prevent the very thing that the gentleman was
afraid of. With a view to meet the views of
the gentleman and his colleague, and at the
same time those of the gentleman from Freder-
ick, he would withdraw his amendment, and
move that wherever the word " county" ap-
peared in the report, to insert "judicial dis-
trict," This would give them a seat of justice,
and remedy the evil complained of by the gen-
tleman from Frederick.
Mr. DAVIS said that having, a few days ago,
indicated a plan of adjustment for the settlement
of this question of representation, which con-
templated the division of Allegany county, he
thought it was due to himself to explain the
considerations which would influence his vote
on the present occasion. He then proposed, as
an article of adjustment, that she should be di-
vided whenever she should have a population
Of 9,000 souls. He put it at this number, be-
cause that was about the population of the
smallest county in the State. But it would he
recollected that this was only apart of the entire
plan—a plan combining population and territory
together.
He wished to say now that he must vote
against the proposition, and for this reason: be-
cause the plan had been superseded by another,
which was cruelly unjust to the county which
he had the honor in part to represent, as well
as to many other counties in the lower portion
of the State. He could not point out one single
Object of liberality towards them in the adjust-
ment of the question of representation. He
Could not, then, consent to vote now for this
proposition singly, after the material part of the
plan with which he was willing to combine this
had been superseded.
Mr. FITZPATRICK said that if the amendment
last proposed by the gentleman from Charles,
should be carried, he certainly would vote
against the bill. He did nut wish to see a new
county come into the State deformed and crip-
pled. He wished to see her placed on a footing
with the other counties.
Mr, JENIFER was very glad the gentleman had
expressed this view of the subject. He (Mr.
J.) did not believe that such an object was con-
templated merely for the purpose of obtaining
increased representation. He was under the
impression that they desired to form this new
county for convenience in the transaction of the
business of the district, He found the object
was now to make a new county for the purpose
of obtaining an increase of representation. Al-
legany as she now stands, having less than a
moiety of the ratio, it was proposed to give four
delegates, while Prince George's, having a tri-
fle less, was cut down to three. Now the cloven
foot was shown, and it could be seen that that
portion of the State was now determined to hold
out injustice. They wished this new county
formed for the benefit of Allegany, upon the
principle that this was a growing county, and
was entitled to more representatives.. This be-
ing the object, as developed by the gentleman
who had just taken his seat. Mr. J. said he
would withdraw his amendment and vote against
the bill. |
Mr. THOMAS signified his willingness to take
the bill in the form proposed by the gentleman
from Charles. He would yield his individual
opinions upon that ground; but he should vote
for the formation of this new county. He would
have taken it in the form proposed by the gen-
tleman from Charles, because he knew the dif-
ficulty of adjusting all these questions, and the
great hardship which was imposed upon the
people of a county in making them go sixty or
seventy miles to the seat of justice. He hoped
the alarm raised by the gentleman would net
prevail to deny the people of that portion of
Maryland, so very humble and reasonable a
request, as that would in the present form of
the bill.
He repeated again, that it could not be too
Well remembered by the Convention, that this
bill, if amended in the manner proposed by the
gentleman from Charles, that the whole county
of Allegany, after it shall he divided, should have
no representation until after 1860, greater limn
the county of Allegany is now allowed, would not
accomplish any thing. There was no cause
whatever for any thing like dread of an increase
of representation from that part of the State, if
divided, because, under the new apportionment
bill, that whole portion of Allegany county would
have representation in the Legislature in propor-
tion to its population. He would vote with the
delegation for the bill as it now stood.
Mr. FITZPATRICK said that the gentleman from
Charles had misunderstood him altogether. He
would have voted for the amendment first pro-
posed by the gentleman; but if the second amendment
had prevailed, he would have voted against
the bill. He disclaimed any design to obtain an
increase of representation, because after 1860 they
were to receive a delegation in proportion to their
population,
Mr. MCMASTER said that the call which he
made for the yeas and nays, indicated the vote he
intended to give on the proposition before the
House. He came there as a representative of
the entire State of Maryland, but mure particu-
larly as a representative of the constituency which
sent him there. The constituency whom he had
the honor in part to represent, were a high mind-
ed and honorable people were jealous of their
rights, and particularly of their political rights.
They were opposed to the political influence of
the Western portion of the State, and he should
feel himself recreant to the interests of those
whom he represented, if he did not oppose this bill.
He therefore should vote in opposition to it.
Mr. BOWIE hoped that the gentleman from
Charles would press the amendment last offered
by him, because if the bill should pass at all, it
was very clear that the representation of Alle-
gany county should not be increased at least be-
fore 1860.
Mr. THOMAS moved to amend the bill by add-
ing thereto the following proviso.
"Provided, that the whole representation in
the General Assembly of the county when divi-
ded, shall not exceed the present delegation of
Allegany county, allowed under this Constitution
until after the next census. |
