"In order that each and every portion of the
State may be fairly represented and its various
interest protected in the Legislature for the pur-
pose of electing delegates therein, each county in
the State entitled to more than two delegates,
and the city of Baltimore shall be divided into
separate election districts, of compact contigu-
ous territory or ward in the manner following :
The city of Baltimore shall be divided into five
districts of compact contiguous territory, each of
which shall be entitled to two delegates, and
each of the counties having more than two dele-
gales, shall be divided into districts of compact,
contiguous territory, as follows: every county
now being entitled to three delegates shall be
divided into two districts, one of which shall be
entitled to two delegates and the other one dele-
gate; and each county having four delegates shall
be divided into two districts, each of which shall
he entitled to two delegates; and every county
having five delegates shall be divided into three
districts, two of which shall be entitled to two
delegates, and one district to one delegate; and
every county having six delegates shall be. divi-
ded into three districts, each of which shall elect
two delegates."
Mr. JOHNSON explained his proposition, and
stated that he had not counted figures, nor gone
into any hocus pocus calculations as to the re-
sult of the system proposed by him. He did not
care whether the plan benefitted the Whigs or
Democrats. He had gone upon this great and
radical republican principle. He had heard
voices on this floor, long before the basis of rep-
resentation was settled, say that they would not
give Baltimore a representation beyond the larg-
est counties, unless it should be divided. They
had now given her a vote beyond the largest
counties, and they had refused to subdivide either
her or the counties upon the single district sys-
tem. As to the little counties, be wished them
to stand on their integrity, and give their vote.
He had offered this as his ultimatum, and the
Whigs could go for or against it, as they chose,
and so with the Democrats.
This was not the single district system, and
he was willing that the delegates of every coun-
ty should arrange this matter as they pleased.
He was also willing to leave the whole subject
to the next Legislature, or divide Baltimore and
leave the next Legislature to divide the counties.
He offered this proposition in good faith and in
high integrity, not counting whether it would
give benefit either to the Whigs or Democrats,
not thinking about it, not knowing it, and he
asked the House to deliberate upon it. He would
make no appeal to party, no appeal to sympathy.
The thing was either wise or unwise. If it was
unwise, it would becondemned. He would leave
it to the high intelligence of this Convention,
and if there were gentlemen who loved party
tricks, and went in for juggling in them, he
would not speak to such. They were not worthy
of his confidence or conversation at all, and were
beneath his reflection. As for himself, he acted
upon this subject as upon a high principle.
Mr. MERRICK said that the whole history of |
the country showed the pernicious effect of the
general ticket system, and particularly would it
he pernacious within the limits of this State.—
He had no time to argue the general principles
of the policy to district the State, hut he would
be glad, with the permission of the Conversa-
tion, to call its attention to the consideration of
the operation of this principle and of this system
in the United States government, which was
very similar in its position and its relation, one
part to the other, to the State of Maryland He
had stated a few days since that the government
of the United States had experienced the perni-
cious effects of allowing the large States in the
Union to elect representatives to Congress by
general ticket; that by it the small States were
lost sight of and destroyed of their whole weight
and influence in the government, and that a few
large States, by means of the general ticket sys-
tem, were enabled to control the whole action
of the federal government, and might be so en-
abled, even against the will of a large majority
of the whole people. The United States was
like the State of Maryland, in several particu-
lars. The United States was a very large coun-
try, composed of some large States and some
small States. The State of Maryland covered a
considerable district of country, and was com-
posed of some large counties and some small
counties. The United States had secular interests,
and the State of Maryland was unfortunately
so situated that she might be, at some future
time, if not now, divided by secular interests,
although she had but a small territory.
If in the federal government, this general ticket
system had been found to operate so perniciouly
that in the wisdom of the Congress of the United
States, it was deemed necessary to abolish it, and
to establish the district system, it might very likely
operate perniciously in Maryland, and the wisdom
of this Convention was now called upon to prevent
this pernicious action. He would ask the House
to look at the late alarming agitation in the Con-
gress of the United States, upon the subject of
abolition—that question which had thrilled
through the breast of every man in America, and
had shaken, and would yet, perhaps shake, this
Union to its centre. How did it happen, that
the patriotism, intelligence and virtue of the
country rallied to the Constitution, and to South-
ern interests, put down abolitionism, and passed
the compromise measures. Did not every man
know, that if the Congress of the United States
had been elected by general ticket, that the great
mass of the people who resided in that portion
of the United States which laid north of Mason's
& Dixon's line, with that spirit of abolitionism
which was so mimical to the interests of South-
ern institutions, would have elected men who
would have opposed the compromise measures
which had been adopted for the preservation and
safety of the Union, and for the protection of the
rights of the Southern people? The Congress of
the United States had, in their wisdom, resorted
to the district system, and Congress was elected
by districts, and the members thus came imbued
with the sentiments, feelings, intelligence and |
