The PRESIDENT, pro tem. It is.
Mr. SOLLERS demanded the previous question.
There was a second. The main question was
ordered to be now taken, (being on the second
branch of the amendment of Mr. DORSEY,) in
these words, "or express legislation passed before
the perpetration of the crime "
The question was then taken, and the result
was as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Blakistone, President, pro
tem., Dent, Hopewell, Chambers of Kent, Donaldson,
Dorsey, Wells, Randall, Kent, Dalrymple,
Bond, Sollers, Brent of Charles, Crisfield,
Hodson, Sprigg, Bowling, and Davis—18.
Negative—Messrs. Ricaud, Lee, Jenifer, Bu-
chanan, Bell, Welch, Chandler, Ridgely, Lloyd,
Dickinson, Sherwood of Talbot, Dashiell, Hicks,
Eccleston, Constable, Miller, McLane, McCub-
bin, Spencer, Grason, Dirickson, McMaster,
Fooks, Shriver, Gaither, Biser, Annan, Sappington,
Stephenson, McHenry, Magraw, Nelson,
Hardcastle, Gwinn, Stewart of Baltimore city,
Brent of Baltimore city, Ware, Schley. Fiery.
Neill, John Newcomer, Harbine, Michael New-
comer, Kilgour, Brewer, Weber, Hollyday, Sli-
cer, Parke, Ege, and Brown—51.
So the last branch of the amendment was re-
jected.
The question then recurred on the section as
amended—and it was adopted,
Mr SOLLERS, (who had called the previous
question under a misunderstanding of its effect,)
desired to offer me amendment of which he had
given notice.
Mr. DONALDSON [with a view to offer amend-
ments contemplated by him] moved a re-consid-
eration of the vote just taken.
Mr. DIRICKSON asked the gentleman to state
what the amendments were.
Mr. DONALDSON explained.
The question was stated to be on the motion
to reconsider.
Mr. JENIFER said:
He should oppose the motion to reconsider,
notwithstanding the disposition he always felt to
show courtesy to gentlemen in motions of this
kind.
He thought that the Convention, so far as it
had gone, had shown too great a disposition to
restrict the Executive, and to take away from
him powers which belonged to him, and which
the interests of the State did not require should
be lodged elsewhere. It seemed as if the Con-
vention designed to make an automaton of the
Governor, and nothing more.
Mr. SOLLERS said:
That if the gentleman from Charles, (Mr.
Jenifer,) thought that he wished to strip the Ex-
ecutive of any power, he was mistaken. He did
not belong to that new fangled school which
went for cutting down every thing. His only
object was to guard the power against abuse. He
then stated a case of extreme hardship, in which
the executive had been deceived by numerously
signed petitions from Calvert, into granting a
nolle prosequi, by which a man against whom a
suit and judgment for the crime of forgery had |
been obtained by a young lawyer, who died very
suddenly, escaped from the law, and an imputa-
tion was cast on the reputation of the young gen-
tleman who had obtained the judgment, that he
had received the money from the forger and dis-
sipated it.
That was the reason for the amendment which
he had proposed requiring the publication of the
names of the signers of petitions asking tor the
pardon of criminals.
Mr. JENIFER referred to a case of a different
character, to show that such publication might
act injuriously.
The question was then taken, and
The motion to reconsider was agreed to.
The Convention then adjourned until to-mor-
row at ten o'clock.
WEDNESDAY, March 12th, 1851.
The Convention met at 10 o'clock.
Prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. GRAUFF.
The journal of yesterday was lead, and, after
being amended,
On motion of Mr. CRISFIELD, by substituting
the word " recess," for the word "adjourn-
ment," in the amendment offered by him, was
approved.
DOORKEEPERS.
Mr. SAPPINGTON submitted the following or-
der:
Ordered, That a select committee be appointed
and instructed to enquire and report to this House
whether or not it would not be expedient to dis-
charge some of the doorkeepers and committee
clerks.
On motion of Mr. SAPPINGTON, the special
committee was ordered to consist of three mem-
bers.
Mr. MAGRAW moved to lay the order on the
table.
Mr. SAPPINGTON asked for the ayes and noes,
And they were ordered,
The question was then taken on the motion of
Mr. MAGRAW, to lay the order on the table,
when it was decided in the negative, as follows:
Affirmative —Messrs. Blakistone, President, pro
tem.. Dent, Hopewell. Ricaud, Lee, Chambers,
of Kent, Donaldson, Kent, Dalrymple, Sollers,
Brent, of Charles, Jenifer, Chandler, Dashiell,
Hicks, Eccleston, Sprigg, Bowling, Grason,
Dirickson, McMaster, Annan, Magraw and Kil-
gour—24.
Negative.—Messrs. Dorsey, Wells, Sellman,
Lloyd, Dickinson, Sherwood, of Talbot, Cham-
bers, of Cecil, Miller, McCubbin, Spencer, Shri-
ver, Gaither, Biser, Sappington, Nelson, Hard-
castle, Gwinn, Stewart, of Baltimore city, Brent,
of Baltimore city, Ware, Schley, Fiery, John
Newcomer, Harbine, Michael Newcomer, Brew-
er, Weber, Hollyday, Slicer, Parke, Cockey and
Brown—32. |
