272

THURSDAY, February 13th, 1851.

The Convention met,
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Graff.
The proceedings of yesterday were read.
On motion of Mr. John Dennis, it was
Ordered, That it be entered upon the Journal that Mr. James
U. Dennis, is detained from his seat in the Convention by the
illness of a member of his family.
The Convention then resumed the consideration of the order
of the day, being the report submitted by Mr. Johnson, chairman
of the committee on the Legislative Department, on the 25th nit.
The question pending before the Convention on yesterday,
being on the motion of Mr. Merrick, to fill the blank in the 2nd
section, 2nd line, with the words "one year;"
Mr. Merrick, withdrew said amendment.
Mr. Sprigg, then moved to amend said section by striking out
all after the word "term,'' in the 2nd line, where it secondly
occurs, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"Of one year from the day of the geneal elections, the General
Assembly may continue its first session after the adoption of this
constitution, as long as in the opinion of the two Houses the
public interests may require it, hut all subsequent regular sessions
of the General Assembly shall be closed on the fiftieth day from
their commencement, unless the same shall be closed at an earlier
day by the agreement of the two Houses;"
Which was read.
After debate thereon,
Mr. Brent, of Charles, moved the previous question, that is:
"Shall the main question be now put ?" and it was
Determined in the affirmative.
The question was then put on the adoption of the amendment
as offered by Mr. Sprigg;
Mr. Dirickson, moved the question be taken by yeas and
nays, and being ordered appeared as follows:
AFFIRMATIVE. —Messrs. Tuck, President, pro tem., Morgan,
Donaldson, Dorsey, Wells, Randall, Kent, SeIlman, Merrick,
Buchanan, Welsh, Constable, Chambers, of Cecil, McLane,
Bowie, Sprigg, McCubbin, Spencer, George, Wright, Shriver,
Biser, McHenry, Magraw, Gwinn. Brent, of Baltimore city, Presst
man, Ware, Davis, Anderson, Parke, Shower and Brown—33.

NEGATIVE .—Ricaud, Chambers, of Kent, Mitchell, Dal rym
pie, Brent, of Charles, Bell, Ridgely, Lloyd, Dickinson, Sher
wood, of Talbot, Coiston, John Dennis, Dashiell, Williams,
Hicks, Hodson, Eccleston, Phelps, Miller, Bowling, Dirickson,
McMaster, Hearn, Fooks, Jacobs, Thomas, Gaither, Annan,