THURSDAY, March 6,1851.
The Convention met at ten o'clock.
Prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. GRAUFF,
The roll of the members was called; and
A quorum being present,
The journal of yesterday was read and ap-
proved.
Mr. BISER presented a petition signed by five
hundred and fifty-three citizens of South West-
ern portion of Frederick and South Eastern part
of Washington counties, asking for the formation
of a new county, embraced within the following
boundary, to wit: beginning at the mouth of
Catoctin Creek, and running thence up said creek
to Magruder's Bridge, crossing said creek, thence
with the old Middletown and Sharpsburg road to
Getting's Store, on the Red Hill, then North
West with the road to the Turnpike at Keedysville,
then with the middle of said road to Antietam
creek at Mumma's Mill, then with the mid-
dle of said stream to the bridge near Sherrick's,
then with a straight line to the Potomac river,
at or opposite Reynold's Mill Dam, then with the
Potomac to the beginning, including an estimated
population of ten thousand inhabitants and twelve
hundred voters.
Which was read, and
Referred to the committee on New Counties.
LICENSE LAWS.
Mr. KENT, presented a petition of sundry citi-
zens of Anne Arundel county, pray ing that a
provision may be made in the new Constitution,
that the privilege to sell intoxicating liquor shall
not be granted to any person in any part of the
State, except the same shall first be sanctioned
or approved of by a majority of the votes in the
election district where the same is to be sold.
Mr. HOLLYDAY, presented a petition of sundry
citizens of Allegany county of similar import.
Mr. DONALDSON, presented a petition of sun-
dry citizens of Howard District in Anne Arun-
del county, of similar import;
Which were severally read, and
Referred to the select committee already ap-
pointed on that subject.
[Mr. D. remarked, that the petition presented
by him, came from a number of respectable per-
sons, many of whom were not what wag gener-
ally called temperance men—that was to say,
they were not members of any temperance so-
ciety.]
BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
Mr. LLOYD rose and said, it would be remem-
bered by the Convention, that, about three weeks
ago, several reports had been made from the
committee on representation. No question had
been taken on these reports. He moved, there-
fore, that they be made the special order of the
day, for Tuesday next.
Mr. MERRICK, (chairman of the committee on
representations,) said, he would be very glad to
accommodate his friend from Talbot, [Mr. Lloyd]
but his, [Mr. M.'s,] private business would ren- |
der it indispensably necessary, that he should be
absent next week. If the Convention preferred
to proceed with the consideration of that ques-
tion in his absence, he must acquiesce. But as
he had had charge of the subject, and as it was
one in which he had taken much interest, he
would be glad to be present when it was acted
upon.
Mr. LLOYD expressed his desire to meet the
views of the gentleman from Charles, [Mr. Mer-
rick.] His, [Mr. L.'s,] only object was, that an
early day should be fixed for the consideration of
the question.
Mr. MERRICK suggested Monday week. By
that time, he said, he should be in his place.
Mi. BOWIE, (to the Chair.) Will this ques-
tion, if it should be made the special order,
supersede the consideration of the report of the
committee on the executive department of the
government ?
The PRESIDENT said, that would depend on
the order of business on the calendar.
Having referred to the calendar, the President
stated that the report of the committee on the
executive department, had been made the special
order of the day, for the second Tuesday in
January, and its consideration had from time
to time been postponed, by the general consent of
the Convention. In the judgment of the Chair,
therefore, the report on the executive depart-
ment, would, as the next special order, have pre-
cedence over other business.
Mr. MERRICK thought it necessary and pro-
per, that some day pot too near, should be fixed
upon for the consideration of this question, in
order that all the members of the Convention
might be notified to attend. It was important
that any decision which might be made, should
be the deliberate judgment of a majority of the
Convention. He hoped, therefore, that the Con-
vention would give notice of the day on which
the question would be taken up, and that that day
would be adhered to.
The PRESIDENT stated that the motion of the
gentleman from Talbot, (Mr. Lloyd,) being sim-
ply a motion relating to the priority of business,
was not debateable.
Mr. BOWIE said, he had supposed it was the
intention of the Convention, deliberately expres-
sed, to take up the report of the executive committee,
immediately after the report of the Legis-
lative committee should have been disposed of.
His friend from Queen Anne, (Mr. Grason,)
chairman of the committee on the executive de-
partment, was ready to proceed with the con-
sideration of that report. We did not know how
long it might occupy—perhaps four or five days.
He would suggest to the gentleman from Talbot,
(Mr. Lloyd.) to wait until that report should
have been disposed of.
Mr. LLOYD, expressing his desire to accommodate
gentlemen, withdrew his first motion, and
substituted for it a motion to make the report of
the committee on representation, the special order
of the day for Monday week. |
