evils of our lottery system—it showed that we
were not only doing evil in our own State, but
sanctioning it in other States.
Mr. D. gave notice that it was his intention to
introduce a proposition, the object of which was
to bring the present loiter; system to a close.
In speaking of the courtesy which was due
he did not mean to say that this petition came
from the legal constituted authorities of the
State. He intended merely to say, that this was
a case in which laws of our own State, had in
themselves, had a tendency to demoralize the citizens
of New York as well as the citizens of Ma-
ryland, and he thought that a respectful com-
plaint and remonstrance against them, should be
placed upon the journal.
As to loading the journals down with such
matter, he did not think that any difficulty was
to be apprehended from that source. If the pe-
tition had come from our own citizens on a sub-
ject of similar importance, he should have moved
that it be printed.
Mr. BUCHANAN said:
He was utterly opposed to the motion of the
gentleman from Anne Arundel, (Mr. Donald-
son.) it was the beginning of evil; no man could
know where it would terminate, if this Convention,
from comity, was to be called upon to print
the petitions of citizens of other States. Gen-
tlemen might be called upon to present petitions
of a very different and very exciting character.
Upon what principle of comity, of justice or
equality, could his friend get rid of such petitions
if this was printed?
Now, he, [Mr. B.,] gave notice, that if this
proposition should prevail, he might himself be
called upon within a few days to present a peti-
tion from people of our own State, relating to a
subject of very great interest to them, and which
he, in pursuance of this order, if it should be
adopted, might ask to be placed on the journal.
He should not ask it because he did not think it
proper to do so—but if he did so, he could not
see how the gentleman from Anne Arundel, [Mr.
Donaldson,] could oppose it.
Mr. BROWN. I move that the petition be laid
upon the table.
Mr. B. did not press his motion—
Mr. THOMAS taking the floor.
Mr. T. suggested that, if a petition should be
received from the people of a foreign State, be-
cause the object of it happened to accord with
our own notions of morality, the question must
arise, what was the Convention to do, if a peti-
tion should be impertinently presented here upon
which we chose to judge for ourselves, whether it
was moral or not? Upon that ground he hoped
that the petition would be rejected altogether.
If the Convention should receive a petition on.
one subject, because it was believed that the ef-
fect was good, it might be called upon to receive petitions
upon another, because the people of another
State said. that the effect was injurious and
pestilential. He hoped the Convention would.
reject the petition.
Mr, DONALDSON. I withdraw the motion to
print.

Mr. BROWN said, he would now substitute for
the motion which he had made to lay the peti-
tion on the table, the motion suggested by the
gentleman from Frederick, [Mr. Thomas,] that
the petition be rejected.
Mr. THOMAS now modified his motion, so as to
substitute for it a motion, that the petition be
laid upon the table.
Mr. STEWART, of Caroline, thought that if this
petition should be laid upon the table, and thus
slightly passed over, it might be considered disrespectful
to the people of the State of New
York. He thought that the Convention ought
to treat with the utmost respect every petition
that came from the other States of the Union.
Mr. MERRICK called for the reading of the pe-
tition.
Mr, THOMAS briefly re-stated the ground of his
objection to the petition.
Mr. MERRICK thought, he said, that this was
an impertinent interference with our business.
Mr. THOMAS. I think so, too.
The question was then taken on the motion of
Mr. THOMAS.
And the motion having been decided in the
affirmative,
The petition was laid upon the table.
Mr. SMITH presented a petition of sundry citi-
zens of Allegany county, praying that a. provi-
sion may be engrafted in the new Constitution,
that the privilege to sell intoxicating liquors shall
not be granted to any person in any part of the
State, except the same shall be sanctioned, or
approved of by a majority of the voters in the
election district where the same is to be sold.
The petition having been read,
Mr. SMITH moved its reference to committee,
No. 14
Mr, DORSEY moved a select committee.
The motion of Mr. SMITH was agreed to,
and
The petition was referred to committee No. 14.
The Convention then proceeded to the orders
of the day.
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
The Convention resumed the consideration of
the report of the committee on the legislative
department.
When the Convention adjourned yesterday, the
following section was under consideration:
Sec. 16th. The enacting clause of every bill
shall be, "Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly of Maryland," and no law shall be enacted
except by bill.
Mr. STEWART, of Caroline, had moved to
amend the said section by adding at the end
thereof, the following words:
"And that all laws be passed by original bill
and not as supplement."
And Mr. SPRIGG had moved to amend the
amendment by adding the following words:
"And no law enacted by the Legislature, shall
embrace more than one object, and that shall be
described by its title, and no law shall be revised
or amended by reference to its title only."