618

of the Peace and Constables for each ward of the city of Bal-
timore, and for each election district in the several counties,
who shall be elected by the legal and qualified voters thereof,
respectively, at the next general election for county officers
thereafter, and shall hold their offices for two years from the
time of their election, and until their successors in office are
elected and qualified; and the General Assembly may, from
time to time, increase or diminish the number of Justices of
the Peace and Constables to be elected in the several wards
and election districts, as the wants and interests of the people
may require. They shall be, by virtue of their offices, con-
servators of the peace in the said counties and city respec-
tively, and shall have such duties and compensation as now
exist, or may be provided for by law. In the event of any
two or more persons who shall have the highest and an equal
number of votes, or a vacancy in the office of a Justice of the
Peace, the Governor shall appoint a person to serve as Justice
of the Peace until the next regular election of said officers,
and in case any two or more persons who shall have the
highest and an equal number of votes, or of a vacancy in
the office of Constable, the County Commissioners of the
county in which a vacancy may occur, or the Mayor and
City Council of Baltimore, as the case may be, shall appoint
a person to serve as Constable until the next regular elec-
tion thereafter for said officers. An appeal shall lie in all
civil cases from the judgment of a Justice of the Peace to the
Circuit Court of the county, or to the Court of Common Pleas
of Baltimore city, as the case may be, or if for the recovery
of a fine, penalty or forfeiture, to the Criminal Court, and on
all such appeals, either party shall be entitled to a trial by
jury, according to the laws now existing, or which may be
hereafter enacted; and the Mayor and City Council of Bal-
timore shall have the exclusive power to create, organize and
govern such Police force for the good government of said
city as they may deem necessary;

Mr. Daniel moved to informally postpone the considera-
tion of the amendment;

Decided in the negative.

The question then being on the adoption of the amend-
ment,

Mr. Stockbridge submitted the following amendment:

Sec. 37. Strike out from "Superior, " in line three, to
"Court, " in line four inclusive, and insert: "Court of Com-
mon Pleas, and of the Criminal Court; "

Decided in the affirmative.