in her power to call a Convention to frame a new
Constitution, although every man in all the Coun-
ties of Maryland may vote against, it. He would
repeat, that after ten years, and for all time to
come, if this proposition prevail, Baltimore her-
self, at her own will and pleasure can force a
Convention in direect opposition to the will of
the people of every other portion of Maryland.
Mr. P. said, he would appeal to gentlemen
here, representing the agricultural portion of
the State, and ask whether they were pre-
pared to yield up, without a struggle, this
principle to the city of Baltimore, which lay at
the very foundation of the sovereignties of the
counties themselves? For one he would not,
and could not consent to it. Baltimore had al-
ready been awarded by this Convention, much
increased political power. The counties, and
especially the section of the State from whence
he came, on the contrary was much weakened
in the popular branch of the General Assembly,
and he was unwilling to see the counties to
come still-more prostrate. Self-prservation wase
the first law of nature, and he cautioned gen-
tlemen to pause, and reflect betore they traveled
farther in this direction.
Again Mr. President, if this amendment pre-
vail, the Constitution connot be altered, changed,
or modified in the slightest degree, without the
expense of a Convention. However important
it may be to alter or amend a single section, it
cannot be done; without a Convention; and sir,
who can doubt that when this government is
put in operation, that some modification or alte-
rations in some of its provisions, will be deem-
ed right and proper; and yet it cannot be done.
Like the laws of the Medes and Persians it will
he unchangeable, and must endure forever, un-
less a Convention be called to change it. Mr.
P. said, he hoped never in his life time, to wit-
ness another Convention, in Maryland. He
was prepared endure much political evil before
he would consent to it. Conventions, and conven-
tional reform, Mi. President, are beautiful things
to talk about, and for the declamation of young
and aspiring politicians. Like the little book
that John eat, "it is sweet in the mouth, but
bitter, very bitter in the belly." At all events
he believed if now called upon. this would be
the judgment of the people of Maryland. The
long and tedious labors in these Halls, he was
persuaded had dampened much the ardor of ma-
ny gentlemen here, as well as elsewhere. Con-
ventional refirm is not row regarded as the only
panacea for all the ills of life, but by some, the
reverse of this proposition might, and doubtless
would be deemed true. For the reasons above
feebly and imperfectly expressed, he should vote
against the proposition of his friend from Bal-
timore, and hoped it might not pass
Mr. BRENT, of Balt city, demanded the yeas
and nays,
Which were ordered,
And being taken, resulted as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Howard. Buchanan, Welch,
Shriver, Biser, McHenry, Magraw, Nelson, |
Gwinn, Brent, of Balt. city, Sherwood, of Balt.
city, Ware, Neill, Michael Newcomer, Weber,
Fitzpatrick, Shower, Cockey and Brown—19,
Negative.—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't Morgan,
Blakistone, Hopewell, Ricaud, Chambers of
Kent, Dorsey, Wells, Randall, Sollers, Ridgely,
Sherwood, of Talbot, Colston, John Dennis,
James U. Dennis, Dashiell, Williams, Hicks,
Hodson, Goldsborough, Eccleston, Phelps, Mc-
Cullough, Bowie, Tuck, Sprigg, Spencer,
George, Dirickson, McMaster, Hearn, Thomas,
Annan, Stephenson, Carter, Thawley, Stewart,
of Caroline, Schley, Fiery, John Newcomer,
Davis, Kilgour, Waters, Anderson, Hollyday,
Slicer and Smith—47.
So the Convention refused to accept the sub-
stitute.
The question then recurred upon the adoption
of the report offered by Mr. Fitzpatrick, as a
substitute for the one offered by Mr. Sollers,
the chairman of the committee.
Mr. BROWN moved to amend the substitute by
adding at the end thereof the following :
"The members of which Convention shall be
elected by the city of Baltimore and the coun-
ties of the State, in proportion to their respec-
tive representation in the House of Delegates
and Senate of Maryland, at the time the Conven-
tion shall be called."
Mr. BOWIE observed that there was not the
slightest difference between this proposition and
that which had just been voted down, except
only that it was made the duty of the Legislature
to act upon the question of calling a Convention
or not. as to them might seem right, Mr. B.,
next alluded to the character of the proposition
of the gentlemen from Baltimore city, (Mr.
BRENT,) and then proceeded to deprecate the
calling of a Convention every ten years) as unnecessary,
expensive, and not at all required. He
hoped that if this Convention made a Constitu-
tion acceptable to the people, it would last for
ages; but be could not give it his vote, or sanc-
tion that it should he subject to such perpetual
changes. He, therefore, could not support the
substitute of the gentleman from Baltimore city
(Mr. Brent.)
Mr. GWINN remarked, in reply to the remarks
of the gentleman from Prince George's. [Mr.
Bowie,] that he certainly could not support the
amendment. The basis of the present appor-
tionment was adopted in view of the present arrangement
of population. Now, in the course
of the next ten years, it was highly probable that
the relative population of the city and counties
might essentially vary. It did not seem fair or
right to take a basis which would control another
Convention, and apply to a very different state of
circumstances,
Mr. BROWN said that he proposed to amend the
substitute in order to meet the views of gentle-
men on all sides
Mr, GWINN replied that it did not meet his
views; for, if the Constitution could not be
changed unless by a Convention, as agreed upon
then the basis must stand precisely as it did at
present. |
