He could not agree to fritter away the power and
influence which was given to Baltimore city, by
giving her a delegation of only ten-much less
then any other portion of the State, according to
population. It would be dividing her population
against itself. Therefore, he, (Mr. B.,) had
nothing more to say to the argument. It was,
as he had said before, too late for argument.
The Convention was not in a temper to receive
argument.
He had merely risen to state his views, and
announce for himself and his colleagues that
they would vote indignantly against the whole
scheme.
THURSDAY, May 8th, 1851.
The Convention met at 9 o'clock.
Prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. GRAUFF.
The roll was called, and
A quorum having been ascertained to be pre-
sent.
The journal of yesterday was read.
THE BUSINESS OF THE CONVENTION.
Mr. HOWARD rose and said:
That he held in his hand a resolution which
he proposed to offer, and which was read as fol-
lows;
"Ordered, That after the tenth instant, no ar-
ticle or section of the proposed Constitution shall
be adopted considered, and no article or sec-
tion adopted on or before that day shall be after-
wards reconsidered without the unanimous con-
sent of the Convention; but after the tenth instant,
the Convention will proceed without de-
bate to receive and finally dispose of the several
reports from the revisory committee.
Mr. HOWARD said:
That the resolution looked towards carrying
out the order of the Convention passed a few
days ago, closing its business on the twelfth instant,
and he had moved it for the purpose of ex-
ecuting that declared will of the Convention.—
He though that they ought to adjourn by that
time, and that they could if they made up their
minds, that it should be done. it required noth-
ing more than a little energy of purpose. It
was manifest to every body that they had run
their session into the latest possible period, and
they had barely sufficient time to notify the
people of the Constitution they were about to
submit to them, and allow them time to exercise
their judgment upon it. He was extremely
unwilling to adopt any other day on which to
submit the Constitution to the people, than that
named in the act of Assembly,
He would be found to be one of those who
would exercise every nerve in his power to
avoid such an evil as he thought it would be.
Having now stated the object of the order, he
thought it would not be amiss to say to those
gentlemen of this body, who were more anxious |
for the new Constitution that others, (he would
not say that all were not, but some were more
anxious than others,) that be thought it become
them, (and he classed himself among them,) to
get through their business here in the shortest
possible time and then adjourn, so that the Con-
stitution which they were about to submit to the
people, might not be strangled in its birth. The
means by which he proposed in this order to ac-
complish the final disposition of their business
was this. That on Saturday night they should
close their debates, and employ Monday by re-
ceiving reports from the revisory committee,
and act upon them alone, and no other business,
so that by Monday night they would be prepared
to adjourn, and would have accomplished their
work. Between this and Saturday night they
had three days, and he for one was perfectly
willing to devote as much time in the twenty-
four hours as any other gentleman, in order to
enable them to dispose of their business. He
was willing that they should have a recess, and
to set as long as gentlemen liked, if the public
business required it. With this very brief ex-
planation of the object he had in view, he would
submit to the Convention the order.
Mr. BOWIE, was anxious to bring this Conven-
tion to a close, and he had no doubt, that the
Convention had made up its mind to adjourn on
Monday, according to its order heretofore passed.
He had seen no disposition on the part of any of the
members of the House, looking towards protract-
ing the session beyond that time. He thought it
would be unwise in them to adopt any particular
rule of action. He believed now, ten minutes
were only allowed to the mover of an amend-
ment, and five minutes to others. It was his
opinion, that if they went to work. In earnest,
they could adjourn by Monday.
Mr BISER was in favor of the proposition, but
he proposed to offer an amendment to strike out
the word "unanimous," and insect, after the
word "consent," the words "of two-thirds."
He was not willing to put it in the power of a
single member of this House to prevent a change
in some feature of the Constitution which might
be discovered to need alteration in its final adop-
tion; but be was perfectly willing to trust to two-
thirds. There might be some feature that near-
ly every member would be desirous to see chang-
ed on account of some error made in the hurry
of business, and yet on the objection of one mem-
ber it could not be done. To prevent this, he
had moved his amendment to strike out the word
unanimous, and insert two-thirds.
Mr. HEARN moved to lay the order and amend-
ment on the table.
Mr. HARBINE moved that the question be taken
by yeas and nays, which were ordered;
On motion of Mr. PHELPS,
The Convention was called, and the doorkeeper
sent for the absent members.
Mr. DAVIS moved to dispense with further pro-
ceedings under the call;
Which motion was not agreed to.
On motion of Mr. TUCK,
The Convention took up for consideration the |
