Mr. SOLLERS had also voted for a proposition
of this kind. His opinion had not been changed
in reference to the principle, but he found that
he could not vote for it conscientiously with
other votes he should give. He was for keeping
the Judges in the offices where they are until
they die, and then give the Governor the power
to appoint other Judges in their places, and keep
them there until they die. He could not vote
for the proposition, because it would come in
conflict with his opinions upon that subject.
The question was then taken on the amend-
ment of Mr. RANDALL, and it was rejected by
the following vote:
Affirmative-Messrs. Chambers of Kent, Don-
aldson, Dorsey, Wells, Randall, Sellman, John
Dennis, Dashiell, Williams, Hicks, Goldsbo-
rough, Eccleston, Sprigg, McMaster, Hearn
Fiery, Neill, John Newcomer, Michael New-
comer, Davis, Brewer, Waters, Smith and
Cockey-24.
Negative-Messrs. Chapman, President, Mor-
gan, Blakistone, Hopewell, Ricaud, Sollers,
Brent, of Charles, Merrick, Howard, Buchanan,
Welch, Dickinson, McCullough, Miller, Tuck,
Thomas, Shriver, Biser, Annan, McHenry, Ma-
graw, Nelson, Thawley, Gwinn, Brent, of Bal-
timore city, Sherwood of Baltimore city, Ware,
Schley, Harbine, Anderson, Weber, Holliday,
Slicer, Shower and Brown-36.
Mr. BLAKISTONE, rising to a correction of the
Journal of yesterday, moved to insert after the
decision of the President ruling out of order the
amendment submitted by him in relation to the
calling of a future Convention to form a new
Constitution, the following. "Mr. BLAKISTONE
appealed from this decision, but afterwards with-
drew said appeal."
Mr. B. to show that the appeal taken by him
yesterday from the decision of the Chair, was
not made captiously, referred to precedents in
the proceedings of the Convention to sustain his
points
The motion to correct the Journal was then
agreed to.
The question recurring on the adoption of the
report on further amendments and provisions of
the constitution
Mr. HICKS moved to amend it by adding at
the end thereof, as an additional section, the
following:
"No member of this Convention, shall take,
hold or receive any office, that has been or shall
be created, made vacant, or otherwise regulated
by the constitution now in preparation, within
the space of five years after, such constitution
shall go into operation."
Mr. HICKS said, that the people looked upon
them as a most august body; and he would lie
very glad if they could only be here to see how far
they were mistaken. The people thought that
they had come here as patriots second only to
their revolutionary sires, their bosoms swelling
and ready to burst with love for the people
—full of the spirit of sacrifice and devotion to
those whom they represented on this floor. Hav- |
ing then made so great a sacrifice, he called upon
them to make a still greater, that their praise-
worthy course might go down to posterity, who
would look upon them as the best men that ever
lived. In order that their course hereafter
should comport with this great end, he hoped
his amendment would be adopted. Do this, he
said, and their constituents could not fail to believe
them sincere in their professions of love
for the dear people, but to go on here creating
new offices and affixing to them high salaries,
will at last incline the belief, that there is selfish
motives here; and by way of sending out some
evidence of propriety, self-sacrifice, of patriotism,
he hoped his amendment would prevail.
Mr. SOLLERS. moved to amend the amend-
ment by striking out these words, "within the
space of five years," and inserting in lieu thereof
the word "forever."
Mr. S. called for the yeas and nays on the
adoption of his amendment, stating that his object
in so doing was to afford the best opportunity
presented this session for gentlemen to
show to the people their disinterestedness and
patriotism in the work they were about to
adopt.
Mr. BUCHANAN was perfectly willing to show
the people what he meant to do. He should vote
for the amendment of his friend from Calvert.
He should then, most cheerfully and gladly vote
against the whole proposition.
Mr. MERRICK would also vote for the amend-
ment proposed by the gentleman from Calvert,
and then most unquestionably he should vote
against the whole proposition. Almost all the
important offices in the State, were to be created
by the Constitution. He had no desire to de-
prive the. State of the benefit of the services of
the members of this Convention. As for himself,
he expected to hold no office under any Constitution.
Mr. HOWARD said, that it appeared to him
that the gentleman who had moved the proposi-
tion had confounded two things, essentially distinct.
That was the patronage which flowed
from the Executive, and the patronage which
was conferred by the people. Now, all the theories
that were formed to banish the influence of
patronage exercised by the Executive, from the
hall of a deliberative body which created offices,
had no application to offices subsequently be-
stowed by the people. However impure a man's
motive might be, when he comes into a body of
any kind which created offices, when he went
before the people, he had to wash himself in a
clean spring, and thus become purified.
MR. TUCK concurred with the gentleman from
Baltimore county, (Mr. Howard,) that they had
the perfect right to restrict members of the Legislature
as to executive appointments, but not
for the reason assigned. He did not agree with
that gentleman as to the purity of the spring in
winch candidates bathed when they came before
the people. When we consider the means that
are sometimes resorted to, to obtain nominations,
we cannot deny that candidates not unfrequently
have been washed in rather turbid waters. He |
