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sentiment of our people upon this occurrence; and I think it my
duty, Gentlemen, to state to you the rules by which I shall be
governed, if, unfortunately, against our experience, and my own
trust in the sense of justice of the good people of this State, it
should become indispensable to resort to military aid to enforce
the law or maintain the public peace.

According to my understanding of that provision of the Con-
stitution, which directs me to take care that the laws be faithfully
executed, the Governor is invested with no new or unlimited
power, but charged with a duty, to be accomplished by those
means which the Constitution and laws strictly define. And that
clause whereby the Governor is empowered to call out the military,
to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, and enforce the execution
of the law, does not, in my opinion, enable him to select a volunteer
force unknown to the law; to charge military officers directly with
the execution of the laws; or to assume the duties or discharge
the office of a mayor or sheriff, with a military force under his com-
mand. And if he call out the military, and by his orders convert
citizens into soldiers, when there is neither invasion, insurrection,
nor forcible resistance to the execution of the law, he, in my
opinion, violates the Constitution. I will, therefore, do none of
these things. Above all I will carefully abstain from calling out
or enrolling a military force on the eve of an election, when poli-
tical animosities are agitating the minds of my fellow citizens,
and when a display of such kind near the places of voting, for-
bidden by the laws, could only provoke violence and bloodshed.

We have seen, in the metropolis of the nation, on what was
once part of Maryland soil, the dreadful results of a military inter-
ference at the polls; and the indignation which that act of blood
inspired throughout the country, is sufficient to convince me that
the hearts of men rise up against such tyranny, even when the
letter of the law may be strained to shelter the act.

It will be for you to consider whether there is such omission in
our statute book; and whether our laws can be so twisted as to
connive at such proceedings. When our people shall contemplate
with indifference a reckless exercise of military power; or a per-
version of what was meant for defence against foreign aggression,
into a weapon against our internal peace, they will have dege-
nerated into the tools of military despotism, and deserve the fate
of the miscalled republics of Mexico and South America.

The reverence for law and order, and for the ascertained popu-
lar will, which has always been the distinguishing honor of the
American people, seems to be in danger of utter extinguishment
by that violent spirit of party, which can invoke such means to
overawe the free right of suffrage, and which may finally attempt
to secure to itself the possession or continuance of power at the
expense of civil war. When a violent faction shall have learned
that such means may be used to secure success, their leaders will