nounced that when the time should arrive to
reader it necessary to perform this duty, he
should Feel constrained to enforce the prac-
tice of the senate, and presuming that the
members of the senate were more competent
to pronounce the opinion when that time had
arrived, he would invite that expression;
whereupon the order as expressive of the
sense of the body, upon the advice asked by
the presiding officer, was submitted as afore-
said, and as full proof of the truth of such
opinion and the necessity of the adoption of
the order, the undersigned with confidence
appeal to the records of their body and the
amount of business transacted by them in
the few succeeding hours of the session,"
Signed by Richard Thomas, John Beall,
James B. Ricaud, and nine others.
Now it seems to me the same course can
be followed here. As the gentleman from
Baltimore county (Mr, Ridgely) says, noth-
ing in this protest can operate against us.
But I fear if we prevent this protest from go-
ing upon the journal, it will become a matter
of public notoriety, and the community will
have just reason to believe we fear the argu-
ments therein contained. I am willing, in
my humble capacity, to meet the people any-
where and argue the propriety of our action
here, what we have done, and what we pro-
pose to do. But I believe it will do an in-
finite amount of harm if we attempt directly
or indirectly to suppress anything which has
been heretofore the custom to allow to the
minority. I believe the majority will be
doing themselves and their constituents gross
injustice by refusing to enter upon our jour-
nal a protest couched in mild, moderate, and
respectful language, especially accompanied,
as it will be, by the order of the gentleman
from Baltimore county (Mr. Ridgely,) to
which I suppose no objection will be made
by the signers of this protest.
Mr. STIRLING. I did not mean to say—
Mr. CHAMBERS. I hope the gentleman from
Frederick (Mr. Schley) will call the gentle-
man from Baltimore city (Mr. Stirling) to
order, as he has already spoken twice.
Mr. SCHLEY. The gentleman can do it
himself.
Mr. CHAMBERS. No, that ia not my way.
Mr. STIRLING. I wish to make a suggestion.
I desire to put this protest upon the journal,
because I do not wish to be put in the posi-
tion of being supposed to be at all afraid of
anything in that paper. I merely wish to
say that I submit to the gentlemen who bare
presented this protest, that they change the
language, and instead of saying that the
resolution referred to was adopted by so ma-
ny delegates of this convention, they state
that it was adopted by the convention. If
they choose to put in "by a vote of thirty-
three yeas," I have no objection. And if
they will strike out of the protest that they
protest ia behalf of all the law-abiding citi- |
zens of the State, then I will vote to have it
entered upon the journal.
The PRESIDENT. I do not suppose the gen-
tlemen on the other side will object to that
proposition.
Mr. CHAMBERS. I am perfectly content to
say that the resolution was adopted by the
convention by a vote of so many members.
And I would also say to the gentleman from
Baltimore city (Mr. Stirling) that we do not
say we do not represent all the law-abiding
citizens of the State.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I am one of that sort,.
and I do not suppose the gentleman will claim
to represent me.
Mr. CHAMBERS. Certainly not; nobody
out of Kent county voted for me. We say
that in their name and for their benefit and
advantage, we protest 30 and so.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. To make the proteat
conform strictly to the fact, it might be well
to add another codicil. A large number of
members have had it entered upon the journal
that if they had been present when these
resolutions were passed they would have
voted for them.
The PRESIDENT. That can be embraced af-
terwards in an order.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE, I am no more anxious
to have this go on the journal than they are
to have it go there.
The PRESIDENT. The president would say
that if he were inclined to do so, he would
vote against this protest on the around that
a similar privilege was refused him at Fred-
erick.
Mr. CHAMBERS. I have modified the lan-
guage of the protest so that it will read—•
" The undersigned protest against the 'order'
adopted by the convention, by a vote of
thirty-three members, on the 19th ult.," &c.
Mr. NEGLEY. There is one expression in
that protest which ought to be stricken out.
It speaks of spies and detectives being em-
ployed by the federal government. I think
the gentleman from Kent (Mr. Chambers)
better strike that out.
Mr. CHAMBERS. I have no doubt the gen-
tleman would have me strike a great many
things out; but I beg to be excused.
Mr. NEGLEY. If he insists upon speaking
of spies being used for the oppression of the
people of Maryland —
Mr. STIRLING. He does not say that; he
says for the enforcement of federal authority.
Mr. CLARKE. So far as I am concerned, I
do not want any modification made ia that
document farther than has already been
made, in regard to the vote. It was simply
intended to mean "adopted by the conven-
tion by a vote of thirty-three members."
But as it might be open to some misconstruc-
tion, I am willing that change should be
made.
The question was upon ordering the protest
as modified, to be entered upon the journal. |
