And the white population that will go into
those counties for the next ten or twelve
years will be without representation upon
this floor. I say, that a principle which
works such injustice as that, which denies
the only material and practical theory upon
which the abolition of slavery in Maryland
is based, which utterly ignores it, is a prin-
ciple which ought not to be adopted by this
convention.
Again, look at its operation in Anne
Arunclel county. Anne Arundel county has
a white population of 11,704. Howard
county, the adjoining county, has a white
population of 9,081. Yet Howard county is
allowed to send as many delegates to the
legislature, upon this principle, as Anne
Arundel county, each sending two. And
upon this principle, 2,723 of the white popu-
lation of Anne Arundel county are utterly
ignored, in comparison with the same number
in Howard county.
Mr. SANDS. Will my friend permit me to
interrupt him ?
Mr. MILLER. Not now; yon cut me down
to fifteen minutes by your vote this morning.
I know that Anne Arundel county is one
of the most fertile counties in the State of
Maryland, in comparison with Caroline
county, for instance, she sends every year to
the city of Baltimore grain, corn, tobacco and
fruit to double the amount. Now if there be
any truth at all in the theory that we are now
to have our State settled up by the immigra-
tion of industrious white men, then Anne
Arundel with her soil, the adaptability of
that soil to cultivation, the facilities of com-
munication with Baltimore, with our fertile
lands on West and South rivers, worth now
in the market from $80 to $100 per acre;
with large tracts of seven hundred and eight
hundred acres to be divided up among those
industrious whites who are to come in—Anne
Arundel will show an infinitely increased ra-
tio of difference in wealth, products and white
population even as compared with Caroline
county. Yet for ten or twelve years to come
this great and fertile county is to be kept
down to the basis of representation established
by the provisions of this bill. Now compare
Anne Arundel county, with her white popula-
tion of 11,704, with Caroline county, with
her white population of 7,604. They are
placed upon an equality as regards represen-
tation in the house of delegates. For Caro-
line County 3,802 is the ratio of representation
while in Anne Arundel county the ratio is
5,852. Why make this distinction between
the white men of Anne Arundel county and
the white men of Caroline county? There is
a difference of 4,100 white population between
those two counties, and yet that does not en-
title Anne Arundel to an additional represen-
tative. Now it may be said that this is be-
cause the figures work it out upon the prin-
ciple you have adopted. Now what justice is |
there in adopting such a principle? Why
take figures that work out such injustice as
between those two counties ?
Now take Harford county; that county is
entitled to four representatives in the general
assembly, with a white population of 17,941.
Anne Arundel has two representatives and a
white population of 11,704. The diffterence
between the two counties is a little over 6,000;
which gives Harford county two representa-
tives on this floor over and above Anne Arun-
del county, upon the principle adopted here.
Now I ask, should a principle which works
such injustice as that be adopted?
You have cut down three or four of the
counties to one representative upon this floor,
St. Mary's, Calvert, Kent and Charles. Those
counties are entitled to one representative
each. Therefore the ratio of representation,
even according to the white basis, varies in
those counties just according to the white
population.
Now it matters not how much, by the ab-
olition of Slavery, the county of Kent may
outstrip Caroline county in consequence of
her better facilities of communication with
Baltimore, and her greater nearness to the
Philadelphia market, or her richer soil, yet she
can have but one delegate here, while Caro-
line will have two. And no matter whether
in three years from this time, Anne Arundel
may have a white population fully equal to
Harford county, still Harford county will
have just twice as many representatives in
the house of delegates as Anne Arundel
county.
Now if this principle was adopted for but a
short period of time, there might be less rea-
son to complain of it. But by this article it.
is fixed for at least ten or twelve years to come;
until the next federal census,
Mr. ABBOTT. Or until a State enumeration
of inhabitants shall take place.
Mr. MILLER, I believe we have never yet
had a State enumeration. By this article the
ratio of representation for a delegate in the
house of delegates is made as follows: Anne
Arundel county, 5,852; Caroline county,
3,802; Kent county, 7,347; St. Mary's coun-
ty, 6,791; Worcester county, 4,482; Carroll
county, 4,605; Howard county, 4,540; Cecil
county, 4,900, &c. Now I say that a princi-
ple which works such injustice upon the very
theory assumed by the majority here, of the
white basis for representation cannot be right.
It works injustice upon those counties, if there
is any truth in the idea that the abolition of
slavery is to work all this change, which are
in point of fertility of soil and means of in-
creasing their population more likely to in-
crease hereafter.
It is admitted and conceded on all hands
that we, in the State of Maryland, have all
along departed from the theory of representa-
tion according to population. That is true;
nobody can deny it. And this article as re- |
