it is very proper that this election should be
in 1865, so as to have it in a different year
from the State officers. We have other
officers to be elected. State's attorneys, county
surveyors, judges of orphans' courts, &c
We shall elect all these officers in 1865, and
every second and fourth year thereafter, I
prefer electing the county officers at a differ-
ent time from the State officers.
Mr. PURNELL. The year 1865 was selected
from the fact that the terms of these officers
expire in November, 1865, and it was proper
to have an election to supply their places at
the time their terms of office expire. There
will be other elections in the constitution fur
November, 1865.
Mr. SCHLEY. Have we yet provided for
the election of any other officers in the year
1865?
Mr. PURNELL. I am not aware that we
have; but the terms of the present incum-
bents generally will expire in 1865.
Mr. SCHLEY. I will merely remark that I
know that those who were elected last fall
will hold office, according to the terms of
their election until November 1865; and I
have no disposition at all to curtail them of
any portion of the term for which they have
been chosen. On the contrary I provide in
that amendment for an extension of their
term of office. The gentleman from Allegany
(Mr. Hebb) thinks that it would be betier to
hare these elections in different years. I do
not perceive that any good purpose can he
attained by such an (adjustment. On the
contrary, I can very well see that great ex-
pense will he incurred in holding annual
elections, which will he avoided by the propo-
sition which I have submitted. While we
are canvassing for the officers of the general
election, these county offices can be consid-
ered and provided tor at the same time.
Mr. TODD. I hope the amendment sub-
mitted by the gentleman from Frederick (Mr.
Schley) will prevail, for two reasons, which
I think very important. First, the saving of
expense to the State Second, the prevention
of the frequent occurrence of elections, which
I think are highly demoralizing. I think all
the interests of the community will be sub-
served by the adoption of that amendment.
I am quite sure that the people of the section
of the State which I in part represent, fee
favorable to the adoption of a provision of
this sort, and would deprecate the occurrence
of an election every year.
Mr. PURNELL. I am not inclined to be fas-
tidious about this matter; but it seems to me
that it would be legislating incumbents out
of office, who are good officers without a
sufficient reason. In the county of Worces-
ter we elected in 1863 county commissioners,
sheriff and wreckmaster for two years, and
these offices will necessarily expire in Novem-
ber, 1865. If we adopt the amendment as
27 |
proposed, we turn those gentlemen out of
office.
Mr. STIRLING. No, sir; we extend their
term to 1866.
Mr. PURNELL. If that is the fact, I have
no objections to it, and perhaps the parties
would have no objection themselves. But if
the effect were to curtail their term and legis-
late them out of office, perhaps they would
object.
Mr. MILLER. I think it better that our
county elections should be held at a different
time from that at which our important State
officers are elected. The gentleman from
Caroline county (Mr. Todd) has said that
elections are immoral.
Mr. TODD. I used the term "demoral-
izing."
Mr. MILLER. Demoralizing to the people.
1 was very much astonished to hear that asser-
tion, especially as it has been declared ill the
bill of rights (Article 6) that "elections
ought to be free and frequent," as one of the
fundamental principles upon which tree gov-
ernments are founded—the assertion that
elections are demoralizing to the people.
Mr. TODD. That is my opinion.
Mr. MILLER. The county local officers 1
think ought to be elected at a time when the
people of the county are free from the excite-
ment of party politics, which usually pre-
vails at every general election. We shall
probably get much better men into these posi-
tions. The expense of the election is but
trifling, borne by the county in all cases.
Besides that, it leaves our general and impor-
tant elections free from that combination,
that bargain and sale of the vote upon these
local offices, which usually prevails in county
elections, I have known the vote for gov-
ernor, or for senator, or for member of the
house of delegates,, to be bargained away-
under the present system for a roadsupervisor or
a constable, a justice of the peace, or
a county commissioner. I desire to keep the
local elections free from such influences as
these. I think it is fortunate that it comes
at such a time now, that holding their offices
fur two years, the election conies round to a
different period from our biennial State elec-
tion. I hope the amendment will not prevail,
I know that in most of the States the local
and the State elections are entirely distinct.
And in some of the States where they are
not so, one of the great evils attending their
elections, in my judgment, is the fact that the
general and local officers are elected on the
same day and in the same year.
Mr. SCHLEY withdrew his amendment.
Mr. RIDGELY. I will now endeavor to
reach my purpose in another form. I move
to amend the section as follows:
In the eighth line, strike out the words
"but such powers and duties shall besimilar,
and the tenure of office uniform throughout
the State." |
