Baltimore.
"Resolved, That this Convention tenders
the thanks of the State to the soldiers of Ma-
ryland in the army of General Grant, for the
gallant manner in which they have behaved
during the recent battles, and that this Con-
vention expresses its deep sympathy with the
families of the slain, and for the wounded in
their sufferings."
I voted, sir, upon that resolution, on that
occasion, contrary to the majority of the gen-
tlemen with whom I have uniformly acted
since I have been here, and for this reason. I
did not regard voting for the resolution as an
indorsement of the war or the policy upon
which the war is waged. I can vote at any
time thanks to the gallantry of Maryland
men, displayed in the field of battle and did
so in this case without approving of the policy
of the war in which they are engaged. The
concluding part of the resolution, expressing
sympathy with the families of those who have
fallen, I would vote for under all circum-
stances.
My views are just these in regard to the
war; that if prosecuted at all it should be
waged as the Crittenden resolution declares
for no purpose of conquest or subjugation, or
to overthrow or interfere with the rights of
any man under the Constitution, but to de-
fend and maintain the supremecy of the Con-
stitution and to preserve the Union with all
the dignity, and equality, and rights of the
several States unimpaired; and that as soon
as these objects are accomplished the war
should cease. I think if the war is now pros-
ecuted for any other purpose, it has changed
its character. By voting for that resolution
I did not approve of the war much less in-
dorse the policy upon which it is now con-
ducted.
Mr. CLARKE. One word in reply to the
personal matter of the gentleman from Balti-
more city (Mr. Cushing.) The gentleman
misunderstood me; for I did not intend .to
comment either upon his years or his legisla-
tive experience, when I pronounced him a
"fledgeling" in his constitutional law. I
leave the judgment of posterity to pass upon
that, upon my views as spread upon the Jour-
nal of Debates.
On motion of Mr. MILLER,
The Convention adjourned to meet under
the order previously adopted, on July 6th, at
12 o'clock M. |
