ces under which this alteration was made. It
has been done by other gentlemen in the progress
of this discussion. For the purposes of my argument
it is immaterial whether it was adopted
as has been stated, in a time of great excitement
and consequent panic, or whether it was the re-
suit of calm and deliberate legislation. It lands
as one of the compromises in the Constitution of
the State, and striking from it "federal num-
bers," I am willing to abide by it.
Under the system of part representation the
State has prospered and flourished. Her popu-
lation has increased—her people have been as
free and as happy as any other people upon
earth They have been protected in their lives,
in their liberty, and in their property. No wrong
has ever been perpetrated upon them, and the
ends of government have not been perverted.
But the gentleman from Baltimore city, (Mr.
Brent,) says, that a wrong has been committed
upon them. And what is that wrong? Why
that the legislature would not consent until 1836,
that the Governor should be directly elected by
the people. This may have been wrong in theo-
ry, but did it ever in practice work a wrong
upon the people? Was the chair of State, he-
fore that time, filled by a tyrant? Were the
rights and liberties of the people disregarded and
trampled under foot? Were they required to ask
from him upon their knees his executive clem-
ency? His duties were prescribed by the Con-
stitution and the laws.
The records of the past sustain the assertion,
that the former Governors of the State discharg-
ed their duties with a fidelity to the people, and
a degree of ability which have not been surpass-
ed, since the election of that officer was taken
from the legislature, and placed where it now re-
sides. It is right that the Governor should
be elected by the direct vole of the people.—
This power was properly given to them in
1836, and had I then been a member of
the legislature, the amendment would have
received my cordial support. Yet, I am here to
deny that any wrong or oppression had been
practised upon the people by any one of the Go-
vernors, who had been placed in that high and
honorable station under the former mode of
election. And this is the only wrong which the
ingenuity of gentlemen from the more populous
sections has been able to raise up from the ashes
of the past, as a consequence of the system of
representation in this State.
I assert, without the fear of successful contra-
diction, that there can be found no instance in
the history of legislative proceedings in Mary-
land, where the more popular parts of the State
have been injured and oppressed. On the contrary,
the whole system of legislation towards
them, has been of the most liberal character.
The mountains of the West have been unlocked,
and their store-houses of wealth opened to the
hand of industry and enterprise. Lands, which
to the eye presented upon their surface but a
rude and barren aspect, have been overturned,
and the mineral treasures which they contained,
have been brought into active use. Counties, |
remote from navigation and unwashed by rivers,
inviting to their bosom the "wings of com-
merce. " have now their railroad and canals, up-
on which the products of their rich fields can be
borne to a ready market. And what has been
the progress of Baltimore city ? She has in-
creased from a mere handful until her corporate
limits now contain a population of over one hun-
dred and sixty-nine thousand. Works of internal
improvement are stretching forth their arms
to gather wealth and pour it into her lap Lo-
cated one hundred miles nearer the Lakes, than
the city of New Yolk, the time is not far distant
when she must command their immense trade.
Her commerce "whitening every sea," spreads
wealth among her people. Her destiny is on-
ward, and in the revolution of some few years
more, she will contain one half of the popula-
tion of the State.
This is the prosperity, which has been visited
upon the more populous parts of the State, under
the fostering influence of past legislation. No
wrong, no injury and no oppression have ever
been inflicted upon them, by the system of re-
presentation heretofore adopted. Yet, we are
told, that it must be changed. It has been said
that "the clarion note of reform was sounded"—
that in obedience lo the answering voice of the
gathered people, we are here assembled, and
that this is the main duty with which they have
charged us.
I deny that the system of representation was
the cause of the call of this convention. Was it
the reason urged in the report, of the committee
on Reform, made during the session of the last
Legislature? Was it urged in argument upon
the floor of either House? The learned gentle-
man from Baltimore who was one of the cham-
pions of the law, which has given form and pro-
portion to this Convention, did not cite it as one
of the grievances under which the State was suf-
fering. It was not claimed as a reason fur the
call of a Convention by the able delegate from
Harford in the last Legislature, or other distin-
guished gentlemen who spoke upon that subject,
at least so far as I have been able to learn. No
sir; other reforms, it was said, were needed.
The judiciary, the mode of appointing officers,
the powers of the legislative branch to loan the
credit of the State—these required revision and
reform. The Constitution too, from the various
amendments which had been made from time to
time, had grown out of shape and beauty of pro-
portion, and it required the "skilful touchings"
of a Convention, which might devote to its consid-
eration its whole labors, to give it perspicuity
and harmonise its parts. If representation laid
at the foundation of the call of this Convention,
it was carefully kept out of view in the arguments
made in the Legislature by the advocates of Con-
ventional Reform. But a claim for a most radi-
cal change in this feature of the government,
has been made here by gentlemen from the more
populous parts of the State. Most of the small-
er counties foresaw that it would be, and they
will not consent to be stripped of the little pow-
er left them by the adjustments in 1836, without, |
