"That it shall be the duty of the Legislature
so soon as the public debt shall have been fully
paid off, to cause to be transferred to the several
counties and city of Baltimore, stock in the inter-
nal improvement companies, equal to the amount
respectively paid by each towards the erection
and completion of said works, at the then market
value of said stock. It shall further be the duty
of the Legislature after the public debt shall have
been fully paid off, or the sinking fund shall be
sufficient to redeem the same at maturity, to ap-
propriate such portions of the annual revenue of
the State stocks in the internal improvement
companies of this State, (after deducting so much,
together with the other annual revenues of the
State as may be necessary to meet the current
expenses, and any sudden exigencies that may
arise;) equally among said counties and the city
of Baltimore, having ajust regard to the several
amounts paid by each into the State Treasury;
and the advantages and disadvantages resulting
to each respectively from the construction of said
works of internal improvement The said stocks
and revenue when paid over, to be under the di-
rection and control of the county authorities of
the several counties, and the Mayor and City
Council of Baltimore, respectively to be by them
applied to purposes of education, and such other
purposes as the said county and city authorities
may deem proper."
The amendment having been read—
Mr. RIDGELY said, that it presented two pro-
positions, and he called for a division. He desired
also to ask the gentleman from St. Mary's,
(Mr. Blakistone,) who had offered the amend-
ment, by what rule he determined the appropri-
ations which the relative parts of the State should
receive, from the revenues derived from the pub-
lic works ?
Mr. BLAKISTONE said, he proposed to leave
that matter, exclusively to the Legislature to be
decided, he presumed, by a sort of compromise,
or conciliation from one part of the State to-
wards another, like the Constitution which
this Convention might adopt. He presumed that
Baltimore would receive more than other parts
of the State, because she had paid more. So
with the large counties. He thought, however
that St. Mary's ought to receive a little more in
proportion, because she had derived no benefit
from the construction of the works.
Mr, SPENCER, I have risen merely to indicate
the vote I shall give. I shall vote against the
proposition. And I shall vote against all kind
of prospective legislation.
Mr. DENT demanded the previous question.
There was a second,
And the main question was ordered, (being on
the amendment of Mr. Blakistone.)
Mr. WEEMS asked the yeas and nays,
Which were ordered.
And the question was then taken on the firs
branch of the amendment in the words fowllo-
ing:
" That it shall be the duty of the legislature so
soon as the public debt shall have been fully paid
off, to cause to be transferred to the several counties
and the city of Baltimore, stock in the into |
nal improvement companies, equal to the amount
respectively paid by each towards the erection
and completion of said works, at the then market
value of said stock."
And the result was as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Blakis-
tone, Dent, Hopewell, Dorsey, Wells, Randall,
Kent, Weems, Dalrymple, Bond, Jenifer, Bell,
Welch, Ridgely, Colston, Dashiell, Hicks, Hod-
son, Goldsborough, Eccleston, Chambers of
Cecil, Miller, Bowie, McCubbin, Bowling, Mc-
Master, Fooks, Gaither, Annan, Stephenson,
Thawley, Presstman, John Newcomer, Michael
Newcomer, Weber and Slicer—37.
Negative—Messrs. Ricaud, Lee, Chambers of
Kent, Donaldson, Lloyd, Crisfield, Sprigg, Spencer,
Grason, George, Thomas, Shriver, Biser,
Sappington, McHenry, Hardcastle, Gwinn,
Ware, Schley, Fiery, Neill, Davis, Hollyday,
Parke, Ege, Cockey and Brown—27.
So the first branch of the amendment was
adopted.
And the question recurred on the second
branch of the amendment,
And the result wag as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Blakis-
tone, Dent, Hopewell, Chambers of Kent, Ran-
dall, Kent, Weems, Dalrymple, Bond, Jenifer,
Colston, Dashiell, Hicks, Hodson, Goldsborough,
Eccleston, Bowie, Sprigg, McCubbin, Bowling,
McMaster, Fooks, Stephenson, Thawley, Hard-
castle, John Newcomer, Michael Newcomer and
Davis—29.
Negative— Messrs. Ricaud, Lee, Donaldson,
Dorsey, Wells, Bell, Welch, Ridgely, Lloyd,
Crisfield, Chambers of Cecil, McCullough, Mil-
ler, Spencer, Grason, George, Thomas, Shri-
ver, Gaither, Biser, Annan, Sappington, Mc-
Henry, Gwinn, Sherwood of Baltimore city,
Presstman, Ware, Schley, Fiery, Neill, Weber,
Hollyday, Slicer, Parke, Ege, Cockey and
Brown—37.
So the second and last branch of the amend-
ment was rejected.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
Mr. PRESSTMAN. In the early part of the ses-
sion, I was instructed by the committee on the
legislative department, to report certain provi-
sions, as additional articles to the report now under
consideration. It is rather remarkable that
every one of these provisions, with one exception,
has already been adopted. The article
which concerned the abolition of the relation of
master and slave as it now exists in this state,
was taken possession of by the gentleman from
Charles, (Mr. Jenifer.) I have no desire to re-
claim it under the fugitive slave law. [Laugh-
ter.] All I have to say, is, that I am glad it has
been adopted.
The next article directed the legislature at its
first session after the adoption of the Constitution,
to appoint a commissioner to revise, digest and
arrange the statute laws of the State, civil and
criminal, and a commissioner to revise, simplify
and abridge the rules and practice, pleadings,
forms and proceedings of the courts of record of
this State. |
