chise them ? He could not do it. He looked
upon the whole thing as a wrong, and should
tote against it.
Mr. THOMAS said that there was not a member
here who had not occupied public stations other
than this, who had not been it public man. He
saw gentlemen around him who had been in pub-
lic office for twenty odd years. Was it to be
said that it was discreditable to any man who
believed that the public interest would be pro-
moted by his personal aspirations, to seek office?
Why, if this was so, there was no man of high-
toned patriotism, and of sell respect in this en-
the body. Some of them had been in the Leg-
islature of the State, some in Congress, some in
the Senate of the United States, some judges—
they had, perhaps, held various offices. Did
not the gentleman at once see that his proposi-
tion reflected upon all their past life? If they
who were framing a Constitution could net hold
offices under it. lest any imputation should be
cast upon them, why could honorable men hold
offices under the old Constitution, without simi-
lar imputations" Could it not be said of them
with as much propriety? Gentlemen who hold
offices under the old Constitution, he did not
believe were unmindful of the benefits the peo-
ple should derive from the new Constitution.—
He disclaimed such sentiments for all parts of
this Convention. Where that man was to be
found in society, seeking station for its emolu-
ments only, without desiring to gratify the in-
terests of the community, of which lie was one,
the finger of scorn was pointed at him wherever
he was known. And why? Because he was an
exception to the general class of men. There
was no class of public men, who made so heavy
a sacrifice for public interests, as those who held
civil stations generally under the government.
Those who enlisted in the army to fight the
battles of the country, the government rewarded
by pensions and honors, and took care of them
when wounded. How was it with many civilians,
who toiled night and day, for the great interests
of the country; and who fed the midnight lamp
with drops of their heart's blood—goaded their
intellects to the verge of madness, that they
might bring to the consideration of great public
questions, some little of the fruits of previous
meditation and research? How many distin-
guished men of that character had they seen,
growing ill old age, to want and poverty, because
they had given up the maturity of manhood to
their country's services. With these spectacles
around them, were they to sit here without re-
pelling these imputations, and having it said that
he who aspired to public station, did an act
which would have a tendency to place him in
scorn and contempt among his fellow men?
He was surprised to see this question considered.
He was surprised too, at the remark of
the gentleman from Prince George's, (Mr.
Tuck,) that all nominating Conventions were sinks
of putrefaction and iniquity. If so, they had
all been wallowing in slime from boyhood to
manhood. He felt personally, that he had never |
committed that act in private or public life,
which was dishonest or dishonorable. He had
never contributed sordid means of any kind, not
even to the amount of one single cent, for his
public promotion. Having these feelings, he
never had felt that the origins of his appointment
or the appointments themselves, reflected upon
his integrity. He was surprised that his friend
from Anne Arundel, should be so sensitive of
these criticisms about seeking for offices. But
that gentleman had not been in public office so
long as he had been. If he would look at the
source of the criticism, he would feel an utter
and proud contempt for their cause and origin.
Those men who raised a cry about office seeking
in others, were those men who would make the
greatest efforts to get them for themselves. He
had no doubt, as had been remarked by the gen-
tleman from Calvert, (and he spoke with all re-
spect to the gentleman from Anne Arundel,) that
they could not well pass a mere proposition more
acceptable to office-seekers outside of this house,
than that of disfranchising this whole body, because
it would take competitors out. of the way. He
would not pander to such a sentiment. He
would put his foot upon, and despised it. No
man in the Convention was less interested than
himself, in the offices created by this Constitu-
tion, whether Executive, legislative, judicial, or
in any other branch of government. As to these
imputations, the very men who indulged in them,
were the very men who grasped at the offices.
He was not speaking in reference to gentlemen
of the Convention, but be was speaking of the in-
fluences outside the hall, to show that this opin-
ion was manufactured, and that it should not in-
fluence their conduct here. Most all of these
criticisms about office, were from the class of
which the honorable gentleman had spoken.
Swift had said lie had met in society many indi-
viduals, who denounced as low, mean and con-
temptable the power to make a pun; but he had
discovered that in all his observation of mankind
he had never seen a man who could make a pun
but what would do it. He, (Mr. T.,) never saw
one of these croakers against office-set king, that
could get an office, but that would accept it. He
hoped they had done so in sincerity, believ-
ing that the public interests could be benefitted
thereby. He boldly declared, with the gentleman
from Calvert, that he would not pay respect
to that manufactured opinion out of doors, which
had not. in its origin either justice or a sense of
propriety.
Mr. RANDALL remarked that he had not sup-
posed that members of the Convention were in-
fluenced by any other than the purest motives,
He only asked that by their votes upon this
question, they should prove that they did not
desire office.
Mr. SOLLERS withdrew his amendment, and
the Question recurred upon the adoption of the
amendment moved by Mr. HICKS.
Mr. HICKS demanded the yeas and nays
which were ordered; and being taken, resulted—
yeas 35, nays 35, as follows:
Affirmative— Messrs. Morgan, Chambers, of |
