be printed. The gentleman from Prince George's
desired the indictment. He had no objection, fur
his own part, to the printing of the whole docu-
ment, if necessary to place the action of the
Executive of Maryland properly before the people.
He would not object to the reconsideration,
however, if the Convention thought proper.
Mr. BOWIE said that the fact was simply this:
a requisition had been made by the Governor of
Pennsylvania, upon the Governor of Maryland
for a Mr. Mitchell. This demand had been re-
fused, and a correspondence had ensued between
the two Executives. It was exceedingly de-
sirable that the people of the State of Maryland
should know the grounds taken by those two
States in reference to this subject. The Con-
vention was just as well prepared to act upon
the question of printing that correspondence, as
any committee could be, if referred to a com-
mittee, it might be delayed, if reported at all,
until a time when the Convention would be ill
prepared for it, being engaged in the discussion
of other and important questions. The refe-
rence to a committee be considered a mere idle
waste of time.
Mr. BLAKISTON said that, in his opinion, it
would be the bounden duty of the Convention,
if they approved the course of Governor Lowe,
not only to have this communication published,
but to endorse the action of the Executive by a
solemn and unanimous vote. For that reason,
it would be important that it should be referred
to a committee in order that the action of the
Executive might be sustained by a proper resolution,
passed by the Delegates of the whole
body of the people of the State of Maryland,
The documents should then be published to enable
the people of Maryland to understand the action
of the Executive and to endorse it.
Mr. RANDALL regretted to differ so much from
those whose opinions he highly esteemed. He
considered, as the sole object of this Convention
was the formation of a Constitution for the State,
that the introduction of the resolution of the
gentleman from Calvert had regard to that object
alone. He therefore was clearly in favor of the
reference of the information obtained under that
resolution to a committee, as suggested by the
gentleman from St. Mary's. But he did not
think it was the duty of this Convention to cir-
culate information of this description, however
interesting and desirable, among the people. We
had enough to do to attend to the business pro-
perly submitted to us.
Mr. SPENCER remarked that the gentleman
from Calvert had disavowed any such purpose,
He had said that communications had passed
between the Executive of Pennsylvania and the
Executive of Maryland, which could have no
relevancy at all to the action of this Conven-
tion; but he desired that the information should
be laid before the Convention for their informa-
tion; and probably with a view that the action
of the Executive might be sustained and en-
forced by the weight and character of the Con-
vention, by the passage of a resolution.
Mr. Bowie suggested that it was the same
motive which had actuated the members of the
28 |
Convention in passing a resolution unanimously
in reference to the compromise. That had
nothing to do with the framing of the Constitu-
tion; but it was a question all-important and vital
to the interests of the State. This was a ques-
tion of great importance, and also entitled to at-
tention by the Convention. The state of the
case ought to be known.
Mr. RANDALL resumed, and said he had been
entirely misunderstood if it was supposed that be
wished to suppress any information. He was
glad the information had been laid before them,
and trusted that it would be solemnly and care-
fully examined by a committee of the house.
Ha desired that committee to examine it with a
view to see whether or not it was necessary to
engraft in the Constitution any provision to apply
to such a state of things—a provision prohibiting
the delivery up of a citizen of this State charged
with such an imaginary offence against the un-
constitutional laws of other States. In this view
alone would he vote for the reference to a com-
mittee. The executive of Maryland was very
well able to take care of his department, and so
was the Attorney General, by the publication of
tills correspondence. If the people of Maryland
desired the correspondence to be published, it
could be very readily done by the newspapers; but
this Convention, he would respectfully submit,
was not the proper organ for the publication of
such information, if it was to be printed for the
purpose of circulation, the Executive had the
power to do it; or it might be published in the
papers, as it would be, if of sufficient interest .to
be sought for—and from what he heard it was
both interesting and important to the people.
But all that the Convention had to do with it was
to examine whether there was a sufficient reason
shown by this correspondence for the introduction
of any provision in the organic law of the State,
requiring that to be done by the Executive of
this State winch he had in this case, from his
own proper sense of duty, voluntarily done.
Mr. BOWIE withdrew the motion to recon-
sider, and said that he trusted that the commit-
tee would report to-morrow morning a resolu-
tion upon the subject, affirming the course of
the Executive of the State.
Mr. MORGAN said that he could not permit this
matter to go to the committee without saying
something in reply to what had fallen from his
friend from Anne Arundel, (Mr. Randall) For
one, he could not consent to remain silent, and
have it said here that the people of Maryland had
no interest in a question like this.
Mr. RANDALL. My friend has misunderstood
me; I did not say that.
Mr. MORGAN did not desire to misrepresent his
friend, but certainly lie had argued that it did not
come within the proper duties of this Convention,
and therefore, that the whole subject should be
turned over to the Legislature. What, then, was
this question about which we, representing the
sovereign people of Maryland, should not at this
time speak ? A citizen of Maryland had, by
means of two agents, succeeded in reclaiming a
fugitive slave from the State of Pennsylvania, his
undoubted property, and that citizen is now de- |
