JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Jan. 2,

THURSDAY, January 2, 1868.

The Senate met pursuant to adjournment.

Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Leech.

Present at the call of the roll the following Senators :

Messrs. Browne, Biggs, Brewer, Compton, Clarke, Carroll,
Denson, Earle, Fields, Grove, Henkle, Hyland, Hammond,
Lee, Maddox, Miller, Parker, of Calvert, Spates, Snyder,
Smith, Walsh, Welch.

Hon. Wm. Kimmel, Senator elect from the 1st Legisla-
tive District of Baltimore city, and the Hon. Thos. P. Parker,
Senator elect from Worcester county, not heretofore quali-.
fied, took the oath prescribed by the Constitution before the
President, pro tempore.

On motion by Mr. Snyder,

The Hon. Barnes Compton, of Charles county, was de-
clared unanimously elected President of the Senate.

Mr. Compton was then conducted to the chair by Messrs.
Earle and Snyder.

When he delivered the following address :

SENATORS:

To be called at any time to preside in the Senate of Mary-
land, would be an honor of which any citizen of the State
might be permitted to feel proud. But, (you will pardon
me for giving expression to the fact), selected as your presi-
ding officer is upon this occasion, not from a majority of the
members, but from the entire body, the honor from this cir-
cumstance seems to receive additional lustre. I should in»
deed be sadly deficient in the susceptibilities which go so far
to make up a becoming degree of manhood, if I did not feel
strongly, and express warmly my unqualified thanks for this
manifestation of your respect and confidence. I am con-
strained to renewed regrets at ray own unworthiness. I fear
that in me you will not find those rare qualities which, com-
bined in an individual, render him capable of becoming an
accomplished and efficient presiding officer. I can only
promise impartiality and zeal. Your actiive assistance and
support I shall expect and depend upon, without this, all
efforts at authority will be in vain ; not only so, but that
degree of order, dignity and decorum, for which the Senate
of Maryland has ever been noted, which is essential to the
proper dispatch of the business of the State, cannot and will
not be maintained. Therefore it is, while pledging the best
efforts of my own poor abilities in the discharge of my duty,
I earnestly invoke your undivided and zealous co-operation.

The present is an eventful period in the history of this
State and Country. The deliberate attempt has been made,