could be inflicted on them— the certain death
blow of their peace and happiness. I believe, sir,
that no instant danger on this score is justly to
be apprehended, from transferring the sway from
where it now is, to the non-slave holding coun-
ties of the State. I am proud to believe that there
is not a member of this Convention, who would
wantonly and unkindly interfere with the insti-
tution of slavery, in which the very life of the
smaller counties are bound up; but, sir, we are
legislating for the future, as well as for the pre-
sent; for posterity as well as for ourselves, and
we know not what a day or an hour may bring
forth. There is a wild and fanatic spirit at the
North, that derives increased appetite from what
it feeds on. it has wealth and talent to aid it in
its work of ruin. From an inconsiderable be-
ginning, it has reached an alarming magnitude.
The speck that was no larger than a man's hand,
has overspread the whole heavens. Sir, you had
as well attempt by human force to dam up the
Chesapeake in its onward rush to the ocean, as to
say to the tide of fanaticism when once set in
motion: "Thus far shall thou go and no farther."
Sir, in a matter of such deep and vital interest,
it is prudent to take counsel of our fears, and I
implore the slave sections of the State, by every
consideration of public good for their domestic
peace, to oppose this scheme, which seeks to
cut off our arm of strength.
In conclusion, I again earnestly and solemnly
protest, on behalf of the people of St. Mary's,
against this attempted outrage or their rights;
and I do hope there is enough of that spirit of
patriotism and mutual love, in which our pres-
ent Constitution was left to their descendants to
save them from its final consummation.
Mr. SOLLERS asked the yeas and nays on agree-
ing to the amendment, which were ordered, and
being taken, resulted as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, president, Mor-
gan, Blakistone, Dent, Hopewell, Ricaud, Lee,
Chambers, of Kent, Mitchell, Wells, Kent,
Weems, Dalrymple, Bond, Sollers, John Dennis,
James U. Dennis, Crisfield, Williams, Hicks,
Goldsborough, Eccleston, Phelps, Bowie, Sprigg,
McCubbin, Bowling, Dirickson, McMaster,
Hearn, Fooks, Jacobs, Kilgour and Waters—34.
Negative—Messrs. Donaldson, Dorsey, Ran-
dall, Sellman, Brent, of Charles, Merrick, Jeni-
fer, Howard, Buchanan, Bell, Welch, Chandler,
Ridgely, Lloyd, Colston, Chambers, of Cecil,
Miller, McLane, Spencer, Grason, George,
Wright, Thomas, Johnson, Shriver, Gaither,
Biser, Annan, Sappington, Stephenson, McHen-
ry, Magraw, Nelson .Thawley, Stewart, of Car-
oline, Hardcastle, Gwinn, Stewart, of Baltimore
city, Brent, of Baltimore city, Sherwood, of Bal-
timore city, Presstman, Ware, Fiery, Harbine,
Michael Newcomer, Brewer, Anderson, Weber,
Hollyday, Slicer, Fitzpatrick, Smith, Parke,
Shower and Cockey—55.
So the Convention refused to accept the sub-
stitute.
Mr. BRENT, of Charles, moved to amend the |
amendment of Mr. FIERY, by striking out after
the words "United States," these words: "which
shall he determined by adding to the whole num-
ber of free persons) including those bound to ser-
vice for a term of years, three-fifths of the slaves,
and,"
Mr, B, said that this would bring the Conven-
tion to a test vote upon the question of federal
basis. In the remarks which he had had the
honor to submit to the Convention some days
since, he asserted that he would vote for no pro-
position which had fur its basis federal numbers,
and he would now reiterate that assertion. He
believed that this basis, in its application to the
State of Maryland, would be a mere arbitrary
rule. which was unfounded in reason or princi-
ple.
Mr. MERRICK asked the yeas and nays on the
adoption of the amendment, which were ordered,
and being taken, were as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, President, Morgan,
Blakistone, Dent, Hopewell, Ricaud, Lee,
Chambers of Kent, Donaldson, Dorsey. Wells,
Randall, Kent, Sellman, Weems, Dalrymple,
Bond, Brent of Charles Merrick, Jenifer, John
Dennis, James U. Dennis, Crisfield, Williams,
Hicks, Goldsborough, Eccleston, Phelps, Bowie,
Tuck, Sprigg, McCubbin, Bowling, Dirickson,
McMaster, Hearn, Fooks, Jacobs, Kilgour and
Waters—40
Negative— Messrs. Howard, Buchanan, Bell,
Welch, Chandler, Ridgely, Lloyd, Colston, Con-
stable, Chambers of Cecil, Miller, McLane,
Spencer, Grason, George, Wright. Thomas,
Shriver, Johnson, Gaither Biser, Annan, Sap-
pington, Stephenson, McHenry, Magraw, Nel-
son, Thawley, Stewart of Caroline, Hardcastle,
Gwinn, Stewart of Baltimore city, Brent of Bal-
timore city, Sherwood of Baltimore city, Presstman,
Ware, Fiery, John Newcomer, Harbine,
Michael Newcomer, Brewer, Anderson, Weber,
Hollyday, Slicer, Fitzpatrick, Smith, Parke,
Shower, Cockey and Brown—51.
So the amendment was rejected.
Mr. JOHNSON moved the following as a substi-
tute for the amendment of Mr. FIERY :
The House of Delegates shall be composed of
seventy-five members, to be apportioned among
the several counties and city of Baltimore, pur-
suant to the ratios herein provided, according to
their several numbers, as shown by the recent
census of the United States, to be determined by
adding to the whole number of free persons, in-
cluding those bound to service for aterm of years,
three-fifths of all other persons, and allowing to
each county one additional delegate, for a frac-
tion exceeding one half of the ratio, but each
county shall be entitled to at least two delegates.
The ratio shall be one delegate to every six thou-
sand inhabitants of the said county and city, un-
til the number of the House of Delegates-shall be
seventy-two, and thereafter the ratio shall be
one to every forty-one thousand inhabitants. Re-
sult as follows:
Allegany county four, Anne Arundel county
three, Howard county two, Baltimore city ten,
Baltimore county seven, Carroll county three, |
