|
|
|
more of them, as they allege, have taken "under the pre-
scriptions of the fundamental and statutory laws of this
State, " or what they may have taken under any other pre-
scriptions; nor whether, in fact, said complainants, or any
of them, can properly take the oath which is necessary to
entitle them to be registered and vote. The respondents,
therefore, admit none of the allegations of the bill in these
particulars.
These respondents admit that a certain law was passed
by the General Assembly of Maryland at its recent session,
to provide for calling a convention to frame a new consti-
tution and form of government for the State of Maryland^
and to take the sense of the people in regard thereto, but
they are unable to say whether the act recited in the bill
is a true copy of the said law, and they therefore leave the
complainants to prove the same as they may see fit.
Neither can these respondents say whether the other "pre-
tended law" to which the bill refers, and which, as it al-
leges, "did not come to hand, " was passed by said General
Assembly.
These respondents, however, say that they are advised
and believe that the law in respect to the calling of a con-
vention and the amendments thereto, which were passed
by the General Assembly, are not in violation or subver-
sive of the Constitution of this State or the laws thereof,
or the Declaration of Rights, in any particular; but that
the said law and amendments are valid and binding and
in full force, and that it is the duty of these respondents,
constituting the Board of Police of the City of Baltimore,
to comply therewith faithfully under their oaths, and to
do all things thereunder which belong to their official
functions in respect to the election to be held under the
same on the second Wednesday of the present month of
April.
The respondents presume that the various extracts from
the Constitution and Declaration of Rights copied into the
said bill are correctly transcribed, but they refer the court
to the originals for greater certainty. They are advised,
however, and therefore charge that the said provisions
furnish no foundation for the pretenses of said bill, pro-
fessedly founded thereupon, but that said pretenses and
allegations are wholly gratuitous and would so clearly ap-
15
|
|
|
|
 |
