gentlemen who left here this morning, and who
expected that the question would not be taken
this week. If Friday was fixed, he did not see
how they were to get here. He moved Saturday.
Mr. MERRICK hoped that a definitive vote
would be taken at all events during the present
Week. With that reservation, he was willing to
take any day on which it was probable that the
greatest number of members would be present.
Alter a suggestion by Mr DORSEY, the exact
purport of which did not reach the Reporter's
ear.
Mr. DIRICKSON enquired whether, if the Con-
vention should determine to close debale on any
fixed day, a motion to re-consider would be in
order?
The PRESIDENT replied in the affirmative—add-
ing that this question was subject lo the same
rules as any other.
The question was then taken on filling the
blank with Saturday.
And it was rejected.
Mr. MERRICK then moved Friday at two o'-
clock.
Mr. HARBINE moved three o'clock, remarking
that his colleagues could not reach here by two
o'clock.
The PRESIDENT stated the question to be, first,
on the day.
Mr. STEWART, of Caroline, moved to-morrow
at twelve o'clock.
The PRESIDENT said the question would be first
on the most distant day.
The question was taken, first, on the motion of
Mr. MERRICK, to fill the blank with Friday.
And it was agreed to
The question then recurred on the hour.
Mr. BROWN suggested twelve o'clock.
Some desultory discussion followed on this
point.
Mr. BUCHANAN. (naming an intermediate hour,)
suggested one o'clock.
Mr. HARBINE said, the object of fixing a day
for the termination of the debate was to give
time to gentlemen to get here before the question
was taken. Now, he asked this question. If
members could not reach here by Friday, what
was the use of taking a vote on that day, when
they would certainly be here on the next ? The
gentleman from Allegany, (Mr. Smith.) had de-
signated one gentleman. He, (Mr. H,) knew
of another, and there were no doubt other gen-
tlemen to whom the same remark was applicable
He, (Mr. H.,) did not desire to procrastinate the
deliberations of this body; he did not wish lo see
the Convention detained one day longer than was
Indispensably necessary for the transaction of
the public business. His motion contemplated
the extension of the time limited for dehate only
one hour. Three o'clock was the usual hour of
of adjournment By terminating the debate at
that hour on Friday, the voting might commence
on Saturday morning, and not a single moment
would be lost. He hoped that his amendment
would be agreed to.
Mr. DIRICKSON sad, he hoped that the amend-
ment proposing the hour of three would be agreed
to, because that was the furthest time which had |
I been designated. For his own part he was un-
willing to fix any day for the termination of the
debate.
It seemed strange to him that when one, two,
and nearly three weeks had been given lo the dis-
cussion of matters of minor importance, the de-
bate on this great and vital question—upon which
the representatives of the people in every suction
of the State eight to have an opportunity to ex-
press their sentiments—should be brought to a
dose in three or four days. He would not con-
sent to fetter debate. If gentlemen absent-
ed themselves from their places, let them settle
that matter with their constituents; and let them
not require the Convention, for the mere sake of
accommodating them, to conform their action to
their wishes, when it might be at war with the
peculiar wishes of their own constituents.
He would be competed to vote in favor of the
proposition of the gentleman from Washington
county, (Mr. Harbine,) simply because, as he
had stated, it proposed the furthest hour that had
been named.
Mr. HARBINE asked the yeas and nays on the
adoption of his motion, (i e. three o'clock;) which
were ordered, and being taken, resulted as fol-
lows :
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Morgan,
Blakistone, Dent, Hopewell, Lee, Dorsey, Jen-
ifer, Sherwood of Talbot, Colston, Phelps,
Chambers, of Cecil. McCullough, Miller, Mc-
Lane, McCubbin, Bowling, Dirickson, McMas-
ter, Hearn, Fooks, Jacobs, Sappington, Magraw,
Nelson. Thawley, Stewart of Caroline, Hard-
castle, Fiery, Harbine, Davis, Kilgour, Holly-
day and Smith—34.
Negative—Messrs. Ricaud, Mitchell, Donald-
son, Randall, Kent, Sellman, Weems, Brent of
Charles, Merrick, Howard, Buchanan. Bell,
Chandler, Ridgely, John Dennis, James U. Den-
nis, Williams, Hicks, Goldsborough, Bowie,
Sprigg, Grason, George, Wright, Shriver. Gaith-
er, Biser, Annan, Stephenson Gwinn, Stewart
of Baltimore city, Brent of Baltimore city, Sher-
wood of Baltimore city. Ware, John Newcomer,
Michael Newcomer, Brewer, Weber, Fitzpatrick,
Parke, Shower, Cockey, and Brown—43.
So the Convention refused to fix three o'clock.
The question recurred on the motion of Mr.
MERRICK, (i. e. two o'clock)
Mr. DIRICKSON now moved that the whole sub-
ject be laid upon the table; and asked the yeas
and nays on that motion, which were ordered,
and being taken, resulted as follows :
Affirmative—Messrs. Morgan, Dent, Hopewell,
Ricaud, Lee, Weems, Dalrymple, Bond, John
Dennis, James U. Dennis, Hicks, Goldsborough,
Phelps, McCubbin, Dirickson, McMaster, Hearn,
Fooks, Jacobs Kilgour, and Waters—21.
Negative—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Blakis-
tone, Mitchell, Donaldson, Dorsey, Randall,
Kent, Sellman, Brent of Charles Merrick, Jen-
ifer, Howard, Buchanan, Bell, Chandler, Ridge-
ly, Sherwood of Talbot, Colston, Williams,
Chambers of Cecil, McCullough, Miller, Mc-
Lane, Bowie. Sprigg, Bowling, Spencer, Grason,
George, Wright, Shriver, Gaither, Biser, An-
nan, Sappington, Stephenson, Magraw, Nelson, |
