ley, Gwinn, Sherwood, of Baltimore city, Presst-
man, Ware, Schley, Fiery, Neill, John Newcom-
er, Michael Newcomer, Davis, Kilgour, Weber,
Hollyday, Slicer, Parke, Ege, Cockey and Brown
—60.
Negative.—Messrs. Chambers, of Kent, Don-
aldson, Dorsey, McMaster and Fooks—5.
So the amendment of Mr. PRESSTMAN was
adopted as an additional article.
Mr. BLAKISTONE. I believe we have now fin-
ished the legislative report. I move that the
Convention proceed to the consideration of the
executive report.
Mr. RIDGELY. I have another article to offer
to the legislative report, I do not intend to in-
vite discussion. I ask that the amendment may
be read, and I call the previous question.
The amendment was read, as follows:
" The Legislature, at the first session after the
adoption of this constitution, shall provide for
the substitution of salaries in place of the fees
and perquisites of office, now payable to the
clerks and registers of the several courts of law,
equity and probate in this state, and for reducing
and regulating the rates of fees, costs and legal
charges in said courts."
There was a second to the demand for the pre-
vious question.
The main question was ordered,
And having been taken, the amendment of Mr.
RIDGELY was agreed to.
Mr. SPENCER moved a re-consideration of the
vote taken this morning, adopting the first branch
of the amendment offered by Mr. BLAKISTONE,
as an additional section to the report.
Mr. SPENCER said, the amendment requires
that the internal improvement stock should
be disposed of in a certain way. It takes
the internal improvement companies, out of the
hands of the State authorities, and places them
under the control of the counties. Wherever
the most stocks would be found, there the works
could be contracted. If there was adisposition on
the part of the Convention, to take the control from
the State, let it be so understood. But he now
made the motion to reconsider the vote, because
he desired to have the deliberate sense of the
Convention on the propriety of adopting the prin-
ciple of the amendment. He was certain it was
not understood.
Mr. BLAKISTONE expressed his fear that the
Convention was falling into the old track. After
a question has been adopted by a solemn vote,
and by an overwhelming majority, these motions
to reconsider on the part of those who stand in a
minority, are the cause of immense and unprofita-
ble delay. Last week a vote was taken by which
a proposition made by the gentleman from Queen
Anne's, [Mr George,] was adopted. He, [Mr.
B.,] concluded, as a matter of course, that that
question was disposed of, when suddenly a mo-
tion was made to reconsider the subject. From
that moment, we have gone backwards, and we
are now precisely where we were eight days
ago, and if we continue to go on in this way, the
Convention will be found sitting here from June
till January, and from January till June, and after
all no Constitution will be made. It had been |
intimated to him that the city of Baltimore, is
hereafter to have the control of the internal im-
provements of the State. This he did not be-
lieve.
But, [said Mr, B.,] if she hag contributed to
their erection, as it is claimed she has done, let
her have the benefit of them to that extent. He
was willing. All that he would ask if, that the
counties should receive their fair proportion. Bal-
timore should only have the proportion she pays
into the revenue. She does not contribute more
than the counties do. He believed she only paid
in one-third of the whole amount. It had been
thrown out that if Baltimore gets the public
works under her control, she will stop the canal.
But she would have loo great an interest in that
work, to permit her to do this, because she must
have some five or six millions before she could
have the control. It would not be very wise in
her to stop the canal when she can make ten per
cent. on her capital embarked in that work, if
the calculations of its projectors shall ever be re-
alised. She may perhaps apply to the Legisla-
ture for a cross-cut to Baltimore: and this might
be very wise in her, and she might apply her
own means to its completion. He bad no objec-
tion to this He was a Marylander, and he would
be willing that Baltimore should have her share.
He held in his hand a law of the Legislature
known as the tax bill, which shows the existence
of a contract between the counties and the city.
If Baltimore helps to pay the debt of the State,
let her have the benefit of the these internal im-
provements, The people have contributed liber-
ally towards these public works, and he diverted
that the revenue from them should not be divided
to other purposes than those specified in the con-
tracts. Many seem to think that Baltimore will
have a controling interest over these works, but
this he doubted. To talk of her shutting up the
canal even if she had the power, is to talk of that
which in the nature of things, is scarcely possible.
After she has contributed millions to this magni-
ficent work by a tax upon her people, the idea of
her closing the canal is too absurd to be believed.
Mr. B. concluded by moving the previous
question.
There was a second.
The main question was ordered to be now
taken, [being on the motion to reconsider.]
Mr. BLAKISTONE asked the yeas and nays,
which were ordered, and being taken, resulted
as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Ricaud, Lee, Chambers,
of Kent, Mitchell, Donaldson, Jenifer. Lloyd,
Crisfield, Dashiell, Hicks, Goldsborough, Chambers,
of Cecil, Miller, Sprigg, McCubbin, Bow-
ling, Spencer, Grason, George. Thomas, Shri-
ver, Gaither, Biser, Annan, Sappington, Stephen-
son, McHenry, Magraw, Hardcastle, Schley,
Fiery. Neill, Hollyday, Parke, Ege, Cockey and
Brown—37.
Negative—Messrs. Chapman, President, Blakistone,
Dent, Hopewell, Dorsey, Wells, Randall,
Kent, Sellman, Weems, Dalrymple, Bond, Sol-
lers. Bell, Welch, Ridgely, Colston, Eccleston,
Bowie, McMaster, Fooks, Thawley, Gwinn,
Brent, of Baltimore city, Sherwood, of Baltimore |
