103

TUESDAY, December 3rd, 1850

The Convention met pursuant to adjournment.
Present the same members as on yesterday.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Graff.
The proceedings of yesterday were read.
The President laid before the Convention a communication
from A. L. Russell, Esquire, secretary to the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, transmitting for the use of the Convention, a copy
of the School Laws of Pennsylvania, and the last annual report
of the Superintendent of Common Schools;
Which was read and referred to the committee on Education.
Mr. James U. Dennis, gave notice that on to-morrow he would
move to reconsider the vote of the Convention upon the 1st and
2nd orders in the report of the committee on Printing, in relation
to the debates and proceedings of the Convention, and which were
stricken out of said report by a vote of the Convention of the
26th ultimo.
On motion of Mr. Kilgour, it was
Ordered, That the 14th standing committee be instructed to in
quire into the expediency of reporting an article for the new con
stitution, securing an exemption of the homestead from execution
in debt.
On motion of Mr. Hodson, it was
Ordered, That the 10th committee appointed "to consider and
report respecting the power of the legislature on corporations,
municipals, and others,—and on the power of the legislature to
create debt," be requested to consider and report to this Conven
tion the expediency of engrafting upon the constitution a provi
sion that the legislature shall not create a debt, or order a tax to
be levied for internal improvements, without first obtaining the
consent of the people through the ballot box; and that any coun
ty, Howard district or the city of Baltimore, who may cast a ma
jority of votes against the proposition, shall be exempt from all
such debt or tax so proposed to be created or levied.
Mr. Sherwood, of Baltimore city, submitted the following
order:
Ordered, That the clerks to the respective committees collect
from the Journal such orders and resolutions as are referred for
consideration, and record them for the information of the commit
tees to which they are respectfully referred;
Which was read.
Mr. Ricaud, moved to amend said order by adding at the end
thereof the following:
"And add thereto from day to day such further orders, &c., as
may be referred by the Convention ;"
Which amendment was accepted by Mr. Sherwood, of Balti
more city;
The said order was then read as amended and adopted.
On motion of Mr. Biser,
The Convention resumed the consideration of the order of the