motion to take a recess, and upon a division—
ayes 23, noes 27—it was not agreed to.
JUDICIARY REPORT.
The CHAIRMAN announced that the hour
had arrived for taking up the order of the
day, being the report of the committee on
the judiciary department, which was on its
second reading.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I move
that the further consideration of this report
be postponed until to-morrow morning at
twelve o'clock.
Mr. VALLIANT. I move to postpone it to
eleven o'clock to-morrow.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I have no
objection to that hour.
Mr. HOLLYDAY. I move to postpone it un-
til Monday next. There are many members
who desire to be here when this important
subject is considered, and they will not be
here this week. There are other subjects
which we can consider.
The CHAIRMAN announced the question to
be upon the longest time, being the motion
of Mr. HOLLYDAY to postpone until Monday
next.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I have heard from
many members the wish expressed that the
consideration of this report might be deferred
a day or two. My only difficulty in voting
for the motion of the gentleman from Kent
(Mr. Hollyday) is that we may not have mat-
ters before us that will engage the attention
of the convention until next Monday. There
are several members of this convention ab-
sent whom I should very much like to see
here when this report is taken up. And if
we could postpone this report Informally, or
in any other way, so as to accommodate
these gentlemen, and keep on working without
any delay in consequence thereof, I
should be very willing to do it.
Mr. STIRLING. I would suggest that there
is plenty of business for this house to trans-
act. There are two other reports, one already
printed and on our files; the other will be
ready to-morrow morning. And another
made this morning will be printed day after
to-morrow. There is therefore really no lack
of business for the convention to do. I
think we better postpone this report inform-
ally, for I do not think it is worth while to
take it up now. We have a short report
here upon the treasury department, which we
can consider at this time,
Mr. HOLLYDAY. I withdraw my motion.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I move to
postpone the judiciary report informally.
The motion to postpone was agreed to.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
On motion of Mr. AUDOUN,
The convention proceeded to consider the
report of the committee on the treasury de-
partment, which was on its second reading.
33 |
The first section was read as follows:
"There shall be a treasury department,
consisting of a comptroller, chosen by the
qualified electors of the State—who shall
receive an annual salary of—, and of a
treasurer, to be appointed by the two houses
of the legislature,—on joint ballot, who
and neither of the said officers shall be al-
lowed or receive any fees, corn missions, or
perquisites of any kind, in addition to his
salary, for the performance of any duty or
service whatever; in case of a vacancy in
either of the offices, by death or otherwise,
the governor, by and with the advice and
consent of the senate, shall fill such vacancy
by appointment, to continue until another
election by the people or a choice by the leg-
islature, as the case may be, and the qualifi-
cation of the successor; the comptroller and
the treasurer shall keep their offices at the
seat of government, and shall take such oath,
and enter into such bonds, for the faithful
discharge of their duties as the legislature
shall prescribe."
Mr. HEBB. I move to fill the first blank
with the words " at each general election of
members of the general assembly,"
The motion was agreed to,
Mr. STIRLING. I move to fill the next
blank with the words " twenty-five hundred
dollars," as the salary of the comptroller.
Mr. THOMAS I move to fill it with " three
thousand dollars."
Mr, WICKARD moved to insert "two thou-
sand dollars."
The question was upon the largest sum,
viz: " three thousand dollars."
Mr. STIRLING. I moved the sum of twenty-
five hundred dollars, because that is the sal-
ary the comptroller has always received un-
der the present constitution, and I see no
reason for diminishing it, and I am satisfied
that there is no resort for increasing it.
Mr. THOMAS, The same reasons that would
lead to the increase of the salary of any other
officer, I should think would lead to an in-
crease of the salary of the comptroller.
When his salary was fixed at twenty-five
hundred dollars, fourteen years ago, he was
not paid in green-backs, but in gold. I think
that three thousand dollars is little enough
for his salary now.
Mr, MILLER. I am in favor of fixing this
salary at three thousand dollars. We have in-
creased the salary of the State librarian and
of the commissioner of the land office, and 1
suppose we shall raise the salaries of some of
the other State officers, I see no reason why
the salary of those two officers should be in-
creased, when their duties are not atallin-
creased under the present constitution, and
not increase the compensation of officers who'
have control of the finances of the State.
The question was then taken upon the mo-
tion of Mr. THOMAS to fill the blank with' |
