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needed light. He was opposed to any gag system, and in
favor of a full and free discussion on all subjects. There
were matters yet to come up here of the very greatest im-
portance. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal question,
which affected the interests of the people of Maryland to
the amount of millions, was to come up yet, and he sub-
mitted that to understand it properly extended debate
was essential.
Mr. Kilbourn said the committee of the whole had but
rarely been resorted to, and then on the most important
questions, one of which was the judiciary report, which
they had been discussing for several days past. He cer-
tainly did not think that important matter had occupied
any more time than was absolutely necessary.
Mr. Vansant said the adoption of the order would not
interfere with the continuance of the committee of the
whole on the judiciary report.
Mr. Carter said this order was no attempt to choke off
debate. If this was a partisan Convention the committee
of the whole might be necessary for the protection of the
minority This was not the case here, the members of this
Convention being of one accord.
Mr. Jones advocated the adoption of the order, and al-
luded to the delay occasioned on the negro testimony ques-
tion, which had been thoroughly debated when the Decla-
ration of Rights was under consideration, and had also
been largely discussed on subsequent occasions.
The order was then adopted by a vote of 64 to 25.
The unfinished business, being the report of the com-
mittee on the judiciary, was then taken up, and the Con-
vention resolved itself into committee of the whole (Mr.
Dent, of St. Mary's, in the chair) for the consideration
of the subject.
Mr. Carter moved to take up the two supplementary
sections of the legislative article yet undisposed of.
Mr. Carter said the House was now very full—as full as
it was likely to be—and as the entire legislative article
could not be put in the hands of the committee on re-
vision for engrossment until these two sections were dis-
posed of, he hoped his motion would be agreed to.
339
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