656

a substitute for the amendment offered by Mr. Chambers of Kent,
and the amendment proposed by Mr. Johnson:
"It shall be the duty of the Legislature at its first session after
the adoption of this constitution, to pass a bill for taking the sense
of the qualified voters of this State at the next ensuing general
election of delegates, touching the basis of representation in the
House of Delegates, and providing that at such election the voters
shall vote for or against "population as the basis;" and if a majori
ty of the votes as then cast shall be for population as the basis,
the Legislature at its next ensuing session, shall proceed to re-ap
portion the representation in the House of Delegates upon the basis
of population according to federal numbers or upon gross popula
tion, so as to elect delegates upon such basis by general ticket in
each county and the city of Baltimore; and if a majority of the
ballots cast at such general election shall have inscribed on them
the words "district the State," then the Legislature shall divide
the whole State into contiguous and compact districts equal as
near as may be to each other in respect to population;"
Which was read.
The President stated that an amendment being pending to the
otiginal proposition, the substitute offered by Mr. Brent of Balt.
city, was not in order;
From which opinion of the chair, Mr. Brent of Balt, city ap.
pealed
The question was then put,
Shall the opinion of the chair stand as the judgment of the
convention?
Determined in the affirmative.
Mr. Howard then renewed his motion for the previous question.
On motion of Mr. Morgan,
The Convention was called,
On motion of Mr. Sherwood of Balt. city,
Further proceedings under the call was dispensed with.
The question then recurred on the motion of Mr. Howard, for
the previous questicn, that is:
"Shall the main question be now put ?"
Mr. Bowie moved the question be taken by yeas and
Which motion was not sustained,
The motion for the previous question being seconded,
The question was then put on the amendment offered by Mr.
Johnson to the amendment proposed by Mr. Chambers of Kent;
Mr. Bowie, moved the question be taken by yeas and nays, and
being ordered, appeared as follows

AFFIRMATIVE—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Dent, Hopewell,
Ricaud, Lee, Chambers, of Kent, Mitchell, Donaldson, Dorsey,