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FIFTEENTH DAY.
ANNAPOLIS, MONDAY, MAY 27, 1867.
Convention met at 12 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Mr.
Henderson.
The President laid before the Convention communica-
tions from the clerks of the county commissioners, show-
ing the following amounts paid for the purposes named:
Clerk of Circuit Court for Talbot county, for 1866, $1, -
874. 34; State's Attorney for Talbot county for 1864,
$1, 515. 22; State's Attorney for Talbot county for 1865,
$1, 414. 37; State's Attorney for Talbot county for 1866,
$1, 586. 20; school board, from July 1, 1865, to 1867, $3, -
100; school board of Kent county for 1866, $1, 390;
State's Attorney for Kent county for 1866, $220; clerk of
Circuit Court for Kent county for 1866, $1, 557. 50. Ag-
gregate amount of assessable property: Talbot county,
$7, 993, 080; Kent county, $8, 021, 287.
The unfinished business, being the consideration of
the Bill of Rights, was then proceeded with, the pending-
question being on striking out so much of the 15th article
as relates to the prohibition of a poll-tax.
Mr. Stoddert, being entitled to the floor, concluded his
remarks of Saturday, in favor of striking out all allusion
to levying tax by poll. He contended that it was a mat-
ter to be considered only by the legislative branch of the
government, and the whole control of the matter would
be in the hands of the people. He saw no necessity for
making a raw head and bloody bones out of this matter
before it had been tried. Virginia, a State which had
always been jealous of its liberties, had a long experience
in regard to the operations of the poll-tax, and there had
been no complaint made of its being grievous.
Mr. Brewer, of Baltimore city, had so little dreamed of
any attempt to change a declaration of principles which
had come down to us from ages, hallowed by the wisdom
of our forefathers, that he was scarcely prepared to meet
it. He regarded this principle, as the laws of the Deca-
logue, to endure for all time. This was a blow leveled at
the poor of this land, and the adoption of such an amend-
ment as was proposed would seriously endanger this con-
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