90 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [May 8,

Mr. Lynch, from the Committee on Federal Relations, made
the following

REPORT:

The Committee on Federal Relations, to whom was referred
the Telegram addressed by J. A Davis and twenty-three other
persons, to the Hon. A. Kimmel, invoking his "utmost ability
to defeat the so-called Safety bill," having maturely considered
the said Telegram, beg leave to submit the following report:

The Committee do not think that twenty-four citizens of Cecil
county have a right to assume to speak for all the voters of said
county, numbering over three thousand five hundred. The Com-
mittee further believe, that the said twenty-four signers of the
Telegram have hastily transmitted the same, under the ground-
less conviction that the object of the bill alluded to was to create
a "Military Despotism," when, in fact, its provisions were in-
tended for no such object, and will admit of no such interpre-
tation.

The Committee are inclined to believe that the above erroneous
impression of the twenty-four signers was created by the publica-
tion of certain figurative expressions used in the heat of debate
by certain Senators opposed to the bill, which said signers inno-
cently supposed were intended to be understood literally.

The Committee, while fully recognising the sacred and in-
violable right of petition for redress of supposed grievances, never-
theless, cannot conclude without advising against the adoption
of the custom of the petitioning by Telegraph; because it is lia-
ble to abuse, no means being afforded of testing the genuineness
of the signatures.

The Committee having thus fully disposed of the subject re-
ferred to them, beg leave to be discharged from the further con-
sideration of the said Telegram, and recommend that the same
be returned to the Hon. A. Kimmel, to whom it was addressed.

ANDREW A. LYNCH,

Chairman.
Which was read.

The Senate adjourned.