all the judges, and are perfectly satisfied that we
shall have one judge for three counties, but still
they are not willing lo trust the people of the
several wards of Baltimore city to elect their
own magistrates. I suppose, then, that what
they mean is, that all the intelligence of Baltimore
city is concentrated in one certain section,
within the circumference of the court house
circle, but that is not my opinion. I would be
perfectly willing to trust all of the wards to elect
their own officers. If they have not intelligence
now, it is a very good reason why they should go
to school, and get it. (Laughter.) As to the
objection that they will not have magistrates
enough, the proposition of the gentleman from
Harford will allow the Legislature to given them
five hundred, if that number be necessary to
transact the business of the city. He intends to
introduce another proposition to make it still
broader, to give the Legislature power, if the in-
terest and demands of the people require it, to
grant to the citizens of Baltimore city the full
benefit of as many magistrates as they may deem
necessary. Has the gentleman from Baltimore
city reflected that although some wards are not
as intelligent as others, the city is increasing
with rapid strides? I am inclined to believe
mat: when me city has so little intelligence—
Mr. BRENT. I never said that.
Mr. BLAKISTONE, I understood the gentleman
to say that there were wards in which men could
not be found competent to fill the office of a jus-
tice of the peace.
Mr. BRENT. I never said any thing like it, I
said that there were wards in which you could
not get gentlemen to serve as justices of the
peace.
Mr. BLAKISTONE. If there are any such wards
in the city of Baltimore, they must be a very pe-
culiar people. They would have no law business
to transact, and all they would have to do, would
be to go through the forms. I do not think that
the people will elect a man not qualified to hold
the office. If they elect one and he declines, this
proposition of the gentleman from Harford pro-
vides for it, and it also provides for the case
where the people cannot find a competent per-
son to serve as justice of the peace. Let the
people of the several wards of the city make the
experiment, and if they fail to elect their own
magistrates, or electing, the persons elected de-
cline to serve, then the power is given to the
Governor to appoint and fill vacancies. A power
he will be seldom if ever called upon to exer-
ercise. "Few die, none resign." When two or
three elections roll round, they will be able to
hit upon some man who will be willing to accept
the office, and fit to fill it. If the people should
chance to make a bad selection, the first oppor-
tunity that offers, they will apply the proper correction.
I am willing to trust them.
Mr. MICHAEL NEWCOMER demanded the pre-
vious question,
Mr. BRENT, of Baltimore city. I hope the
gentleman will withdraw his demaud, in order to
enable me to answer the remarks of the gentle-
man, who has wholly misunderstood me. |
Mr. NEWCOMER withdrew the demand for the
previous question.
Mr. BRENT. The gentleman from St. Mary's
seems to think that I said that there was not in-
telligence enough in some of the wards of Balti-
more city to furnish justices of the peace. I do
not see the slightest foundation in what I said for
any such construction.
Mr. BLAKISTONE. I so understood the gentle-
man. I am very glad he has corrected me.
Mr. BRENT. I do not deny that the gentleman
so understood me, but I disclaim any foundation
for it I said that in some of these wards I did
not believe that they could find gentlemen who
would serve as justices of the peace. I mean
remote wards, in which laboring men principally
live, mechanics who have no disposition to be
justices of the peace. But there is not a ward
in Baltimore where we have not intelligence
enough for much higher offices than justices of
the peace. This proposition to divide the city of
Baltimore into twenty districts for the election of
magistrates, seems to me to be a part of this
scheme of districting Baltimore city. I go for a.
general ticket. But some gentlemen have a holy
horror of a general ticket in Baltimore or in
Maryland. We have none. I desire a general
ticket in Baltimore, so that we may select our
officers from the very best men in the city, and
bring the whole vote to bear upon them.
I can only say, in regard to the proposition of
the gentleman from Harford, it does seem to me,
that in proportion as you indefinitely increase
the number, will you reduce the value of the
office; and if the fees are to be divided among so
many, good men will not accept the office. I
desire to have a reasonable number, so that the
fees and emoluments will obtain good men. I
renew the previous question, because I am
pledged to renew it. If the pledge is withdrawn,
I will withdraw the motion.
Mr. NEWCOMER withdrew the pledge, when
Mr. BRENT withdrew the motion.
Mr. STEPHENSON moved further to amend the
section by inserting after the word "qualified," in
the 6th line the following:
"And the Legislature may, from time to time,
increase or diminish the number of justices of
the peace and constables, to be elected in the
several wards and election districts, as the wants
and interests of the people may require."
Mr. BROWN moved the previous question,
which was seconded.
The question then was put on the adoption of
the amendment as offered by Mr. STEPHENSON,
and it was agreed to.
The question then recurred on the adoption of
the 31st section, as amended,
Mr GWINN moved that the question be taken
by yeas and nays,
Which being ordered, appeared as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Morgan,
Blakistone, Dent, Hopewell, Ricaud, Lee,
Dorsey, Randall, Bond, Howard, Buchanan, Bell,
Lloyd, Sherwood, of Talbot, John Dennis, James U.
Dennis, Dashiell, Williams, Hicks, Hodson,
Goldsborough, Phelps, Miller, Bowie, Sprigg, |
