can arise from a measure proposed here; when I
perceive in it, a means of furthering and fasten-
ing upon us, the dominion of a political party,
and perceive no other effect, let the motives of
those who urge that measure, or let their opin-
ions of its importance, be what they may, I will
consider myself as called upon simply to decide
into which scale I prefer casting my aid and in-
fluence; simply to say whether I will advance
the political prospects of an adverse party, on
every such occasion, sir, I shall steadily and frim-
ly stand by my friends. Such, I repeat, has ap-
peared to me to be the sole interest involved in
this whol scheme, and I act accordingly,
Mr. SPENCER resumed the floor, but gave way
to
Mr. HEARN who moved that the Convention
adjourn.
The PRESIDENT announced to the Convention
the Mr. MORRITZ, who had been acting as as-
sistant secretary, had been called home by the
illness of a member of his family, and asked the
Convention to grant him leave of absence.
Mr. BOWIE moved that the leave of absence
asked for be granted;
Which was agreed to.
The Convention them adjourned.
THURSDAY, April 17, 1851.
The Convention met at ten o'clock.
Prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. GRIF-
FITH.
The roll was called, and
A quorum being present,
The journal of yesterday as read.
Mr. BISER gave notice that he would to-mor-
row move to reconsider the vote of the Conven-
tion, upon the following proviso submitted by
Mr. BRENT, of Baltimore city, an the ninth inst.,
to the forty-third section of the report of the com-
mittee on the legislative department of the gov-
ernment-which proviso was in the following
words:
"Provided, That the said funds shall be distri-
buted so as to return the proportions respective-
ly paid in by each county, and Baltimore city,
and the residue to be distributed equitably ac-
cording to the white population of this State,
for purposes of education."
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
There being no morning business before the
Convention—
On motion of Mr. RIDGELY,
The Convention resumed the consideration of
the unfinished business of yesterday, being the
article offered by Mr. TUCK, as an additional
section to the report of the committee, providing
for the creation of a board of public works.
Mr. SPENCER resumed the floor, and continued
his remarks as follows:
When the Convention at a late hour yesterday
evening determined to adjourn, he was engaged
58 |
in the endeavour to disabuse the public sentiment
as to any intimation that, in the bill which had
passed the Convention, there was anything which
looked to any ulterior political object, He had
not intended to intimate, that whin the gentle-
man from Kent (Mr. Chambers,) gave his vote in
this Convention, he had said he would disregard
the general interests of the State, and look to
party reasons, independent of all the proper
feelings which would induce the gentleman from
Kent to repudiate such a sentiment, he would
give that gentleman credit for too much sagacity
to say that he was governed by such motives.
His only object was to show that upon this ques-
tion, that gentleman was standing according to his
own averment, solely on party grounds, and in
this he had not been mistaken, for while that
gentleman had declared that he should never lose
sight of the general interests of the State; he had
added that in a measure acting upon his party,
and of a partisan character, he would be found in
a party position. Hence it was that that gentle-
man had said that he should vote to keep in his
friends, rather than to support a proposition, the
effect of which would he to put them out.
He [Mr. S„] had himself declared that he
should vote upon principle; that he should nei-
ther vote to keep in, nor to turn out. He would
now inquire whether, upon analyzing this propo-
sition, it would appear that the gentleman from
Kent was justified in his invocation of party spi-
rit? Here were men irrespective of party, and
of both parties, acting together in the advocacy
of this very measure, in opposition to which patty
spirit was invoked Were these men advocating
a measure which would justify the opposition of
the gentleman from Kent, or was it a measure
calculated to disarm party ? It was a measure
which divided the parties equally in relation to
his office, no matter which party was in the as-
cendant. Instead of consolidating the party
which might happen to be in the ascendant, it
placed an equal portion of the power in the hands
of the other party. This might not wholly sever
party spirit from these works; but if any mea-
sure which had been proposed could have that
effect, would not this be the measure ? Although
the treasurer acting with two of the commis-
sioners would be a majority of the board, and
might use it as a party instrument, yet if two
gentlemen of the opposite parly were then to
watch over the management and control of the
work, would it not be the strongest possible se-
curity which the people of the State could have
in the management of such a concern, and was it
not far better than any other machinery which
could be found to control them ? He would make
no attacks upon the directors of the works here-
tofore. He was willing to allow them the meed
of all honorable praise. He should confine his
objections exclusively to the Legislature of the
State.
In 1832, this board of public agents was created
to be solely and entirely under the direction and
appointment of the Governor of the State, with
the advice of the Senate. From that time up to
1840, the appointment of the agents has rested in
that tribunal, in 1840, the amended Constitution |
