explanation, made on the following day, will
appear in the proceedings of that day.
Mr. WEEMS dissented from the views of Mr.
RIDGELY. It was not required that persons
should believe in the Christian Religion, but he
thought that every individual should be required
to declare his belief in a future state of rewards
and punishments, and that, if they would not do
so, they should not be allowed to testify.
After a few remarks from Messrs. DONALDSON
and RIDGELY,
The Convention adjourned until to-morrow at
eleven o'clock.
FRIDAY, February 7th, 1851.
The Convention met at eleven o'clock.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. GRIFFITH.
The journal of yesterday was read and ap-
proved.
Mr. BISER enquired of the chair, whether it
was in order to offer a resolution.
The PRESIDENT said it would be ill order if
there were no reports from committees.
Mr. JENIFER, chairman of committee No. 14,
submitted the following
REPORT.
Article 1. There shall he a Board of Public
Works, consisting of three commissioners, who
shall be elected as herein provided, and lo re-
ceive a salary to be fixed by law, but not liable
to be increased or diminished during their con-
tinuance in office.
Art. 2. At the first general election of Dele-
gates to the General Assembly, after the adop-
tion of this Constitution, these commissioners, as
aforesaid, one from the Eastern Shore, and two
from the Western Shore, shall be elected by the
qualified voters of the State, (the returns of which
election shall be made and certified to the Gov-
ernor,) one of whom shall hold his office for
years, from the first Monday in the month of
November ensuing his election, one for
years, and one for years, from the same
period; and at their first meeting, or as soon there-
after as practicable, they shall determine, by lot,
which of their number shall hold his office for
years respectively, and thereafter there
shall be elected, as aforesaid, at each general
election of Delegates, one commissioner for the
term of years, to be taken in the proportion
aforesaid from the Eastern and Western Shores,
and in case of a vacancy in the office of either of
the commissioners by death, resignation or other-
wise, the Governor, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall fill the same until the
next general election.
Art. 3. The said commissioners shall exercise
a diligent and faithful supervision on all public
works in which the State may be interested as
stockholder or creditor; shall represent the State

in all meetings of Stockholders, and perform such
other duties as may be prescribed by law.
Which was read, and
On motion of Mr. JENIFER,
Ordered to be printed and made the order of
the day for to-morrow, the 8th inst.
Mr. TUCK rose to make an enquiry as to the
motion which the gentleman, (Mr. Jenifer,) had
made for the disposition of the report.
The PRESIDENT explained, that the report, in
parliamentary phrase, had been made the order
of the day, for to-morrow; that was to say, it
would take its place in the order of business on
the calendar, and would come up when previous
orders had been disposed of,
THE HALL.
Mr. BISER offered the following order.
"Ordered, That a committee of three be ap-
pointed to make such suitable arrangements of
the seats in the South-west section of the House,
as would better promote the convenience and
comfort of the members occupying them."
Mr. SOLLERS offered an amendment, including
in the Order, the part of the Hall in which he was
seated.
Some difference of opinion as to the points of
the compass, led to some amusing attempts to
box it, after which,
Mr. SOLLERS withdrew his amendment,
And the order of Mr. BISER was adopted.
Thereupon, Messrs. BISER, TOOK and McLANE
were appointed the committee.
MR. BROWN, OF CARROLL.
Mr. COCKEY offered the following order, which
was adopted:
Ordered, That it be entered upon the Journal,
that Mr. BROWN is detained from his seat in this
Convention, by indisposition.
THE HALL.
Mr. BRENT, of Baltimore city, presented the
account of Messrs. Haywood, Bartlett & Co., for
repairs and alterations made to the furnace, under
the order of the Convention.
Which was read and referred to the commit-
tee on accounts.
Mr. RANDALL offered the following order :
Ordered, That the committee on Printing pre-
pare, for the use of this Convention, a synopsis
of the relative increase or dimunition of the
slaves and free colored population of this State,
as far as convenient from the various census.
Mr. R. explained that the enquiry contempla-
ted by the order, was a very important one, and
that the cost would be no more than the printing
of one page of the journal, and an hour or two's
labor on the part of the clerk of the committee
on printing.
The order was adopted.
The PRESIDENT laid before the Convention the
following communication from Jos. C. G. Ken-
nedy, Esq., Superintendant of Census :
CENSUS OFFICE, Dep't. of Interior,
February 6,1851.
Sir:—Enclosed I send you a corrected state-
ment of the population of Frederick county, Md.