ster would have made the speech he did upon the
subject of slavery; and that other equally dis-
tinguished gentlemen from the East and the West
would have co-operate with him except by com-
pact, and alone with a view of allaying the ex-
citement which was rocking this government
from the centre to the circumference? Yes, sir,
they risked their reputation at home, that they
might pour oil upon the trouble waters; and they
have received the thanks of a generous and con-
fiding nation
Mr. CHAMBERS, of Kent, enquired on what
authority did the gentleman say that the laws
which passed the last Congress of the United
States, and which were now known as the com-
promise laws, were adopted in caucus. He, Mr.
C., had no such knowledge, as he had said before;
he was nine years in the Senate and never knew
a law that was passed in a caucus.
Mr BREWER. Were not those laws adopted
by curcus ? Three could compose a caucus, as
Well as a larger number.
Mr. CHAMBERS said, that what he termed a
caucus, was going into a caucus where a major-
ity of the whole body assembled concurred in a
proposition, a minority of the caucus sufficient to
pass the measure, being bound to support it as
adopted by the majority, thus constituting a majority
whose opinion were expressed, not because
they all held these opinions, but because
they were the opinions adopted in caucus by
others. He knew of no such proceedings in the
Senate of the United States, an any occasion.
Mr. BREWER said, that such a caucus as was
described by the gentleman from Kent, did not
exist with the reform party of that Convention,
The gentleman had mistaken the object and na-
ture of the caucus, if he supposed that the rule
he had laid down, was the rule adopted by the
caucus which was held in the eastern wing of
that building.
Mr. CHAMBERS. Does the gentleman say that
no one was bound ?
Mr. BREWER. No one was bound. The dis-
cussion was free, and no one hound except those
who voluntarily pledged themselves.
Mr. CHAMBERS. Ah, ah.
Mr. BREWER said, that he had adopted the
measure recommended by the caucus, because
he believed it was the only one presented, which
would meet the views and wishes of the citizens
of the State, and would be adopted by them
in June next. He firmly believed, and so de-
clared it, in his place, that unless some such mea-
sure was adopted by the reformers, this Conven-
tion would have adjourned without effecting any
practical good it was sufficient for him to
know, that by adopting the project of the gentle-
man from Washington, they would obtain that constitutional
reform which would be so acceptable to
the people of Maryland. He wished not to
make a Constitution which would alone beagree-
able to the one hundred and three gentlemen,
who compose this Convention, but such a Consti-
tution as the citizens of Maryland would and
ought to accept. He did not come here merely
for the purpose of changing the representation
in the House of Delegates. Retrenchment and |
reform were the subjects principally discussed in
his county. Representation and apportionment
were not the only questions before this body.
We had assembled together with a hope of mak-
ing a new organic law, by which the condition
of the people might be improved. He was wil-
ling. as a delegate from Montgomery, to vote lor
such a Constitution. When he had performed
this duty. he would have accomplished the pur-
poses which he had in view when he consented
to run as a candidate for a seat in this Conven-
tion. He was a reformer before the gubernato-
rial election—he was a reformer still and would
go with him who went the farthest in making an
organic law, which would satisfy the wishes of
the citizens of the State. He thanked the Con-
vention for the indulgence granted him, and hoped
they would excuse the desultory manner in which
he had discussed the question before the house,
as he had been unexpectedly drawn into the de-
bate without a moment's deliberation.
Mr. KILGOUR said, that the gentleman from
Montgomery, had alluded to the very large vote
by which he was elected to the Convention, and
that he should vote for a compromise on the
question of representation. He would ask him
to state to the house, what was the compromise
which he sustained before the people of Montgomery,
as the one which he intended to support
in the Convention, and whether it was not to re-
strict Baltimore city to a representation equal to
the largest county? He would also ask him an-
other question If the proposition of the gentle-
man from Washington, had been submitted to
the people of Montgomery, and he had gone be-
fore them on that single question, whether he be-
lieved he could have been elected to that Con-
vention ?
Mr. BREWER. Yes, sir,
Mr. KILGOUR. Never, upon the face of God's
earth. The only reason why he was elected, in
connection with his popularity, was that he sus-
tained the doctrine of restricting Baltimore city,
to a representation equal to that of the largest
county. If it had not been upon that position, he
knew, and his colleagues knew, that he could
not have obtained the vole even of the Democra-
tic party.
Mr. CRISFIELD rose and said :
Mr. President,
During the sittings of this body, I have re-
frained, as far as possible, from occupying ill
time with any remarks of mine. I have always
been reluctant to participate in debate, and I
should not be able to overcome my reluctance
now, but for what I conceive to be a duty. That
people, by whose favor I am honored with a seat
on this floor, are deeply interested in questions
now presented for our consideration, and it is
due to them that their feelings and opinion
should be made known to the people of Mary-
land.
We have arrived at an important crisis. We
are now about to lay anew the foundations of
the republic—again to distribute the elements of
political power, and lodge them in hands we
deem safest to hold them. We are about to
establish the basis of representation, the most |
