They had at first tried three, and got along very
well; but by and by, it had been proposed to en-
large the number to five, seven, etc. At fast,
upon full investigation they had come to the con-
clusion that three was quite sufficient, if not a
little more than sufficient, for the duties of the
largest county in the State. Baltimore county
only wanted three commissioners. Other coun-
ties, if they desired more, might have as many as
they pleased.
On motion of Mr. WELLS,
The Convention postponed the further conside-
ration of the report for the purpose of enabling
him to make sundry reports from the committee
on accounts.
Mr. WELLS, chairman of the committee on ac-
counts, submitted the following report and ac-
companying resolution:
The undersigned report that they have exam-
ined sundry accounts for making and lithograph-
ing map and for newspapers, &c., amounting to
sixteen hundred and fifty-six dollars and thirty-
four cents, (1656,34,) which were referred to the
committee by several orders of the Convention
and recommend the adoption of the following re-
solution:
G. WELLS,
W. WILLIAMS,
EDWARD LLOYD,
ALEX. NEILL, jr„
ELIAS WARE, jr.,
Com. on Accounts.
Resolved, That the accompanying claims
amounting to $1,656 34, the vouchers for which
are herewith filed, be paid by the orders of the
President of the Convention on the Treasurer of
the State, in favor of the persons entitled to the
same.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr. WELLS, chairman of the committee on
accounts, to which were referred sundry accounts
from clerks of courts and commissioners of tax,
amounting to $490, stated that the committee
had had the same under consideration, and had
directed him to report the same back to the Con-
vention for instructions.
Mr, GWINN moved the Convention be dis-
charged from the further consideration of the
same;
Which motion was agreed to.
Mr. WELLS, chairman of the committee on ac-
counts, submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the librarian be paid such sum
for his .services in purchasing stationery, etc.,
as the committee of accounts may certify to the
President, ought to be allowed.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr. NEILL from the committee on accounts,
submitted the following order:
Ordered, That the President of the Convention
pay to John W. Rider, clerk to the committee on
accounts, the sum of seventy dollars, for making
out a balance sheet of all the accounts on the
journal of accounts.
On the question being taken on the adoption of
the order,
106 |
Mr. STEPHENSON moved that the question be
taken by yeas and nays;
Which being ordered,
Appeared as follows:
Affirmative—Messrs. Chapman, Pres't, Morgan,
Blakistone, Dent, Donaldson, Wells, Randall,
Kent, Buchanan, Bell, Lloyd, Colston, John
Dennis, Williams, Hicks, Hodson, Goldsbo-
rough, Eccleston, Phelps, Constable, Bowie,
George, Wright, Dirickson, Hearn, Fooks,
Jacobs, Johnson, McHenry, Magraw, Gwinn,
Ware, Neill, Kilgour, Waters, Anderson and.
Smith—37.
Negative—Messrs. Lee. Mitchell, Sellman,
Sherwood, of Talbot, Miller, Tuck, Spencer,
Shriver, Gaither, Biser, Annan, Sappington, Stephenson.
Carter, Thawley, Schley, Fiery, John
Newcomer, Harbine, Michael Newcomer, Brewer,
Weber, Fitzpatrick, Parke, Cockey and Brown
—26.
So the order was adopted.
Mr. DENT submitted the following order,
which was agreed to:
Ordered, That the committee on Accounts, be
directed to settle two accounts rendered for ex-
penses amounting to $14, and which was incur-
red in sending to Washington city, for the maps
ordered by the Convention.
Mr. DONALDSON, having been excused from
serving on the committee on Printing;
The President substituted Mr. PHELPS in his
place.
The Convention then resumed the considera-
tion of the report submitted by Mr. TUCK, as
chairman of the committee respecting the ap-
pointment, tenure of office, duties and compensation
of all civil officers, &c.
The question then recurred on the adoption of
the substitute of Mr. MCHENRY, from the fourth
section of the report.
Mr. TUCK suggested to the gentleman from
Harford, that be had better fix the number of
Commissioners each county should have, that
the system might be uniform. Five Commis-
sioners were enough for any county, Washing-
ton county had three, but he did not think five
would be too many. They ought to fix the num-
ber by the Constitution, so as to prevent the
Legislature, at the instance of party men, here-
after arranging the number in the different coun-
ties, so as to suit particular parlies, or to pro-
mote special objects.
He would move to insert five.
Mr. BUCHANAN was opposed to the proposition.
His friend had said that he could not imagine
how three men could do the duty. He should like
to know how three judges of the Orphans' court
could perform the duties of his county, or one
judge of a county court could perform the busi-
ness of eighty thousand people? Washington
county, it seemed, had tried the experiment, and
so had they, and they found that they could get
along infinitely better, not only with less cost
by having three than seven. At the proper time
he should move an amendment, that the number
of the Commissioners should be the same as they
were now. |
