ment here to-day? Slavery is robbery; you
who hold slave property hold it by the title
of a thief, which is no title. The laws which
have been passed upon this subject, giving
every citizen of Maryland the right to hold
property of this bind, are nullities. And yet
I well remember that my learned friend from
Washington (Mr. Negley) standing in his
plaice, when the vote was being taken upon
tire resolution of my friend from Prince
George's (Mr. Clarke) authorizing the ap-
pointing a committee to go to Washington
city and endeavor to procure from the Presi-
dent and Congress some compensation for
slaves emancipated in this State—the gentle-
man arose in his place, when his name was
called, and said that while he voted " no" on
the resolution, because he deemed it prema-
ture, that the time for it had not come, he
was still in favor of compensation from the
general government.
Mr. NEGLEY. I never said that I was in
favor of the general government remunerating
slaveholders for their manumitted slaves. I
said that I always believed that such an effort
would be utterly fruitless. But as some gen-
tlemen from the lower counties had pledged
themselves to make that effort, I was willing
to vote to enable them to have an opportunity
to fulfil their pledges to their constituents.
But I said that I never believed, and I do not
now believe, that the federal government
ever will make one cent's remuneration for
slaves.
Mr. EDELEN. Then I understand my friend
to say that be is opposed to compensation
from any and every source.
Mr. NEGLEY. That conclusion does not
necessarily follow; that is outside of my po-
sition.
Mr. EDELEN. From whom is it to come?
You refuse to ask the general government tor
it; you refuse to let the State make it; from
whom is it to come?
My learned friend from Howard (Mr.
Sands) cannot escape from his position.
There are those in this house who will well
remember the speech he made here, upon
the twenty-third article of the bill of rights,
I believe. After going on in pretty much the
same strain of argument with which he en-
tertained us this morning, he pulled from his
desk and read to us a copy of the platform
upon which he and his colleagues stood be-
fore the people of Howard county in the late
canvass for seats in this convention. In that
platform they stand fully, fairly and squarely
upon the principle of compensation from the
general government; and take bold and
strong ground against State compensation
Now, if I and every other slaveholder in this
State have no other than a theifs title, if ;
have no rightful property in my slave, will
my learned friend (Mr. Sands) and all those
gentlemen upon the other side who take the
same ground, tell me with what show of rea- |
son, with what show of consistency they can
plant themselves upon that platform, and ask
the general government to compensate me for
a kind of property in which I have no more
title than the thief in the purse he has sto-
len?
Mr. SANDS. Will the gentleman permit me
to explain ?
Mr. EDELEN. Certainly.
Mr. SANDS. My explanation is simply this :
I stated in the speech to which the gentleman
referred, that as a question of law every ne-
gro held in slavery in Maryland was held
from the thief who, in the language of Mr.
Pinckney, had plundered him of his liberty.
Now, about this question of compensation: I
said, as a question of mere law, that I did
not think the slaveowner was entitled to
compensation either from the State or the
general government. But as a question of
expediency, as a question looking to the uni-
fication of our people, the pacification of our
people. if the general government was pleased
to give compensation I would favor it. And I
stand pledged—mark you the terms of that
pledge—to the use of all honorable measures
to secure that compensation. But if the gen-
tleman understands that I would consider it
an honorable measure to go to the general
government and falsify all my views and the
light of history, all I have to say is that I do
not understand it in that light. I might urge
compensation upon the general government
upon the grounds I have stated, the unifica-
tion and pacification of our people, but net
upon any moral or legal grounds. Expe-
diency will govern me, and I will keep my
pledge.
Mr. EDELEN. Then the gentleman would
have the general government do it ex gratia,
and not de jure, or as a matter of right?
Mr. SANDS. Yes, sir; that is it.
Mr. EDELEN. Thankful, sir; very thankful
for small favors.
Mr. SANDS. You are very welcome to all
you can get.
Mr. EDELEN. Aye, sir; there comes the
truth at last. The gentleman and those who
stand by him and advocate that proposition
know lull well that it is only a cheat, and that
it will end in nothing,
Now in regard to this matter of a thief s
title, I am glad my friend from Howard has
referred to the name of Pinckney. I wish to
refer to him myself. The argument of the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Negley,)
of my friend from Howard (Mr. Sands,) and
I believe the argument of my friend from
Baltimore city (Mr. Thomas, ) will all, when
you come to analyze them, resolve them-
selves into this; that we do not hold slaves
in Maryland by any sort of title but a thief's
title; that somebody stole these negroes from
Africa, and sold them to our ancestors, and
through that chain the title has finally cen-
tered in us; but that it was bad in its inci- |
