it to those who should come after him, when
this generation should have been gathered to
their fathers, to say what should be the appor-
tionment in future. "Sufficient unto the day is
the evil thereof." Was it possible to prejudice
the Eastern Shore in the face of such facts?
Where did this proposition meet with its first
opponent upon the constitutional ground? From
the distinguished gentleman from Kent, (Mr.
Chambers.) Could not that gentleman conceive
that the gentleman from Kent would have some
pride of opinion? that he would not go before
the whole American people and vote for an ar-
ticle in this Constitution which was in his judg-
ment incompatible with the Constitution of the
United States? Could not the gentleman con-
ceive that he (Mr. T.) would himself have some
pride of opinion, and would be unwilling to vote
for an article incompatible with the Constitution
of the United States? When political power
had been apportioned among the counties he had
voted liberally, and very much beyond what the
Eastern Shore had any right to claim upon any
principle of government that he had ever learned.
So in districting for the gubernatorial office, the
Eastern Shore with a population of a little over
100,000 had received the same privileges with
a part of the Western Shore with a population
of over 200,000. But would the Constitution be
rejected by the Western Shore on that account?
He had not even mooted the question of giving
representation according to population in the
Senate; and it was conceded on all sides that in
the Senate there should be political equality
among the counties.
To illustrate further the fallacy contended for,
Mr. T. referred to that article in our State Constitution
which declares that a citizen who has re-
aided for six months in a county shall be eligible
to a seat in the House of Delegates, and inquired
whether the County Commissioners could require
that the delegates should be residents for six
months in the several districts within the coun-
ties? If a member of the Convention believed that
this provision was contrary to the plain provisions
of the Constitution of the United States, was he
not to have the moral courage to vote against
such a proposition, and to signify his opinion lest
there should be a little clamor about surrendering
the rights of the counties? Every member of the
Convention was solemnly sworn to support the
Federal Constitution, and was bound to support
it, not only directly, but indirectly, and in all the
action here to be subordinate to it. He had
merely acted in accordance with his own judg-
ment, and, clamor or no clamor, prejudice or no
prejudice, he would not be drawn into the record-
ing of an opinion against the dictates of his own
judgment. His constituents had no more power to
make him budge a hair's breadth upon such a
question than the whole Eastern Shore combined.
He had a higher rule for his guidance than the
whispering or the huzzas of the multitude. He
trusted that the gentleman from Dorchester would
do him the justice to admit that he had been gov-
erned by higher principles than a mere warfare
upon any one section of Maryland. No man
ought to be a member of the Convention whose |
heart was not large enough to sympathize with
the whole State; and he trusted that the gentle-
man would admit, so far as he was personally con-
cerned, that he had acted according to his views
of the requirements of the Constitution.
Mr, HICKS had lived long enough to know that
words were one thing and actions another. The
honorable gentleman from Fredereck had called
upon him to mark the great liberality of his
course, alluding to his vote upon the apportion-
ment which had just passed. Having been compelled,
by domestic affliction, to be absent, he
had not been acquainted with that gentleman's
course. He did not think, however, upon look-
ing at the records, that it was quite so self-sacri-
ficing as that gentleman seemed to believe; for,
as he understood the proposition, population was
to be the basis of representation after the year
1860. As to being frightened by the clamor of
his constituents, and by loud huzzas, he felt quite
as independent as the gentleman himself. He
would utterly disregard all complaints and ap-
plause, except so far as it would he due on account
of any conscientious and just effort he might make
here as a member of this Convention. The gentlemen
from Frederick and from Kent might
have a pride of profession as constitutional law-
yers. He had no such pride. He bad a .pride
in those gentlemen, as men of ability; hut be
had a more just pride than that of opinion. It
was a pride which led him to do what he believed
to be right, and to look to the first law of Nature
—self-preservation. His pride consisted in doing
what he believed to be even-handed justice, not
only to the Western, but the Eastern Shore of
Maryland; and from that point he would not di-
verge one inch, but would defend it with whatever
ability had been given him by the God of
Nature, to his last moment. He had not coma
here from his own seeking. He had been seat
by the people of his county, because they believed
he would fearlessly do what he thought would
result most for their interests. He asked no
boons, nor would he give any beyond what was
right. All he asked was for the rights of the
Eastern Shore to be preserved, and for those he
would contend to the last.
Looking at the apportionment passed a few
days ago, it would be seen that the Eastern
Shore had lost. But had Frederick county lost
any thing? Would it lose any thing hereafter by
that arrangement? Not at all. Was there no
infringement of the power possessed now, under
the present constitution, and in all previous time,
by the Eastern Shore! He was not willing to
yield up everything under a scheme that would
ask, "How art thou, my brother?" and at the
same time stab under the fifth rib their rights and
all their interests. He would not yield up all.
In his opinion, the argument of the gentleman
from Prince George's was unanswerable; but be
would not enter into the discussion of the constitutionality
of the amendment. He believed it to
be right, and that it was essential for the protec-
tion of the interests of the Eastern Shore.
Mr. JAMES U. DENNIS would ask the indulg-
ence of the Convention but for a few minutes,
to allow him briefly to explain the reasons for |
