he should not attend. But what in the world
is the use of undoing what we have done,
when the nights are getting longer and cooler.
For my part, I think the night session is the
most pleasant time to do business. There
are enough of us to attend who have not been
excused and are willing to attend. Why
should we deliberately revoke an order which
we have passed four or five times deliberate-
ly, merely because some few gentlemen are not
able to attend? Some really incapacitated
from attending the convention are excused.
There are others, like the gentleman from
Allegany (Mr. Wickard,) whose indisposition
is more mental than physical. I think such
ought not to be excused; but ought to sit
here and go through with our business, I
find that we run through business just about
as fast at night as in the day. Gentlemen
can audoun at ten o'clock, and come here
and be at their places. I do not think the
will fatigue any gentleman any more than
to be lounging about the house here or else-
where. They may as well be interested in
something profitable, in the business of the
session properly before us. There are a great
many gentlemen who board here; who stay
here and do not go to Baltimore, who do not
board there. Those gentlemen are here with
nothing to do, about each other's rooms or
about the State house; and I do not believe
it fatigues them any more to sit here and at-
tend to business than to lounge about doing
nothing. I think we would better work
straight forward and get through. The
nights are longer and more favorable to busi-
ness, and I hope what we have done will not
be undone.
Mr, SANDS. Of course it is the universal
wish of the house to complete it labors and
go home. The question is, how best to attain
that end. We have been in the habit of meet-
ing at 10 o'clock, and adjourning at half
past one, an hour and a half before 3 o'clock.
We then come back here at night, and work
perhaps, an hour and a half; the interval of
the recess, of course making a breach in the
work of the convention, which it will take
some time to repair. Suppose the convention
should agree to meet regularly and punctually
at 10 o'clock, and stay until 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, five hours. Should we not actually
get through more business than we are now
doing per day? I am willing to work as
hard as our people make their plantation
hands work; but I want to have holiday
when sundown comes. As for the facts of
my friend from Baltimore (Mr. Daniel,) that
the nights are longer and cooler, he has the
calendar on his side in the one case, but
where he finds his evidence that the nights
are cooler, I do not know. I certainly die
nut perceive any such state of facts last nigh
or the night before.
Mr. ECKER. Lust night the thermometer |
was 83°, and this morning it is at the same
point.
Mr. DELLINGER. I ask leave to withdraw
the motion to reconsider.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's, objected.
Mr. SANDS. I have no doubt that gentle-
men will be willing to change the thirty
minute rule to fifteen minutes, in order to
get rid of night sessions. In that way we
should be able to do a great deal of work in
the session of the day.
The question being taken upon granting
leave to withdraw the motion to recon-
sider,
Leave was granted, and. the motion was
withdrawn.
Mr. HOFFMAN. I ask for leave of absence for
one evening, on account of the sickness of my
father, I promised to be there, I would be
glad to remain here all the time, but I cannot.
Leave of absence was accordingly granted.
Mr, SCHLEY. It is with great reluctance
that I rise to ask the house for leave to
be absent for two or three days. It is
with great reluctance, because I have seen
that the protracted term of this conven-
tion required of many gentlemen to go
home to attend to their private affairs, and
that there has at times been a difficulty in
keeping a quorum from that circumstance.
On account of that difficulty, I have re-
mained at great inconvenience, and to the
great personal neglect of my private affairs
and public duties in another department, in
order to keep up a quorum for the last week.
It is now absolutely necessary tor me to re-
turn to my home for a day or two, to make
out official reports, and to look after moneys
that are deposited without any proper vouch-
ers. I therefore ask leave of absence for a
few days.
Mr, WICKARD, I would, willingly vote for
leave of absence for the gentleman, provided
that when he comes back lie will not endeavor
to impose extra duty upon those who remain
here during his absence I have found it in-
variably the case, that those who remain
away for a time from the business of the con-
vention, when they come back here are the
first to impose additional duties upon those
who have been here from day to day.
Mr, SCHLEY. I do not know with what
grace or propriety the gentleman can visit
such a reproach upon me. I am surely un-
deserving of it, I do not think anything in
my career has shown an endeavor to enforce
upon any gentleman burdensome or improper
duties. I beg the gentleman to recall his
' very unjust reproof, but whether he. does or
not, I can offer no promise as to my action
upon my return.
Mr. HARWOOD asked and obtained leave of
absence from the adjournment this afternoon,
until Friday morning.
The PRESIDENT. Are there any more gen-
tlemen who wish for leave of absence? |
