1861.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 15

and he is hereby respectfully requested to report to this House,
the number, kind and quality of arms in the Arsenal in Fred-
erick city ; the number of troops now in service at said Arse-
nal ; whether said troops are to be paid or not, and what
amount of pay they are to receive; why said troops were
called into service ; and what necessity there is for continu-
ing them in service.

Which was adopted.

The Secretary of the Senate delivered the following:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Delegates, That the
"extraordinary state of affairs" in Maryland and the Repub-
lic, justifies and demands that we should adopt and pub-
lish the following

ADD EE SS TO THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND:

Under the proclamation of your Governor, we have assem-
bled to act, according to our best judgments, for the true in-
terest of Maryland.

That Proclamation has declared the present to be "an ex-
traordinary state of affairs ;" and all must admit the correct-
ness of that assertion. We have been convened to do all that
we have the constitutional authority and the mental ability
of accomplishing, to provide for your safety and welfare
during the pendency of the present unfortunate and terrible
crisis. At the commencement of our labors, we feel it to be
our duty to you and to your General Assembly to solicit your
confidence in the fidelity with which our responsibilities will
be discharged. We are Marylanders, as you are. We have
families, as you have. Our duty, our wishes and our hopes
will be to legislate for the true interests of all the people of
our State.

We cannot but know that a large propotion of the citizens
of Maryland have been induced to believe that there is a
probability that our deliberations may result in the passage
of some measure committing this State to secession. It is,
therefore, our duty to declare that all such fears are without
just foundation. We know that we have no constitutional
authority to take such action. You need not fear that there
is a possibility that we will do so.

If believed by us to be desired by you, we may, by legisla-
tion to that effect, give you the opportunity of deciding for
yourselves, your own future destiny. We may go thus far,
but certainly will not go farther.