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before his constituents, but before the gentleman's also.
Mr. Jamison said, in reply to the statement that the
propriety of imposing a poll-tax would rest with the Leg-
islature, that the people would not so consider it, but would
regard it as a direct issue. He was in favor of retaining
article 15 as reported, not only because it was hallowed
by the lapse of ages, but because he believed it contained
sound republican doctrine. For the mere sake of putting
a few thousand dollars in the treasury, he did not want
the door opened to fraud, bribery and corruption. He
was unwilling to meet the people, when they came to the
polls, by setting an apparent value on that which should
be above all price.
Mr. Ford had not thought this article of such great
importance as it would seem from the interest taken in
it by the Convention. It had been assumed by members
that by striking out the clause the imposition of a poll-
tax would necessarily follow. This was not so. There
would be no such consequence. By leaving it out the
power would be left to the 'Legislature to act, and the
members of that body could be chosen on this issue the
same as if it had never been mooted before. The idea
which had been advanced here, that this tax would bear
heavily upon the poor man, and would be a condition of
the suffrage, was a fallacy. It would have no such effect.
There was no article in the constitution to restrict the
elective franchise, and the operation of striking out the
15th article could not be to prevent any man in the State
of Maryland from exercising the right of suffrage, and
he challenged any legal gentleman here to the contradic-
tion. From the remarks of many members, however, this
impression would be likely to go abroad to their constitu-
ents. He did not look upon this matter as such a bugbear
and after voting to strike out, he did not fear to meet hi;
constituents.
Mr. Marbury regretted to differ with his friend, (Mr.
Ford, ) but he and his people had become wedded to the
principle contained in the article under discussion; they
had been educated for generations to believe that no tax
should be laid upon the head of any man. This power
might be abused by designing politicians. If you give
the right to lay a tax, it may be one dollar, or five dollars
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