the people the means of investigation. But he
had been somewhat disappointed—not in respect
to their talents—for he had met men in this
Convention, as learned and talented as any he
had ever met with in the country. But, he
would say that their talents had been most lamentably
perverted and misapplied. Why did
he say so? Seats had been vacant here week after
week and month after month, and still the pay
was going on. He had offered, sometime ago,
a resolution to stop the pay of absent members,
except in case of sickness, and it received but
nineteen votes. Well, he would stand by that
nineteen, for it was a lucky number; and he be-
lieved that those nineteen would yet be sustained
by a majority in the State. They would be
sustained by the people at large. And it was
upon that number he would take his stand. He
would say, further, that not only had members
been absent from their seats, but even when in
in the Capital, they could not be got to come
into the Convention until after much delay.
And, on one occasion he had been surprised to
find that there had been a large majority in favor
of holding afternoon sessions; but, when the
hour for meeting arrived, those present raised
such a hubbub and noise, that after various mo-
tions had been made, the Convention was obliged
to adjourn, it being found impossible to do any bus-
iness. He had said at an early part of the session
that he did not believe the health of members
would be as much injured by meeting here as by
keeping irregular hours. He entertained the
same opinion still. He had himself, no objection
to meet here at four o'clock in the morning,
(laughter,) he cared nothing about the time of
meeting, so that it was fixed at and regular.
There were those in this Convention, he cared
not to name them, for he knew the fact, who had
been determined to thwart the holding of after-
noon sessions, and for two mortal hours had
they, he recollected, on one occasion, prevented
business from being done. He would never have
been driven from his purpose, if he alone could
have effected anything, and had had the strength
of body to have stood out the trial—nay, he
would rather have sat there till the flesh had
dried upon his bones, than have given up—
[Great laughter.] Now, much money had been
lost to the State, as well by delegates absenting
themselves from their seats, as by permitting
members to write out their own speeches. Now,
the gentlemen from Kent and Baltimore city,
(Mr, Chambers and Mr. Gwinn,) both had said
they had had their speeches submitted to them;
and the former gentleman had observed that the
reporter had made him sometimes say absard
things. Now, that was certainly saying a great
deal for the reporters! Then of course that gen-
tleman, as well as others, had to turn round and
put themselves right. The gentleman from Bal-
timore city, (Mr. Gwinn,) had also said the
same thing in substance, and had been obliged to
write out his remarks. And then the gentle-
men get to writing, and as they proceeded, they
would say to themselves, "there's a beautiful |
idea; I must put that in—I must incorporate
that;" and so on, till they get a long speech.—
(Laughter.)
Mr. CHAMBERS, of Kent, would ask the gen-
tleman it he spoke from his own knowledge of
the fact?
Mr. STEWART, of Caroline, replied that he did
not, but he spoke from his knowledge of human
nature. A desire to please was strong in the hu-
man breast. He (Mr. S.) would tell the gentleman
that be (Mr. S.,) had never written out but one
speech in his life, and he did not know that he
should ever do such a thing again.
Mr. CHAMBERS. Sir, I protest. The gentleman
is totally wrong. Why, sir, I never thought
of such a thing as putting a beautiful idea here
and there in my speeches. The gentleman will
look in vain for one. (Laughter.)
Mr. STEWART of Caroline, must say that he
had looked over the gentleman's (Mr. Cham-
bers') speeches with much of curiosity and pleas-
ure. When he had been at home, some of his
constituents had said "Judge Chambers does say
some remarkable things." They would say
"why don't you put the anti-reformers down?
and close the business of the Convention, in time
to give the people an opportunity of investiga-
ting the merits of the new Constitution.
Why, they would say you have got many great
and talented men, (laughter,) and why, when
you get together, don't you go to work and close
the business of the Convention.
"Why," he replied, "they would move for a
reconsideration—a call of the House, and for the
yeas and nays'—and when they had got through
that process, they would move an adjournment,
and then again the yeas and nays, and so on for
hours." That was the only way he could ac-
count for the doings of this body, and the long
time we have been here.
Mr. CHAMBERS. The gentleman has made me
to say I have put into the report of debates what
I had not uttered on this floor. Now I have not
so said. On the contrary I do assert just the re-
verse, I have altered the language of notes furnished
by the reporter, but I have never changed
the substance of any one speech made in this
House. That is the question between us. Have
my speeches been changed ? Are they the same
as reported and as delivered here ? Did the gen-
tleman mean to say they were different ? I have
a right to demand an answer to that question
and I ask him to give it plainly.
Mr. STEWART, of Caroline, observed, that if
he understood the gentleman from Kent correct-
ly, his question was in substance this: "Do you
say that Mr. CHAMBERS wrote out for the report-
er, a longer speech than he made?" Now he
(Mr. S.,) did not say that; but he did say that the
contract was, that there should be only one-fourth
of what was spoken reported, and that many
members, and he believed among them was the
gentleman from Kent, wrote out their whole
speech.
Mr. CHAMBERS, of Kent. I don't say say that.
Mr. STEWART, of Caroline, would say one-fifth |
