will let the State be in a position to receive it, if the United States offers to give it, but farther than that I will not go. Therefore if this section is permitted to remain I shall move to reconsider the section adopted on my motion yesterday. Mr. RIDGELY. I rise to a point of order. The pending proposition before the convention is the one submitted by the gentleman from Prince George's (Mr. Belt.) This debate upon a proposition already passed upon is entirely irrelevant. The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bond.) The gentleman is correct. The question betore the convention is upon the additional election proposed by the gentleman from Prince George's (Mr. Belt.) Mr. SANDS. This section was very aptly chiracterized by my excellent friend from Prince George's (Mr. Belt) as a section to repair the broken fortunes of gentlemen. That is so But broken how? By any act of mine? No, sir. Broken by the acts of those who owned this particular species of property, by rebelling against that form of government under which their fortunes were entirely secure, and which provided peculiar protection for this species of property. Mr. BELT. Did we rebel? Mr. SANDS. A great many of the people of Maryland did rebel; a great many of the people who owned slaves in Maryland. A great many of those persons in whom the title to this property lodged in 186I have rebelled, and are this day south of the Potomac. They have been for years striking at the life of that government by which they now demand that their broken fortunes shall berepaired. I said nothing upon the other section offered by my friend from Prince George's (Mr. Clarke, ) because I believed it was in such decided conflict with the action which this convention has heretofore taken that there was no probability or possibility of its receiving the votes of this house. And I do not think It could have received that vote, if it had been properly and thoroughly understood. Mr. MILLER. Is the gentleman speaking of the section offered AS a substitute by the gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr. Stock-bridge ?) Mr. SANDS. I am speaking of the section now pending, and I have a clear right to reply to the remarks of the gentleman from Prince George's (Mr. Clarke) made since the adoption of the other section. Now, I mean to answer just a couple of the assertions made by my friend, and to show the grounds upon which these assertions rest. He says that in 1862 Congress passed certain resolutions, and the President of the United States recommended their acceptance by the people of Maryland. That is so. And let me ask my friend what was the object of those resolutions? To stop the war that since has raged at such an incalculable cost of treasure and
| blood. Is there a contract between the government of the United States and the people of the State of Maryland? Mr. CLABKI, If the gentleman will permit me one moment? I did not intend to argue — this question, but merely to refer to these facts. Mr. SANDS. The house will determine what my friend's argument was, and bow I answer it. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will notice that the question is now upon the section submitted by the gentleman from Prince George's (Mr. Belt.) Mr. SANDS. I am speaking upon that section, and also upon the remarks made since it was offered. Mr. HEBB. I rise to a point of order. The gentleman from Howard (Mr. Sands,) has no right to reply to the remarks of the gentleman from Prince George's (Mr. Clarke,) because the gentleman from Prince George's was out of order. ' The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bond. ) The gentleman from Howard (Mr. Sands) must confine himself to the proposition before the convention. Mr. SANDS. The gentleman from Howard will do so then, though he would have preferred to have seen the gentleman from Prince George's (Mr. Clarke) reminded of the rules of order, too. Mr. CLARKE. The gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr. Stirling) replied to my remarks. Mr. SANDS. Then the gentleman ought to have been called to order. Mr. HEBB. The gentleman from Howard (Mr. Sands) should have done it. Mr. SANDS. The gentleman from Howard thanks his friend from Allegany (Mr. Hebb) for doing it for him. I will now speak to the proposition before the convention, and I can express my views upon that just as well as outside of it. I say, to what does it look? It looks to taking an enumeration of slaves in Maryland, and for what purpose? That the broken fortunes of gentleman may be repaired by the State. Mr. BELT. If my friend will allow me to interrupt him, l will say that there is nut one word in my proposition about an enumeration of slaves. Mr. SANDS. Then I ask to have the section read. The section was accordingly read. Mr. SANDS. If that is not paying for slaves, I do not know what is Mr. BELT. That is not an enumeration. Mr. SANDS. What do yon want them enu-merated tor, if you do not want them paid for? If yon just want them counted, and do not want any money for them, then I will not say another word. If you are so fond of arithmetic and figures that .you only want
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