Second. For every four hundred square miles
of territory, or every fraction over two .hundred
square miles, in each county, there shall be one
delegate to the General Assembly.
Third. For every ten thousand inhabitants, or
every fraction over five thousand inhabitants, in
each county, there shall be one delegate to the
General Assembly.
Fourth. For every twenty-five thousand inhab-
itants in every town or city, having a municipal
government, there shall be one delegate to the
General Assembly, and for every fraction over
twelve thousand five hundred, one additional
delegate—until the population of such town or
city reaches three hundred thousand souls, when
the basis of representation shall be fifty thousand
souls.
In explanation of this plan, he would read the
following table:
Sq. Miles. Ter'y. Pop. Total.
Allegany, . . 1,190 3 2 5
A. Arundel, . 650 2 3 5
Baltimore, ... 631 2 4 6
. Calvert, ... 220 1 1 2
Caroline, . . 330 1 1 2
Cecil, . . 380 1 2 3
Charles, . . 400 1 2 3
Carroll, .. 462 1 2 3
Dorchester, .. 585 1 2 3
Frederick, . 560 1 4 5
Harford, .. 370 1 2 3
Kent, ... 350 1 1 2
Montgomery, . 555 1 2 3
P. George's, . . 565 1 2 3
Queen Annes, . 360 1 1 2
St. Mary's, .. 315 1 1 2
Somerset, . 495 1 2 3
Talbot, .. 315 1 1 2
Washington, . 495 1 3 4
Worcester, .. 660 2 2 4
Aggregate, 10,085 25 40 65
25 7
65 72
For every 25,000 in. 1 rep. in Balt. 7
72
The plan which he had submitted, had been
conceived strictly in the spirit of compromise.
it was a plan indicated to his constituents before
he came here, and was no new thing of the mo-
ment, and nothing borrowed from any other gen-
tleman in this House. He had not allowed the
example of the member from Allegany, (Mr.
Weber,) although he concurred with the gentle-
man from Charles in saying that his was one of
the ablest speeches delivered upon the subject
in going to other States to obtain a principle to
be used in the government of Maryland. He had
endeavored to look at Maryland as she is. There
was no State geographically situated like Mary
extended, had interests equally diverse. Mary
land possessed but a small territory, divided by
an immense bay, and a. large city at its head |
exerting a most powerful influence upon the
whole State. Finding no other State with a
similar diversity of interests and conditions, he
had endeavored to form a plan which would be
adapted to Maryland alone. He had at one time
flattered himself that, coming from a central
county, he might be in a position to present to
the Convention a plan of adjustment which might
be satisfactory, or the basis of a satisfactory plan.
He was sorry to say, that after the revelations of
yesterday, he had abandoned that hope. The
authority of gentlemen had been brought forward
to show that the plan had been settled upon out-
side of this Hall. What were gentlemen sent
here for? He had told the people of Montgom-
ery, in the canvass, that he came especially as
the representative of Montgomery county, and
should feel bound to protect the interests of that
county as far us possible; but, at the same time,
he could not forget that he met with representa-
tives from other counties, and in part was also a
representative of the whole State, and it any ad-
justment was arrived at upon this question, it
must be by compromise, which could only be ar-
rived at by consultation, by conference, by under-
standing the wishes and views of every gentle-
man, and the interests of every portion of the
State. But instead of this discussion and inter-
change, which, in the simplicity of his heart, he
had expected to take place, he found that gentlemen
came here to carry out plans predeter-
mined upon elsewhere What could he tell his
constituents when he returned to them ? To all
practical purposes, he had been a mere cypher
upon this floor. He had been unable to repre-
sent their wishes, or to make known any tiling
they might desire, because all had been settled
upon and decided elsewhere and in secret. He,
nevertheless, felt it his duty to explain his plan,
that he might be able to say, at least, that he had
intended to discharge his duty.
Mr. HOWARD said, that the gentleman from
Montgomery having yielded to him for a moment,
he wished to say that he did not consider this
matter as having been placed upon a proper foot-
ing. It was not now perhaps the time to refer
to the action upon this subject; but he would ex-
plain what he had said on yesterday. The com-
mittee were unable to agree; that fact was re-
corded upon the journal, what was then done?
He did not intend to be understood as announcing
that the question had been settled elsewhere.
That had not been his design. It would have
been exceedingly inconsistent with the respect
due to this body. What had he done? Nothing
more than what was done constantly in legisla-
tive bodies; to appeal to the friends of the bill to
resist amendments and vote for the bill. What
had been done out of the House, any further than
this, was of no sort of consequence.
Mr. DAVIS said, that if what the honorable
gentleman said was nothing hut a rallying cry,
be had misunderstood the import of the gentle-
man's remarks He had certainly understood
the gentleman as rebuking the gentleman from
Baltimore, (Mr. Brent,) for daring to vote against
the compromise determined upon elsewhere, and
which he said it was useless to conceal. If |
