least, that he was regarded as worthy of their
confidence. He should never betray that trust
willfully, though his judgment might err, his heart
knew no pulsation that did not beat true to the
people whom he represented. Something had
been said by his colleague, (Mr. B ,) as to the
surrender of political power now enjoyed by the
party of which we are both members. That pa-
tronage has been denominated by him the club
of Hercules Disclaiming in all sincerity, that
the remarks he was about to make on that sub-
ject, are designed to apply to his colleague, who,
he believed, to be incapable of acting from an
unworthy motive. It is due to truth and candor
to say, that as a member of the Reform party of
Maryland, he blushed to acknowledge, that in
despite of loud professions, there are those who
are looking to the mess of pottage, and have
abandoned the high ground of principle, and it
is in a quarter where, for the honor of the cause
of reform, he had hoped opposition would never
have come; that the defeat of the Constitution is
becoming a watchword. His colleague, (Mr,
B.,) had said that the compromise for which the
Reformers of this body have voted, with astonishing
unanimity, is a mere crumb! a crumb "fall-
ing from the rich man's table." Aye, sir, if it
were not for the crumbs which are expected to
fall from the Executive table, how few would be
found to hazard the substantial concessions to
popular rights which have been presented and
rejected by this body. He would beg to call the
attention of the Convention to the attitude of
parties in the late Gubernatorial contest.
it is a well known fact, that both the distin-
guished candidates for the Gubernatorial chair,
were the avowed friends of reform and retrench-
ment, That being the case, what was the ground
assumed, everywhere openly, by the Democratic
candidate? it was this. That although the can-
didate of the Whig party was himself a Reformer,
yet he was sustained for the most part by those
who were inimical to Conventional Reform.
That looking to the probable majority of the
anti-reformers in this Convention, if a gentleman
was elected a Whig Governor, that the Conven-
tion might not be disposed to curtail his patron-
age. Mr. P. well recollected that in Monument
Square, the Democratic candidate, in alluding to
the Reform ticket nominated in the city of Balti-
more, he put the question home to them byname,
and asked, in the event of his election, they would
dare, aye, dare sir, to violate their pledges to the
great cause of Reform, by seeking to uphold Ex-
ecutive patronage. And, sir, that appeal swayed
the minds and judgments of many who were po-
litically opposed to the Democratic candidate,
but who were sincere in their devotion to the
Reform cause.
Mr. WM. COST JOHNSON asked if he was to
understand the gentleman, [Mr. Presstman,] as
saying that Mr. Lowe and Mr.Clarke, in speeches
they made in Baltimore county, besides express-
ing themselves in the same manner in private-
pledged themselves to that doctrine, and also
that every Whig and Democrat in Maryland vo- |
ted for the two candidates in consequence of
their having pledged themselves in open speeches
that they were in favor of representation accord-
ing to population.
Mr. PRESSTMAN continued. The question had
been put to him, and he would endeavor to re-
ply in the manner he was best able. He would
not vouch for the accuracy of his statement, as
he was not present at the Baltimore county
meeting, at the laying down of the Gubernatorial
platforms. But he had always been under the
impression, that both gentlemen had expressed
their individual opinions in favor of the princi-
ple of representation according to population,
but he was not prepared to say that all who vo-
ted for each candidate, regarded that principle
as involved in the Gubernatorial contest. Hence
he had referred to the view taken by the Demo-
cratic candidate, before the people of Baltimore,
as to the influence his election might exert upon
the action of this body,
He would not be understood as declaring that
many who will oppose the Constitution, (such
as it now likely to be,) might not do so from the
highest and most honorable motives; but that
there is a taint somewhere and among some per-
sons, styling themselves reformers, he did avow,
and will forever maintain. He regretted that an
allusion had been made by his colleague, [Mr.
Brent,] to this Club of Hercules. How few of
all the honest yeomanry and masses of the peo-
ple in this State, have any lot or interest in the
distribution of offices.
Mr. R. J. BRENT wished to know whether he
understood the gentleman. If he did, it was that
the Governor had said that he, [Mr. B.,] and
others, would not dare refuse to strip him of the
Executive patronage. Now, he, [Mr. B.,] did
intend to vote to strip him of that patronage.
Mr. PRESSTMAN. If the gentleman had so
declared himself, how could he suppose that he,
[Mr. P.] meant to impute otherwise.
Mr. BRENT. Your remarks, sir, were equivo-
cal, although I know you did not mean to include
me.
Mr. PRESSTMAN proceeded. He wished to he
understood as ready at all times to make this is-
sue before the people of Baltimore. That while
they might desire representation according to
population, there had never been an official
document emanating from any party in this State,
in or out of Baltimore, demanding that principle
should be carried out as a sine qua non in the
adoption of a Constitution.
It is true, that the organ of the Democratic
reform party of Baltimore, (the Republican and
Argus,) claims this to be the sentiment of the
people of Baltimore; as to the correctness of that
position, and of the course of that paper, he
should have something to say hereafter. Why,
sir, if such pretensions had been avowed by any
party, this Convention never would have been
called together. The journal of the House of
Delegates is pregnant with proof that those who
passed the act establishing the basis of represen- |
