Thursday, March 20th.
Mr. SPENCER, rising to a personal explanation,
read from the Baltimore ''Sun," of to-day, a
paragraph in the report of the proceedings of the
Convention of Saturday last, in that paper, set-
ting forth the absence of certain gentlemen from
their seats and commenting thereon.
Having read the paragraph,
Mr. S. proceeded: Among the list of the mem-
bers absent on that day, he found the name of his
colleague, (Mr. Grason,) and himself. This was
untrue. Both himself and colleague were pre-
sent at the meeting of the Convention that day.
They were present when the Sergeant-at-arms
was sent after the absent members, but were ex-
cused by the Convention. He rose, therefore,
as a matter of privilege, to deny, so far as he
was concerned, this entire letter
Mr. MORGAN said that he had been reported
as absent on that day. He would say that from
the first commencement of the Convention, up
to a fortnight ago, he had never left: its sittings
for one day. He believed his name had been
recorded upon every vote. About two weeks
ago he left the Convention to attend the Court
in St. Mary's county, having paired off with the
gentleman from Allegany, (Mr, Fitzpatrick.)
and they both returned to their seats very nearly
the same time. As they were opposite in views,
so far as the effect his vote had influence here,
he might not have been considered absent a day.
He said this much in justice to himself, as he be-
lieved the fact of his having paired off, had not
been noted on the journal during his absence
He had nothing to say of the publication in the
newspapers; it was a matter of no concern to
him if his absence was noted daily by every paper
in the State.
[The remarks of Mr. M. were published on a
former day, but in the absence of the connecting
link in the debate. They are, therefore, re-pub-
lished.]
MONDAY, March 24th, 1851.
The PRESIDENT of the Convention took the
Chair at twelve o'clock.
Prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. GRAUFF.
The roll was called, and a quorum being pre-
sent,
The journal of Saturday was read and ap-
proved.
LICENSE SYSTEM,
The PRESIDENT laid before the Convention a
petition of sundry citizens of Dorchester county,
praying for a modification of the license sys-
tem.
Mr. RIDGELY presented two petitions of sundry
citizens of Baltimore county, one signed by sixty
citizens, and the other by thirty citizens, praying |
for a provision in the Constitution against licenses
to ordinaries, &c., and
Mr. COLSTON presented a petition of sundry
citizens of the second election district in Talbot
county, of similar import.
Which were severally read, and
Referred to a select committee appointed on
that subject.
BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
The Convention resumed the consideration of the
special order of the day, being the several re-
ports of the committee on representation.
The pending question at the adjournment of
Saturday last, was on the amendment offered by
Mr. DORSEY, as a substitute for the amendment
of Mr. SCHLEY, to the second section of the re-
port submitted by Mr. MERRICK, as chairman of
the committee on representation,
Mr. DORSEY was entitled to the floor, (in con-
tinuation of his remarks on Saturday last.)
Mr. WEBER said:
Did I believe that this body was prepared and
ready to enter upon the adjustment of the rep-
resentation question, without further debate, I
certainly would not trouble it with any of my
plain remarks, I should reserve them for an-
other occasion, and before another portion of
the people of Maryland—I mean my immediate
constituents. But, sir, it is evident that the
Convention are not willing to arrest this debate
and proceed to vote; I therefore feel it to be my
duty—a duty I owe to the people who sent me
here, to present in a plain way, what I believe
to be their views in reference lo the settlement
of this question. If, sir, I understand the opin-
ion of the people of Allegany county, I think
that I am prepared to say they subscribe to the
doctrine that population should be the basis of
representation—not that population, which some
would have us include under the term numbers
—but the population recognized throughout the
length and breadth of this land, as constituent
pans of the government. I mean the white pop-
ulation. But, sir, whilst I believe that this is
the doctrine and the sentiment of my constitu-
ency, they nevertheless regard this as a proper
subject of compromise. We are prepared to
compromise this question. We deem it to be
our duty to do so, and desire to aid in making a
fair compromise,
It may be proper for me here to remark that,
although the county of Allegany contains within
her boundaries but seven hundred slaves, the
fell spirit of abolitionism cannot raise its head
in that portion of Maryland. Sir, I feel that
my constituents—notwithstanding that slavery
scarcely exists among them—are as sound upon
this question as are the people of St. Mary's, or
of Worcester. But what, I ask you, sir, would
be a fair compromise of this question?
Let us look to the basis. I hold that it would
be no compromise, entertaining the views that
we do, to adopt a principle which is recognised
in no part of this Union—a principle, which, so
far as the basis of representation is concerned, |
