colored population, and for their removal from
this State; and at its first session after the adop-
tion of this constitution, shall provide by law for
their registration.
Sec. 2. No person of color shall be capable of
purchasing or holding real estate within this
State, by title, acquired after the adoption of this
constitution. And all deeds, wills, contracts and
other conveyances, purporting to convey real es-
tate to any free person of color shall be absolutely
null and void; provided, nothing herein contained
shall be construed to make void any title, or
change the course of descent of real estate held
by any title which may exist at the time of the
adoption aforesaid; and provided further, nothing
herein contained shall prohibit leases of real estate
to free persons of color for a term not exceeding
one year, and provision shall be made by law for
regulating the execution and recording of such
leases.
Sec, 3. No slave shall be emancipated or be-
come free except upon condition that he or she
leave this State within thirty days next after his
or her right to freedom shall accrue.
Sec. 4. No free person of color shall immigrate
to, or come within this State to reside.
On motion of Mr. SMITH,
The report of committee No, 14, creating a
Board of Public Works, was made the special
order of the day for Thursday next.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION,
Mr. SOLLERS, chairman of the committee on
future amendments and revisions of the consti-
tion, submitted the following report:
1st. That this form of government and the
Declaration of Rights, and any part thereof
may be altered, changed or abolished by the
passage of a bill by the General Assembly, so
to alter, change or abolish the same, provided
such bills shall be published at least three
months before a new election, and shall be con-
firmed by the General Assembly, after a new
election of Delegates in the first session after
such new election.
2d. That a Convention to alter, change and
abolish this form of government, and the Dec-
laration of Rights, maybe called by the passage
of a bill for that purpose, provided such bill be
published at least three months before a new
election, and shall be. confirmed by the General
Assembly after a new election of Delegates in
the first session after such new election.
Which was read.
Mr. SOLLERS said, it was proper for him to
remark that this report was made by himself.
His impression was that no other member of
the committee would agree with him in it, and
that a counter report would be made.
Mr. FITZPATRICK, as a member of the com-
mittee, expressed his dissent from the report.
There were also other members of the commit-
tee, as he had learned in conversation with
them, who dissented from it, and who would
probably make a counter report. |
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
The Convention resumed the consideration of
the unfinished business of yesterday, being the
report of the committee on the executive de-
partment of the government.
The question pending before the Convention
yesterday was on the amendment offered by
Mr. Jenifer to the fifth section of the report,
Mr, DORSEY gave notice, when in order, he
should move the following as a substitute, for
the 5th section of the report, and the amend-
ment proposed by Mr. Jenifer thereto:
Article 5. The State shall be divided into
three districts, the eight counties of the Eastern
Shore to be the first; St. Mary's, Charles, Cal-
vert, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Howard,
Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Carroll
counties the second; and Baltimore and Har-
ford counties and the city of Baltimore the third;
and the Governor elected from the second dis-
trict in October last, shall continue in office
until his successor shall be chosen from the
third district, and shall have qualified as such;
and then a Governor shall be taken from each
district in regular succession.
Mr, DORSEY observed that he was opposed to
the amendment of the gentleman from Charles,
(Mr, Jenifer,) as he had already stated, and he
was also opposed to the amendment which was
proposed as a substitute. Whilst he received
with perfect acquiescence the statement made by
the gentleman from Frederick, (Mr. Thomas) as
to the facts and his intentions in the proposition
which he had offered, he [Mr. D ] must be per-
mitted to say that he differed with him in the in-
ferences and conclusions which he had drawn
from those facts and intentions. He admitted
that the gentleman had no political design, and
that the facts which lie stated were correct; but
when he undertook to say that the principle for
which he [Mr. D.] contended, or rather the ob-
jections he took to his proposition, and in favor of
the proposition he had suggested, were erroneous,
he could not aglee with him. He [Mr. D ] thought
he had explained before the Convention that he
did not perceive that the gentleman's position was
perfectly correct, that it could make any differ-
ence as to which district Baltimore county was
placed in. He [Mr. D.] thought it made a very
material difference, The gentleman assured him
that as the nomination was to be made by the
whole State, and as the vote was to be given by
the whole State, it mattered not in what district
Baltimore city or county would be placed. He
begged to differ with him in that opinion. He
[Mr. D.] considered, in the first place, Baltimore
city and county so connected that they ought not
to be divided. The same judges presided in the
city of Baltimore as in the county; the same po-
lice were employed about the courts of justice,
both of which were held at the same place in the
city; and the same lawyers attended in both
courts. The same distinguished men who moved
from Baltimore into the county, over that ima-
ginary line between them, and eace of whom
were competent to be Governor, transacted their
business in their offices or counting houses in the |
