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$5, 000 and the clerks $3, 500, one of whom is to be at-
tached to each of said courts, except the Supreme Bench,
the clerical duties of which are to be discharged by the
clerk of the Superior Court.
The report of the committee on public works and cor-
porations, which was made on June 30, was then taken up.
It provides for a new election of mayor and city council
in Baltimore on the second Wednesday of October next.
Mr. McKaig moved to strike out 1867 and insert 1868.
Mr. Gill took the floor in opposition to the motion to
strike out, and gave an expose of the corruption of the
municipal government of Baltimore.
Mr. Barnes also opposed the motion.
Mr. Brent deeply sympathized with the gentlemen from
Baltimore city in the oppressions to which they were sub-
jected and the manner in which they were plundered, but
he did not like this article as reported. They were not
here to legislate for the city of Baltimore alone, but for
the whole State. He would therefore move to recommit
the report to the committee, with instructions to amend
the article so as to apply to all the cities of the State.
Mr. Kilbourn said it was a part of the business of this
Convention to secure the fair expression of the legal vot-
ers of the State at all elections, and this very matter was
one of the greatest grievances which had conduced to the
assembling of this Convention. There was nothing to
which this Convention should pay greater heed than this
appeal from the wealth and intelligence of the city of Bal-
timore, and under a new election, if the people who were
now in power represented the citizens of Baltimore, they
would be re-elected, and so no hardship would be done.
If, as stated, the taxes of the city of Baltimore would
reach to $25, 000, 000, was it not time that some relief
should be afforded to those overburdened people ?
Mr. Brent withdrew his motion, and the amendment of
Mr. McKaig was then rejected.
Section 2 was read and slightly amended.
Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were read and passed over
without amendment.
296
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