to be misunderstood. He concluded with stating
some further objections to the amendment, and
his intention to vote against it.
A long interlocutory discussion followed, be-
tween Mr. SOLLERS and Mr. BOWIE, directed to
the point whether the latter gentleman had, or
had not, voted for a Registry Law. Mr. SOLLERS
asserted that Mr. BOWIE had voted for a
stringent bill of that character, and appealed to the
journals to sustain the fact. Mr. BOWIE assert-
ed that he did not vote for the Registry Bill
which became a law, and could not BO have vo-
ted, because he was absent from his seat in the
Legislature at the time.
Mr. SOLLERS rejoined that. the Registry Bill
for which Mr. BOWIE voted, did become & law,
having passed both branches of the Legislature;
but that afterwards, in consequence of imper-
fections in the law, another hill was introduced
by Mr. SOLLERS, on which bill Mr. BOWIE did
not vote because he was not in his seat.
Mr. BOWIE said he thought his friend was mis-
taken in supposing that the Registry Law, for
which he (Mr. B.) had voted, ever became a law,
The law for which he (Mr. B.) had voted, was
not the one which subsequently became a law,
but was one which was much milder in its pro-
visions, and under certain circumstances, allow-
ed every man to vote, whether his name was re-
gistered or not.
Mr. SOLLERS referred his statements to the
decision of the journal.
The discussion was conducted, generally, in
good temper, and both gentlemen resumed their
seats satisfied, apparently, with the issue of the
controversy.
Mr. BROWN said he was aware that it was the
custom of all deliberative bodies to allow great
latitude of debate, but in that respect, he thought
this body differed from any that had ever assem-
bled in the State of Maryland for seventy-four
years. His own opinion was, that no remarks
should be indulged in, in committee of the
whole, that were not applicable to the question
under consideration. Here we had had an ela-
borate history of the personal cause of votes of
gentlemen upon a particular question long since
decided. He gave notice of his intention to
move, in Convention, an order discharging the
committee of the whole from the further consideration
of the bill, unless the necessity for that
cause should be obviated by & general consent
that the question should be taken. He would
more that the committee rise.
[Cries of "question."]
Mr. TUCK expressed his desire to occupy some
fifteen minutes of the time of the Convention, and
would, be said, either proceed now, or in the
morning, as gentlemen might prefer.
The usual hour having passed, and the committee
indicating its desire to rise,
Mr. TUCK yielded the floor.
The committee thereupon rose and reported
progress. And the Convention adjourned.
|
FRIDAY, January 11th, 1851.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Grauff.
The roll was called, and the Journal of yester-
terday was read and approved.
HOUR OF MEETING, &C.
Mr. RIDGELY rose, he said, to submit a motion.
Mr. CHAMBERS of Kent, desired to be inform-
ed whether reports from committees were now
in order ?
The President said reports of committees
would regularly be in order. But the floor had
been obtained by the gentleman from Baltimore
county, (Mr. RIDGELY.)
Mr. RIDGELY said his object in rising was to
move that the daily hour of the meeting of the
Convention be 11 o'clock, instead of ten.
Mr. BUCHANAN. I second the motion.
Mr. BOWIE. And I.
Mr. RIDGELY said that although the Conven-
tion had once or twice before refused to adopt
this proposition, yet he had again presented it
from a conviction that it was idle to hope for the
accomplishment of any good result by meeting
as early as ten o'clock. He trusted that, in con-
sideration not only of the length of the daily ses-
sions, but of the absolute necessity of some time
for relaxation, the motion be had made would be
agreed to.
The first hour of the day was generally spent
in the consideration of unimportant business. It
frequently happened that no quorum was present,
until one hall of the first hour had passed. The
Convention might meet at the hour of eleven,
and might immediately, if it should think proper,
pass to the Orders of the Day, and thus accom-
plish the same object that was at present accom-
plished by meeting at ten. He thought he had
shown by his course in this body, that be had
evinced as strong a disposition as any other
member, to expedite the completion of the bu-
siness for which it had been called together. He
had never interposed any obstacle, or coun-
tenanced any delay in the disposition of its busi-
ness; and he submitted this proposition now, only
because he believed it would facilitate and not
retard, the discharge of their duties. The Con-
vention sat here from ten to three, or half-past
three; night overtook them very soon after they
had adjourned, and by ten o'clock the following
morning, they were again to be in their seats;
having no interval for ordinary and proper re-
laxation, to say nothing of the additional duties
imposed upon them by the meetings of the Com-
mittees.
Another reason for the change was to be found
in the fact that the Convention had engaged a
Reporter, to furnish reports of its debates; and
he referred to this point without any authority
or suggestion, oil the part of that gentleman. It
was known that he, (Mr. R.) had opposed that
measure with all the energy he possessed. But
as the Convention had, by its deliberate vote, de-
cided to adopt an order that its debates should
be reported, it was due to the person whom they
had assigned to that duty, that he should |
