1861.] OF ITHE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 107
Also proposed the following :
WHEREAS, In the judgment of the General Assembly of
Maryland, the war now waged by the Government of the
United States upon the people of the Confederate States is
unconstitutional in its origin, purposes and conduct; repug-
nant to civilization and sound policy ; subversive of the free
principles upon which the Federal Union was founded, and
certain to result ia the hopeless and bloody, overthrow of our
existing institutions ; and
WHEREAS, The people of Maryland, while recognising the
obligations of their State, as a member of the Union, to sub-
mit in good faith to the exercise of all the legal and constitu-
tional powers of the General Government, and join as one
man in fighting its authorized battles, do reverence never-
theless, the great American principle of self-government and
sympathize deeply with their Southern brethren in their
noble and manly determination to uphold and defend the
same; and
WHEREAS, not merely on their own account, turn away
from their own soil'the calamities of civil war, but for the
blessed sake of humanity, and to arrest the wanton shedding
of fraternal blood, in a miserable contest which can bring
nothing with it but sorrow, shame and desolation, the people
of Maryland are enlisted with their whole hearts, upon the
side of reconciliation and peace,
Now therefore, it is hereby resolved, by the General As-
sembly of Maryland:
That the State of Maryland owes it to her own self-respect
and her respect for the Constitution, not less, than to her
deepest and most honorable sympathies, to register this, her
solemn protest, against the war which the Federal Govern-|
ment has declared upon the Confederated States of the South
and our sister and neighbor Virginia, and to announce her
resolute determination to have no part or lot, directly or indi-
rectly, in its prosecution.
Resolved, That the State of Maryland earnestly and anx-
iously desires the restoration of peace between the beligerent
sections of the country ; and the President, authorities and
people of the Confederate States having over and over official-
ly and unofficially, declared, that they seek only peace and
self-defence and to be let alone, and that they are willing to
throw down the sword, the instant the sword now drawn
against them shall be sheathed :
The Senators and Delegates of Maryland do fervently be-
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