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The order was then adopted.
Mr. Roman, from the committee respecting appoint-
ments and tenure of office, made a report providing for
the election of county commissioners, and surveyor for
the counties and city of Baltimore in November of each
year; also authorizing the appointment of a State libra-
rian by the Governor at $1, 500 per annum; also the Gov-
ernor to appoint a commissioner of the land office at
$2, 000 per annum, who shall likewise be the historiog-
rapher of the State.
Mr. Lee, from the militia committee, presented a report
authorizing the Legislature to make provision for arming
and equipping the militia, not to interfere with the laws
of the United States, and authorizing the appointment by
the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate,
of an adjutant general, with pay and salary now pre-
scribed. The existing militia law of the State shall ex-
pire at the end of the next session of the General As-
sembly, except so far as it may be re-enacted.
On motion of Mr. Rider, the Convention resolved itself
into the committee of the whole, Mr. Dent, of St. Mary's,
in the chair.
The report of the committee on the judiciary was then
taken up, section 20 being under consideration, and the
pending question being on the motion of Mr. Archer to
strike out the entire section.
Mr. Syester took the floor in support of the three-judge
system, and said that on this point he represented the
views of the entire section of the State from which he
came. He contended that the benefits to be derived from
this system were of such a nature as that it would never
be rejected by an intelligent people on account of the
little additional expense. It held out equal inducements
to the rich and the poor, to the guilty and the innocent,
and the additional expense, even if 840, 000, would be con-
sidered cheap, indeed, by the people for the purchase of
equal justice.
Mr. Keating said in all his experience his clients had
never asked him what would be the cost of an opinion
beforehand. The people went to those whom they thought
best acquainted with the law, and said nothing about the
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