three, Talbot county two, Washington county
three, and Worcester county two.
Several members. "Question," 'question."
Mr. BISER moved a call of the House,
Which was ordered.
And the roll having been called,
On motion of Mr. DIRICKSON,
Further proceedings thereon were suspended,
Mr. JACOBS rose and said:
Mr. President;—Up to the present moment, I
have hero almost a silent, though an attentive
observer of the proceedings of this Convention.
Unaccustomed to forensic efforts, I have conten-
ted myself by casting a silent vote on the one
side or the other of the various propositions that
have from time to time been presented for the
consideration of this body. And were it not for
the vital importance of the subject now before
us and the deep interests my constituents take in
the issue involved, I should obey that innate
modesty of my nature, and shrink from the dis-
charge of a duty assigned me by the position I
hold here
If gentlemen will bear with me, however, for
a short time, I will endeavor to assign some of
the reasons that control the vote I shall give on
the present occasion.
When in May last, the people were called up-
on to vote for or against a Convention to reform
the Constitution of this State, the elements of
calculation as to the benefits of such a Convention,
were as multifarious, and as the sequel
proves, as conflicting, as their diversified sec-
tional interests are antagonistical. I foresaw
those difficulties and voted against the call for a
Convention, but a majority of the people voted
for a Convention, and we are here in obedience to
their will, to reform the old or make a new
organic law for the people of the whole State.
The people of the counties looked to the or-
ganization of this Constitution, and saw their
political power bad been preserved, (without
which, be it remembered, no call for a Conven-
tion would have been made,) and feeling a ne-
cessity for certain general and useful reforms
throughout the State, they readily acquiesced in
the propriety of the measure Presuming such
reforms were equally apparent and equally neces-
sary, in all partis of the State, they looked to this
Convention as the means by which they were lo
be consummated.
Sir other gentlemen have told us what their
constituents want, and what they demand, as a
sine qua non. We have been told here that re-
presentation according to population will ap-
pease their demands, and unless that is granted
all else will be worthless and vain. Others go
for representation on that basis, in the counties
alone, while another class, less definite, are in
favor of a generous compromise.
These are the different platforms on winch
gentlemen stand here, and it is evident all cannot
be gratified. I am happy to have it in my |
power to present a panacea for the whole case,
in the Worcester platform, which I will give,
before I take my seat. The sooner we dispose
of this representation question, the better, and
the sooner we shall be able to proceed to the
consideration of those general reforms to which
I have alluded, and of so much real importance
to the people of the whole State. True, as the
gentleman from St. Mary's, (Mr. Blakistone.)
has said, we all rude into this Convention on one
general reform pony, but now we are here, ap-
pear not to understand each other, consequently
there is no concert of action.
If I understood the people of Worcester aright,
at the election held in September last, they discarded
the idea of meddling with the present re-
presentation in the two branches of the General
Assembly, except so far as a diminution in the
House of Delegates, and rallied under the broad
creed of Retrenchment, regarding reform only, as
incidental to that good.
With a disinterested patriotism, so well characterized
by the learned gentleman of Anne Ar-
undel, (Mr. Dorsey,) a few weeks ago they
looked to this Convention as the harbinger of bet-
ter times and an earnest against oppressive tax-
ation in the future. Every dollar of the present
enormous State debt and the taxes necessary to
pay the interest and finally liquidate the princi-
pal, they regard as a burden upon their resources,
without security or even a distant hope of
ever realising any benefit therefrom. We are
told those public works are beginning to pay, and
must, at no distant period, become a source of
great revenue to the State; yet what will all that
avail us? will our condition be bettered? will the
taxes we now pay be returned to us? or rather
will not this proposed principle of representation
secure effectually, and to all time to come, the
revenues beyond our reach or control. Engraft
upon the Constitution a representation of numbers,
and how should we stand?
Worcester county would be to Baltimore
city as one is to 9
Caroline county 18
Calvert county 18
Allegany county 7
Somerset county 7
Anne Arundel 5
Washington county 5
Baltimore county 4
Cecil county 9
Carroll county 8
Dorchester county 9
Charles county 10
Frederick county 4
Harford county 9
Kent county 15
Montgomery county 11
Prince George's county 8
Queen Anne's county 12
St. Mary's county 13
Talbot county 13 |
