and that? too, generally upon mere ex parte testi-
mony.
The report now under consideration provides
that hereafter, the legislature of this State should
have no control over this subject, but that the
courts should exercise exclusive jurisdiction, in
all such cases. If these two propositions be ac-
ceded to by the Convention, and in his opinion.
they doubtless would be, we get rid at once of
over one-third of the entire legislation of the
State.
To pursue this subject a step farther, he
would remark that out of the vast number of
laws passed here at the last session, and to which
so much importance is attached, thirteen only
were of a general character.
Now, Mr. President, is not this a most start-
ling fact, and does it not demonstrate beyond
question, the utter folly of burthening the peo-
ple of this State, with the great expense incident
upon annual sessions of the General Assem-
bly.
Mr. P. said he had regarded the subject of bien-
nial sessions, as an adjudicated question—as a
proposition solemnly settled by the people them-
selves. He believed it was so regarded through-
out Maryland, during the canvass of last year.
The people throughout the State were called up-
on at the ballot-box, in 1846, to decide for them-
selves, the question now under debate. The
provisions of the biennial law, were published in
every county in Maryland, and its various sec-
tions entered largely into the canvass before the
people of that fall; and in order to ascertain, be-
yond question, the sense of the people upon this
subject, every voter, when at the polls, was cal-
led upon solemnly to record his individual vote
for or against this constitutional change. The
result is well known. Out of about fifty-five
thousand votes polled, near five thousand majo-
rity were declared infavor of biennial sessions of
the Legislature. Has this Convention any evid-
ence of change of opinion upon the subject?
None whatever. Not a petition in the opposition
has found its way into these halls. Not a
newspaper throughout Maryland, has dared to
advocate a return to annual sessions; and gentle-
men upon this floor, who are most earnest and
violent in their opposition to this amendment,
have been forced to admit that no complaint
against the measure exists, even among their
own constituency.
Fourteen States of this Union have adopted
biennial sessions, and among that number are
the States of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Louisiana. Ohio, the third State of the Union
in point of population, and he believed in wealth,
also has adopted this measure, and Louisiana,
with the populous and commercial city of New
Orleans as her emporium, has also done so. In
fact, almost all the Southern Democratic States,
have incorporated this provision upon their
organic law. He mentioned this fact to show
this House, that this amendment did not stand
obnoxious to the charge of being exclusively a
whig measure.
In no instance had this provision been adopted
elsewhere, and after trial abandoned. This

principle is contrary to the progresssve spirit of
the age. Maryland alone, should this principle
be departed from by this Convention, will stand
in the anenviable attitude of what is vulgarly
called "taking the back track."
Mr. P. said, he would proceed to consider this
amendment, as a retrenchment measure—as a pro-
position calculated to save to the people of Maryland,
thirty thousand dollars annually, for all
time to come. It would save the interest of half
a million of the public debt. He would ask gen-
tlemen what was the most potent argument used
throughout the State, In favor of calling this
Convention? He would answer, apart from the
city of Baltimore, where increased representa-
tion was the all prevailing argument, that re-
trenchment of the public expenditures, was the
watchword everywhere. Low salaries and the
reduction of the number of officers, was the con-
stant cry of the reform party, in all the counties
—in every section of the State. Retrenchment
and reform was emblazoned upon every banner.
These were the watchwords of the party, and
they ran, pari possa every where. It was well
known here and elsewhere, that he had op-
posed this Convention, and he felt now constrain-
ed to declare that what he had witnessed in these
halls, had but strengthened his conviction of the
correctness of his own judgment.
But, Mr. President, as the people have deter-
mined this Convention should be called, and that
they would have a new government, no man on
this floor was more anxious and more sincerely
desirous than himself to make a good Constitu-
tion, and one which would be well received
throughout the State. But to return. What
are the evidences upon this floor that public ex-
pectation will be gratified with regard to these
propositions? What salaried officers are now
proposed lo be abolished ? Ah! Mr. President,
where is even the salary of one officer proposed
to be reduced? Nowhere—no not one. Not one,
sir. The converse of this proposition is too true.
The necessity and even expediency of returning
to annual sessions of the Legislature at an in-
crease of expense of thirty-thousand dollars an-
nually is now strongly urged upon this floor.
Gentlemen who would become indignant at be-
ing called anti-reformers oppose this amendment.
Where, he would again ask, are the evidences
within these Halle of a determination to retrench
in any manner the public expenditures? He
could out repeat this most important inquiry.
Do the reports from standing committees now
before us foreshadow the result ? He could but
again answer no, sir, no. But a few years since
it was most eloquently urged upon this floor and
elsewhere, that the salary of two thousand a year
was ample for a plain republican Governor.
What say gentlemen now upon this subject?
The Chairman of the Executive Committee, the
distinguished gentleman from Queen Annes, (ex-
Governor Grason,) has given the answer. The
report of that committee proposes to fix the compensation
of the Governor at four thousand dollars
a year, just double the amount fixed upon
during the prevalence of this reform fever. The
distinguished gentleman from Cecil, (Mr. Mc-