A letter from New York on the position of Maryland is published in the Washington Constitution of yesterday. The writer views the arguments of Governor Hicks, in refusing to convene the Legislature, and says:
Maryland is now the great trump card of the Republicans, and is being skilfully played against the more western border States, as will be seen by the numerous Northern complaints to Gov. Hicks for his patriotism, (which word sometimes means love of an office in one’s own State, ) and in the very many articles, so called, of the Herald of this city, (see this day’s issue,) done, apparently, to order, as Bennett does everything, for the laudable motive of increasing the sale of so many more copies of that ever-inconsistent, yet powerful sheet, for good or ill.
Maryland is the highway to the capital of the Union, in every approach of the free States, and if the Republican party can only persuade her to keep the road open until after the 4th of March she may shut her toll-bars in vain. Let her not, therefore, be deluded with fictitious promises of purchasing her slaves. Every honorable man, and almost all slaveholders are, would spurn such an offer, even if made in good faith; but it neither will nor can be, for Black Republicans will have something more profitable to themselves to do with the revenues of the several States than paying for “niggers;” and, unless their ship owners could now make as profitable a job carrying them back to Africa, as their progenitors, the descendants of the “May-Flower,” did, in bringing the negroes’ grand parents this way, they would not want it, because it “would NOT PAY,” for that is an axiom in Puritan morality! On the other hand, what tyro in his profession but must know it would be unconstitutional to do so, even with the consent of the owners. Therefore, Maryland cannot remain neutral much longer. No one doubts her love of the Union, but since both the North and the South have estimated its value in these mercenary times, let her do so TOO, and thus give the city of Baltimore one more chance, now that steam has succeeded even “Baltimore clippers,” to become the greatest Southern port, and thus, at least, recover the tonnage which she had as long ago as forty-five years.
The Daily Exchange, Baltimore, MD
Editorial Note: Racist language in the news
To be clear, I categorically reject racism and racist language, and would never post that in contemporary writings. I feel it is important, however, to present these primary source materials as is, leaving the offensive language in situ to reflect the attitudes and statements of the time and place.
