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tees, who were in the city. After the lapse of fifteen min-
utes, the Sergeant-at-arms appeared at the bar of the
House with the absent members in custody.
The Sergeant-at-arms having made his report the mem-
bers were discharged and all further proceedings under
the call were dispensed with.
The consideration of the report of the executive com-
mittee was then resumed, the pending question being the
amendment of Mr. Page, as given above.
Mr. Gill was now in order, and would conclude his re-
marks. There was an immense inequality of population
in these proposed districts, as shown by the last census,
and this inequality was now greatly augmented. He was
opposed to drawing county lines in the selection of the
Governor, and would greatly prefer that the best man
should always be selected for the office, no matter from
what quarter of the State he came. If the Convention
thought differently, he did trust that such a districting
as that now proposed would not be adopted.
Mr. Page said his amendment was intended merely for
the protection of the interests of the Eastern Shore.
These two sections, though living under one government,
were practically different communities. It could not be
contended that the manufacturing interests of Baltimore,
or the coal interests of Allegany, were identical with the
agricultural interests of the Eastern Shore. Their inter-
ests might not amount to so much in dollars and cents as
the interests of portions of the Western Shore, but they
were as much to them, and the State owed it to herself
to protect the weaker portion as much as the stronger.
Another reason for this districting was that the conven-
tions were always held in the city of Baltimore, and the
paraphernalia of party power was so efficient there that
the nominations could always be controlled.
Mr. Stoddert opposed any districting of the State as
calculated to beget division. He discussed the subject at
length.
Mr. Carter moved an amendment providing for the dis-
tricting of the State as reported by the minority of the
committee on the Executive Department, and providing
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