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Mr. Archer to the third section was adopted and that the
further consideration of the subject be postponed until
tomorrow. He thought so important a subject as this
should not be disposed of in the absence of so many dele-
gates from Baltimore city.
Mr. McKaig hoped there would be no more action on
this matter. There was no State in the Union where it
was so difficult to reconcile conflicting rights as in the
State of Maryland, and if this matter was once opened,
there would be no end to the discussion on the matter.
Mr. Barnes said the larger counties and the city of
Baltimore had conceded much for the sake of compro-
mise, and it was to be regretted that they were met here
with so different a spirit. So far as the city was con-
cerned, they had been willing to accept this report as a
compromise, but such was not to be the case. Let the
whole fight be opened, if it takes until October.
Mr. Carter said as the assertion had been made that
this was a blow at the city of Baltimore, and as he had
voted for the amendment, it was proper that he should
say that it was no blow whatever leveled at Baltimore.
There was no violation of the principle of the section as re-
ported. It provided that the largest county should never
have more than seven delegates, and the city of Baltimore
always three times as many as the largest county. The
amendment provided that the largest county shall never
have more than six, which will give to the city of Balti-
more eighteen. There is no injury done to the city of
Baltimore by this. He believed that the city of Baltimore
had too many representatives now, not as compared to
the rest of the State, but he did not believe that mere
numbers were all that was necessary to represent any con-
stituency.
Mr. Brown differed altogether from his colleague (Mr.
Carter. ) According to the argument of his colleague,
numbers were to count for nothing; and if this was the
case, they might as well go back to the constitution of
1776, under which this city of Annapolis had two repre-
sentatives in the House of Delegates, and the city of
Baltimore two. This was a matter upon which the people
of Baltimore felt deeply, and they would not be satisfied
with less than the report of the committee.
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