What typographical errors had been complained
of in the President's messages, or in the Indians
Constitution, or the New York Constitution, or in
any other Constitution which had been published
in that way. He would move as a substitute for
the order and amendment, the following:
Ordered, that the committee on revision shall
make immediate arrangements to publish the
Constitution which this Convention will adopt, in
pamphlet form, and provide for the immediate
publication of the same, when adopted, in such
newspapers in the State as the said committee
may designate.
Mr. RANDALL said, that to him the suggestion
of his colleague (Mr. Wells,) seemed entitled to
more weight than was given to it by the gentle-
man from Baltimore city. Mistakes would often
occur unintentionally, and a slight mistake might
make a great difference in the result. The ene-
mies of the Constitution might purposely intro-
duce errors, in order to misrepresent what had
been done. There ought to be an authenticated
copy, and that alone ought to be circulated by
the Convention, with its sanction.
Mr. GWINN. Could not the enemies of the
Constitution introduce errors if they published it
without pay?
Mr. RANDALL replied that the Convention
would not be responsible. If the contract could
be concluded to-night, the Convention could fur-
nish fifteen or twenty pages to the printer to-mor-
row morning.
Mr. MCHENRY moved the previous question;
And being seconded,
The question was taken upon accepting the
substitute as offered by Mr. GWINN.
Determined in the negative.
The question was then taken on the amendment
as offered by Mr, HOWARD, and
Determined in the negative.
The question then recurred upon the adoption
of the order as offered by Mr. RANDALL, and
Determined in the affirmative.
Mr. STEWART of Caroline, gave notice that on
to-morrow he should move to reconsider the vote
of the Convention, just taken, on the adoption of
the order, for the purpose of offering the follow-
ing as a substitute therefor :
Ordered, That the reviewing committee be au-
thorised to have 50,000 copies of the Constitu-
tion, in phamphlet form, printed, and to have the
same published once in every newspaper in this
State.
Mr. SOLLERS also gave notice that in case the
vote should be reconsidered, he should offer the
following as a substitute:
Ordered, That 100,000 copies of this Constitu-
tion shall be published in pamphlet form, for the
use of the members of this Convention, and
50,000 copies shall be published in all the papers
of this State.
On motion of Mr. BUCHANAN,
The Convention adjourned until to-morrow
morning 9 o'clock. |
FRIDAY, May 9th, 1851.
The Convention met,
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. GRAFF.
On motion of Mr. WEEMS,
The reading of the Journal of Proceedings
was dispensed with.
Mr. WEEMS, presented sundry accounts against
the Convention;
Which were read, and
Referred to the committee on Accounts.
On motion of Mr. SMITH.
The Convention took up for consideration the
report submitted by him on the 25th February
last, as chairman of the committee on Education.
Mr. SMITH said:
It was unnecessary to say much on this sec-
tion of the bill, as it had been fully discussed in
convention some day ago, and the principle settled
by a decided vote, that the present school
fund should not be used for any other purpose, nor
distributed in any other manner than as now
used and distributed, under the laws and resolu-
tions of the State.
This section proposes also to establish a permanent
and adequate fund by the Legislature, as
soon as the financial condition of the shall justify
it for common school education. I am sure there
is not a gentleman in this Convention who does
not feel the great importance of such a measure.
Every person who has at all looked at the pres-
ent system of education, or rather at the manner
of disbursing the school fund of the State in many
of the counties, will admit it is money badly
expended. I feel satisfied that it is not only im-
properly used, but often times diverted from the
legitimate purposes for which it was originally
intended.
Some gentlemen of the Convention who feel
the great importance of this subject, acknowl-
edge the propriety of a general and uniform sys-
tem of education throughout the State, and yet
are unwilling lo vote for it lest it might change
their county system, in Allegany county, we
are desirous to have a general system, where the
children of the poor may have the full benefit of
it; where all classes, (rich and poor,) may meet
upon a common platform, and all receive the
blessing designed. I should be glad to see education
in Maryland as general and as free as the
air of heaven. If the more wealthy prefer send-
ing their children to different schools, let them
do so, it is their privilege. Let us, Mr. Presi-
dent, provide constitutionally for a general system
of education, and while we are giving back
to the people many of their political powers, let
us secure to their posterity the blessings of education
that they may be better qualified to discharge
the duties that devolve upon them. Let
us follow the example set us by the eminent law
giver of Pennsylvania, who incorporated in the
frame of the government of that State, as early
as 1683, the following words:—"That men of
virtue and intelligence are requisite to preserve
a good constitution, and that these qualities do
not descend with wordly inheritance, but to he |
