to one thousand dollars. He thought that less
than fifteen hundred dollars would not be suffi-
cient to induce a competent person, with a family,
to accept the appointment. Other public officers,
who have lighter duties to perform, receive a
higher rate of compensation. By fixing the sala-
ry at one thousand dollars, a competent person
will be prevented from filling the office.
Mr. JENIFER entirely agreed with the gentle-
man from Queen Anne's, that it will be impossi-
ble to find a competent man here all the year,
without giving him an adequate salary. He
would, hereafter, have additional duties to per-
form, and he ought to be properly paid. He
would withdraw his motion to insert twelve hun-
dred and would vote for fifteen hundred dollars.
Mr. CHAMBERS had no wish to be illiberal. He
was not a, Governor, never was Governor, and
was never likely to be Governor. He knew no
more of these matters than he learned from the
laws prescribing the duties of the Secretary, but
he was not aware of any very important or re-
sponsible duties which devolved upon him.
Mr. JENIFER interrupted. Keeper of the re-
cords.
Mr. CHAMBERS. By the Constitution as amended
in 1836, the Secretary of State would succeed
the Governor in the event of a vacancy during
the recess of the Legislature, but now it will not
be so, and he is but the keeper of the records
The present salary is one thousand dollars, and
no difficulty had been found in obtaining the ser-
vices of competent persons. The duties of the
office did not materially interfere with the pursuit
of professional or other duties. Why then this
increase ?
He was an advocate for liberal but not profuse
salaries A vast deal had been heard about re-
form and retrenchment, but he found, when a prac-
tical occasion arose here, he was about as pear
the mark as those who claimed to be par excellence,
the elite of this retrenchment party. He
did not mean those who preferred such claims
here, but out of doors It was quite a different
affair to play this game before the dear people,
quite another to act it out in this Convention.
As to the duties of the Governor, which he
might get the Secretary to perform for him, he
would only remark, that the Governor's salary
was designed as a fair compensation for all his
duties, and if he chose to relieve himself of any
portion of them by putting them on the Secreta-
ry, it would be a proper subject of arrangement
and contract. If he performs a part of the Gov-
ernor's duties, let the Governor pay him & part
of his salary. The State is not to pay twice for
Mr. JENIFER put an interrogatory to the gen-
tleman from Kent, (Mr. Chambers,) which, with
the reply, could not be heard.
Mr. GRASON said that anyone acquainted with
the facts, knows that there are many duties which
the Governor is not required to perform. This
officer is not the Governor's secretary, but the
Secretary of the State. He, (Mr G.,) could not
undertake to enumerate all the duties which he
had to perform, but he know that they were nu- |
merous and important. He was satisfied that
the gentleman from Kent was disposed to give a
proper salary, and that he would, on a little reflection,
Be willing to allow more than a thousand
dollars. The Secretary of State was obliged
to live here. When he, (Mr. G ,) came into
the office of Governor, the salary of the Secreta-
ry of State was two thousand dollars. And with
that salary, Mr. Cornelius McLane, one of the
most competent men in the State, was willing to
accept it; but if the compensation were fixed at
one thousand dollars, he believed the office would
be generally held by incompetent persons.
Mr. CHAMBERS desired to ask the gentleman
from Queen Anne's a single question. Was it
not formerly the practice to charge a fee on eve-
ry military commission which issued from the
Governor ? And when copies of records are re-
quired, is not a fee demanded for the copies ?
Mr. GRASON replied that when he was in of-
fice, no charge was made for copying papers or
for issuing commissions.
Mr. DASHIELL stated that when it was in order
he intended to move a substitute for the sec-
tion.
Mr. DORSEY said the Secretary ought to be the
confidental friend of the Governor. The gentle-
man from Queen Anne's had not stated the pre-
sent emoluments of the office The gentleman
from Kent, thinks there are none but those aris-
ing from military commissions. Me did not
know how that was. But he knew there was no
difficulty in getting a Secretary of State. But if
we are to look for a distinguished man who would
take the office on the calculation of a contingency
by which he might become Governor we shall
not be very likely to find one. He knew the gen-
tleman who filled the office, was fully competent.
He is a surveyor in Frederick county, of high
reputation for his intelligence and business habits.
The duties of the office do not entirely prevent the
Secretary from pursuing any other avocation. He
can practice law, and he, (Mr. D ,) knew that
this had been done. We have had very good
Secretaries for a thousand dollars; and he thought
the duties of the office would hereafter be less,
unless the Governor inappropriately impose some
of his own duties upon the Secretary. He will
indeed be a. mere clerk to the Governor. We
can get just as good an officer for one thousand
dollars, as we can for fifteen hundred dollars;
and if he ever becomes Governor, he will re-
ceive the Governor's salary. The State is still
struggling with the weight of her public debt,
and there is no necessity to give a higher salary.
He thought it ought to be fixed at a thousand dol-
lars.
Mr. LEE asked for the ayes and noes on the
motion of Mr. MCHENRY, and they were ordered.
i The question was then put on the motion of
Mr. McHENRY, to insert $1500, and it was de-
cided as follows:
Affirmative— Messrs. Wells, Randall, Kent,
Sollers, Jenifer, Howard, Buchanan, Hicks,
Hodson, Grason, McHenry, Magraw, Brent of
Baltimore city, Presstman, Ware, Kilgour and
Hollyday—17. |
