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tell how far this had been done. A vast majority of the
people of Tyaskin district were opposed to it. There was
now a railroad from Salisbury to Princess Anne, and the
county town could be reached in twenty-five minutes. At
the time this dismemberment was first advocated there
were no railroad facilities. He was, however, not op-
posed to the division if the people wanted it, but contended
that they should first be consulted. At the proper time
he should also have something to say about the public
debt of the county and the apportionment of the same.
The subject was further discussed by Messrs. McKaig,
Stoddert, Tarr, of Caroline, and Rider.
Mr. Tarr, of Worcester, then called for the previous
question, which being sustained, the question was taken
on the amendment of Mr. Jones, when it was disagreed to.
Section 2 was read.
Mr. Jones said it was extremely difficult to arrive at an
exact calculation as to the debts of Worcester and Som-
erset and the amount to be assessed, if this new county
was to be formed, and moved to amend by leaving this
subject to the action of the Legislature.
Mr. McMaster said this Convention had no right to de-
spoil these two counties of portions of their domain, and
he contended that public necessity did not call for this
division. It was true that some gentlemen might be sub-
jected to incovenience by having a little farther to travel
to attend court, but was a county town to be brought to
every man's door? If this was done for the benefit of
Salisbury, how long before other towns would claim the
same favor. The Convention had already experience as to
the trouble of small counties, the question of representa-
tion, as applied to them, was a very knotty point, and
only recently the Convention had been occupied a day or
two as to whether Caroline county should be put in one
circuit or another. Mr. McK. thought it would be much
better if two or three of these small counties were made
into one and they would be much better represented. All
the statements to the contrary, it was the fact that this
was a new issue, and had not entered into the canvass at
all, and he contended that the people of Worcester should
not be despoiled of their territory against their consent.
393
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