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Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1800
Volume 92, Page 89   View pdf image (33K)
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VOTES and PROCEEDINGS, November Session, 1800.            89

    The following resolution being propounded to the house, was read the first and second time, assented to, and
sent to the senate by the clerk.
    RESOLVED, That all proceedings heretofore had, and now pending, on the bonds passed by James Booker,
Philemon Willis, Richard Barneby and William Rose, of Talbot county, as securities to the state of Maryland
for the payment of two thousand four hundred and thirty-eight pounds sixteen shillings and eleven-pence, due
from William Stoddart Bond, late of said county, on a certificate of survey called Bone's Meadows, lying in
Allegany county, be and the same are hereby suspended until the first day of January, eighteen hundred
and two.
    The following message being prepared, was read, agreed to, and sent to the senate, with the bill to alter such
parts of the constitution and form of government as relate to voters and qualification of voters, by the clerk.

BY the HOUSE of DELEGATES, December 19, 1800.
        GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE,
    We have received your answer to our message, and equally impressed with yourselves with the opinion, that
each branch of this legislature have an equal constitutional power to act on this important and interesting subject,
we shall only state, in a few words, why we conceive you do not adhere in your amendment to the principles on
which you inform us it was originally grounded.  We admire the principle laid down by the bill of rights, that
every man having property in a common interest with, and an attachment to, the community, ought to have the
right of suffrage; but will this be effectuated by your amendment?  We conceive not, for no one will by it be suffered
to vote, unless he has property assessed or taxed to a certain amount; the consequence will then be, that
those men who possess every tie, except the mercenary qualification of fortune, to endear and to attach them to
society, will be deprived of the right of suffrage, and we cannot, consistent with the principles of liberality and
of nature, suppose that taxable property is the only interest or attachment that binds men to society; and when
we reflect that liberty is the common and natural right of all men, we cannot agree to sanction that doctrine
which makes property the measure of it.  Admitting your second objection in the fullest latitude, yet we conceive
it cannot affect the principles of the bill to which it is applied; for it will be difficult to point out the man, however
humble and obscure his situation, who does not consume some taxable article, and thereby contributes his
mite to the support of government.
    We cannot, being the representatives of an independent people, agree to make error, though sanctioned by
the example of other states, a rule for our conduct.
    The advantages arising from the written evidence of the qualification of voters may be great, when compared
with the offensive mode hitherto used, but on reflection you will find the confidence reposed in the people, by the
provisions of our bill, will remedy the evil now existing, and render all written evidence unnecessary.
    We are happy to find, that by your amendment you meant not to exclude any person now constitutionally entitled,
to the privilege of voting; on this subject permit us to refer you to the amendment itself, and only to observe,
that no man, unless actually assessed, could be admitted to vote.
    Your second amendment we have agreed to, and return the bill for your reconsideration.
                                                                By order,                                                    W.  HARWOOD, clk.
    The clerk of the senate delivers the resolution respecting James Lytle, endorsed; " By the senate, December
" 19, 1800:  Read the first and second time by especial order and assented to.
                                                                " By order,                                                  W. S.  GREEN, clk."
The bill to revive and continue the acts of assembly therein mentioned, endorsed; " By the senate, December
" 18, 1800:  Read the first time and ordered to lie on the table.
                                                                " By order,                                                  W. S.  GREEN, clk.
" By the senate, December 19, 1800:  Read the second time by especial order and will pass with the proposed
" amendments.
                                                                " By order,                                                  W. S.  GREEN, clk."
    Which amendments were read the first and second time, agreed to, and the bill ordered to be engrossed.
The additional supplement to an act, entitled, An act for the relief of sundry insolvent debtors, endorsed;
" By the senate, December 19, 1800:  Read the first time and ordered to lie on the table.
                                                                " By order,                                                  W. S.  GREEN, clk.
" By the senate, December 19, 1800:  Read the second time by especial order and will pass.
                                                                " By order,                                                  W. S.  GREEN, clk."
Ordered to be engrossed.
    The following resolution being propounded to the house, was read, viz.
    Whereas by the insolvent acts passed this session, each insolvent, at the time he petitions for relief, is to pay
a tax of five dollars each, which was intended for the chancellor, in consideration of the additional duties imposed
on him:  And whereas doubts are entertained whether, consistently with the bill of rights and the constitution,
the money arising from said taxes can be paid over to the chancellor, and it being unreasonable that additional
duties should be imposed on a public officer without compensation; therefore, RESOLVED, That the treasurer
of the western shore pay to the chancellor the sum of five hundred dollars, in addition to his salary.
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Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1800
Volume 92, Page 89   View pdf image (33K)
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