TUESDAY, April 22, 1851.
The Convention met.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Graff.
The roll was called.
Mr. STEWART, of Baltimore city, moved that
there be a call of the Convention.
The motion was not pressed.
The Journal of yesterday was read.
NEW COUNTY.
Mr. DORSEY, chairman of the committee on
New Counties, submitted the following
REPORT:
Art. It shall he the duty of the Legislature,
at its session next after the adoption of this
constitution, to pass all such laws as may be
necessary to define the limits of a new county,
to be formed of that part of Frederick county
which lies to the west of the Catoctin Mountain,
and embracing the south eastern parts of Wash-
ington county; and to take the votes of the
qualified voters of such contemplated county;
and if a majority thereof shall cast their votes
in favor of the creation of such new county,
then the Legislature shall pass all legislative
enactments requisite for the establishment and
organization thereof, the name whereof shall
be "Lee county." And its representation in
the General Assembly shall be one Senator and
two delegates, which said two delegates shall
thenceforth be deducted, the one from the del-
egates of Frederick county, and the other from
that of Washington county, until after the next
census of the United States, when the repre-
sentation in the House of Delegates, of the city
of Baltimore and all the counties in this State,
shall be adjusted in the manner hereinbefore
provided for by this constitution.
Mr. THOMAS called for the reading of the re-
port, and it was read.
Mr. NEILL desired to be informed by the
gentleman from Anne Arundel, (Mr. Dorsey,)
whether this was the report of a majority of the
committee.
Mr. DORSEY. It is.
The report was then ordered to be printed,
and was made the order of the day for Tuesday
next.
Mr. HARBINE said, he merely desired to re-
mark that, as a member of the committee, he
did not concur in the report, and that when it
should be taken up, he should propose such
amendments as seemed to him to be proper.
Mr. SHRIVER presented a petition of sundry
citizens of Frederick and Washington counties,
remonstrating against the formation of a new
county, to be composed of a portion of the
aforesaid counties.
Which was read; and
On motion of Mr. SHRIVER, referred to the
committee on New Counties.
There being no morning business before the
Convention—
Mr. STEWART, of Baltimore city, moved that
the Convention proceed to the consideration of
the unfinished business of yesterday.
66 |
Mr. BOWIE moved that there be a call of the
Convention.
A suggestion having been made that a quorum
was in the Hall—
Mr. BOWIE withdrew his motion for a call of
the Convention.
THE CASE OF MITCHELL.
Mr. SOLLERS, chairman of the select commit-
tee on the subject, submitted the following
REPORT:
The committee to whom was referred the
subject of the requisition of the Governor of
Pennsylvania upon the Governor of this State,
for the delivering of James S. Mitchell, beg
leave to report that they have had the same
under consideration, and have come to the con-
clusion that the Governor of this State did right
in refusing to deliver said Mitchell to the au-
thorities of the State of Pennsylvania, and that
he deserves the thanks of the good people of
this State for the firmness he has manifested in
his refusal to deliver a citizen of Maryland to
an unjust and unconstitutional demand made by
the Governor of Pennsylvania.
They beg leave further to report that they
have understood that two citizens of the State
of Pennsylvania who acted as agents of James
S. Mitchell, in capturing his slaves, have been
convicted of the crime of kidnapping, and sen-
tenced to the Penitentiary of that State. Be-
lieving, as your committee do. that the taking
and delivering to the said Mitchell, by the said
agents, of the child of the fugitive slave woman
of the said Mitchell, was not a crime under the
federal constitution, but in strict conformity
thereto, and feeling as they do the deepest sym-
pathy for the said agents, they beg leave to re-
port the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the Executive of this State be
requested to instruct the Attorney General to
cause such proceedings to be set on foot as that
the case of said agents may be brought before
the Supreme Court of the United States for its
adjudication.
Resolved, further, That one thousand copies
of correspondence between the Governor of this
State and the Governor of Pennsylvania, with
the accompanying documents, be printed for
the use of the members of this Convention.
The report was read, ordered to be entered on
the Journal.
THE JUDICIARY.
The President announced the unfinished bu-
siness of yesterday, being the report No. 13,
heretofore submitted by Mr. Bowie, as chair-
man of the committee on the Judiciary.
The pending question was on the motion of
Mr. Hicks, to amend said fifth section by stri-
king out at the end of the 9th line, the word
ten," and inserting in lieu thereof "fourteen;"
and in the 11th line, after the word "and," in-
sert "shall not;" and in the 12th line, by striking
out all of said line, except the last word—"sub-
ject."
Mr. SPENCER said that one or two motions
had already been made for calls of the Conven- |
