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committee, was handed down to us from our forefathers
from the good old times of 1776, and the committee had
thought it proper to continue this article.
Mr. Barnes said the Convention was not legislating for
the times of 1776. They were sent here to frame a form
of government comformable to the present times.
Mr. Brown had at first been in favor of the amendment
suggested by his colleague from Baltimore city. He
wished to get rid of an assertion which is in fact a fal-
lacy. The assertion that all government is founded in
compact only had long since been exploded, but the
amendment does not meet the case. The right asserted
in article 6 is a revolutionary right; the right asserted
in article 1 is a right founded on law. There might be ob-
jection to the old-fashioned phraseology of article 1, and
he would prefer to exclude the fallacious assertion made^
in it, but, upon the whole, he thought it had better re-
main.
Mr. Jones said the language of this article had been
fully considered in committee, and they had finally come
to the conclusion to adhere to the time-honored forms.
Mr. Nelson did not believe that government originates
from the people. He believed that all power emanates and
is derived from the Supreme God, who rules over us all.
He desired to submit a substitute for the proposition of
the gentleman from Baltimore city, as follows:
"That all powers are derived from God and properly
administered by the people, and that all persons in-
vested, " &c.
After some further discussion, the Convention, on mo-
tion of Mr. Alvey, went into committee of the whole, (Mr.
Dent, of St. Mary's, in the chair. ) but without taking any
action, the committee, on motion of Mr. Carter, rose.
The consideration of the report on the Declaration of
Rights was then resumed by the Convention.
Mr. Jones moved for a division of the motion of the
gentleman from Baltimore city, (Mr. Barnes, ) and the
question being taken on the motion to strike out, it was
disagreed to, and the amendment was then decided in the
negative.
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