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that he had been guilty of official neglect of duty. Mr.
Randall states that he has never neglected his duty, and
is ready to meet any investigation which may be or-
dered; that, in addition to his official duties performed in
his office, he has attended State cases in Anne Arundel,
Howard and Montgomery county Circuit Courts, in the
Court of Appeals and in the Supreme Court of the United
States; that in the State cases where he has not appeared
he had either been employed as counsel before his elec-
tion or the Governor had appointed other counsel.
On motion of Mr. McCormick, it was
Ordered, That the committee on the tenure of office be
directed to inquire into the expediency of abolishing the
office of the commissioner of the land office, and of desig-
nating some other officer to perform the duties required
of that officer.
Mr. Howison, from the committee on accounts, made a
report in favor of the claims of the parties engaged in
fitting up the hall for the use of the Convention, and o"
Messrs. Cushing & Medairy and J. W. Bond & Co. for
stationery furnished for the use of the Convention.
The unfinished business, being the report of the com-
mittee on the usury laws and the rates of interest, was
then taken up, the question being on the motion of Mr.
Merrick to strike out the whole article.
Mr. Groome argued at length against the policy of
usury laws.
Mr. Pleasants said that, as a member of the committee,
he would say that the report was the result of contract.
He had presented a memorial from the Board of Trade of
Baltimore, asking that the rate should be placed at seven
per cent., and in this he cordially concurred—that is, in
the absence of contract. He had never been able to see
why the people who borrowed money should be the special
wards of the State, and was satisfied that the abolition
of the usury laws would abolish the usurer. He knew
that capital was constantly leaving the city of Baltimore
to go to New York to procure the higher rates of interest,
and the object should be to retain this money in Balti-
more. He knew now, of his own personal experience, that
the presidents and cashiers of banks in Baltimore sat in
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