442 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

Ladies and gentlemen, the destiny and direction of Maryland is
within your grasp. Your dedication and your uncompensated service
merit profound public gratitude for your responsibilities are awe-
some. Your opportunities at this moment, as never before, are in-
spirational. I urge each of you to explore your minds, to reexamine
your philosophy of education, to accept, and affirm through action,
new definitions and new directions. For it is within your power to
influence a new generation, to stimulate a vital state of mind, to as-
sure a vital State of Maryland.

ADDRESS TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION,
STATE HOUSE, ANNAPOLIS

September 29, 1967

When I took advantage of your kind invitation to address the or-
ganization session of this Convention, I suggested broad principles
to guide your historic effort. I cited general objectives, stressed basic
ideals, and concentrated on the essence rather than the specific.

It was my contention then, and I risk repeating it today for it can-
not be overemphasized, that for a Constitution to endure it must be
mainly limited to an expression of great principles.

What are these great universal principles? First, to secure and sus-
tain the sovereignty of the people. Second, to protect and perpetuate
the rights of the individual. Third, to create a political structure which
safeguards the citizen by a series of checks and balances among —
but not within — our three traditional branches. Fourth, to develop
that superstructure for the State most conducive to efficient adminis-
tration, effective legislation and impartial adjudication. Finally, to
embrace a consistency of logic which reflects in the fewest words the
fullest expression of a free society's solemn and voluntary contract
with its government.

This assembly has been convened so that our State's Constitution
may be reformed and rewritten to conform to those standards —
standards which our present document fails to fulfill. All branches of
our State government must be strengthened and streamlined. Sim-
plicity and professionalism must be encouraged, responsibility to the
electorate incisively exacted. Existing incoherencies require clarifica-
tion. Superfluous detail must be discarded. Above all, a philosophy
must prevail which recognizes the constitutional imperative that
omission produces as significant an impact as inclusion.