mittee on the subject of licenses, stated to the
Convention, that they had considered the various
memorials referred to said committee on that
subject, and were of opinion, that it was a sub-
ject more properly belonging to the legislature,
and asked to be discharged from the further con-
sideration thereof.
Mr. WEBER, in behalf of himself and Mr.
FOOKS, the minority of the committee, proposed
to report the following:
"At the time when the votes of the qualified
voters shall be taken for the adoption or rejec-
tion of this Constitution, the additional sec-
tion, in the words following, to wit: 'No li-
cense to traffic in intoxicating liquors shall be
granted in any ward of the city of Baltimore, or
any of the election districts in either of the coun-
ties of this State, after a majority of the votes
of such ward or election district, at any general
election, shall vote against granting such licenses
and until such decision shall be reversed at a
subsequent general election,' shall be separately
submitted to the voters for adoption or rejection,
in the form following, to wit: A separate ballot
may be given and deposited in a separate box.
Upon the ballots given for said separate section
shall be written or printed, the words 'for the
license section;' and upon the ballots given
against said section, in like manner, the words,
"against the license section.' If a majority of
the votes cast are ill favor of the section, it shall
be a part of the Constitution, and the General
Assembly at its first session, shall pass such law
or laws as may be necessary to give it effect and
operation."
Mr. WEBER said:
That as a member of the minority of the com-
mittee, he thought it would be proper to say on
behalf of himself and those composing the com-
mittee, that they were desirous of reporting a
section on the subject of licenses, conformable
to the prayers of numerous petitioners. He did
not know whether it would be in order to submit
a minority report on the subject or not.
Mr. WRIGHT observed, that he concurred with
the honorable chairman of the committee in all
the views set forth in the report of the majority.
He had seen the blighting influence of all the
temperance movements when they attempted to
call to their aid the legislative power. The only
successful method of stemming the tide of intem-
perance, was by a resort to moral suasion. Such
was the make and organization of the American
people. They were not rife at this lime, for that
sort of action,
There had been temperance societies in Queen
Anne's county, and a bare appeal on their be-
half to the legislature, had had the most blight-
ing consequences. He was, therefore, as a temperance
man, for those reasons, opposed to the
insertion of a provision in the Constitution on
the subject of temperance.
Mr. SMITH expressed a hope, on account of a
very general wish on the part of the people of
his section of the State, that this Convention
would adopt an additional section on the subject
of licences, to be voted upon at the same time |
as the new Constitution. Should the section, in
question receive a majority of the votes of the
people, then it should be incorporated in the
Constitution.
Mr. BUCHANAN, president, pro. tem. The mo-
tion made as the Chair understood, was to dis-
charge the committee from the further conside-
ration of the subject. If the object contem-
plated by gentlemen is not intended to affect the
Constitution, the chair is at a loss to know how
it can be brought before the Convention.
Mr. WEBER, It is true a motion was made to
discharge the committee, but I wished to know
whether it would be in order for a minority of
a committee to propose a specific article.
The CHAIR. Certainly, sir.
Mr. WEBER. I will read the section we
propose to be voted for outside of the Constitu-
tion.
Mr. HOWARD rose to a point of order—that the
order adopted on the eighth instant, in relation
to the origination of new business; it was not
competent to receive the report of the majority
and minority of said committee.
The CHAIR ruled the report and substitute out
of order, on the ground that under the existing
order, no report could be made, except from the
revisory committee.
The Convention then resumed the consideration
of the order submitted by Mr. THOMAS, on
Saturday night, that the order of the Convention
moved by Mr. HOWARD, and adopted on the
eighth instant, shall not be construed as apply-
ing to the report on the elective franchise and on
the colored population.
The order was then adopted.
Mr. CHAMBERS, of Kent, moved a call of the
Convention;
Which was ordered, and
The Doorkeeper was despatched for the absent
members.
VOTE OF THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT.
Mr. HOWARD rose and said:
With the permission of the Convention, I will
avail myself of this moment of leisure in order
to propose the discharge of a duty, which is very
agreeable to myself, and which I am sure will be
satisfactory to the Convention.
It is one of those duties we will have to per-
form before we adjourn, and I think may be as
well done now as at any other moment; and, I
have great pleasure in being the organ of the
Convention on this subject—I therefore beg to
submit the following resolution :
Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention
be, and they are hereby tendered to the Hon.
JOHN G. CHAPMAN, for the dignified, impartial
and able manner in which he has discharged the
arduous and responsible duties of the chair da-
ring its protracted session.
Which was read, and
On motion of Mr. HOWARD,
Was unanimously adopted.
The Doorkeeper having returned, reported that
in obedience to the order, he had notified the ab-
sent members that their attendance in the Con-
vention was required. |
