our files. I referred to matters which have
been printed and filed.
Mr. MILLER. I think we might as well take
up and discuss the report of the committee
on the judiciary department, as the report of
the committee on the elective franchise. It
is a long report, and there will be as much
discussion upon that report, I presume, as
upon any report before us. The report of
the committee on the elective franchise is
also a very important one, and I would like
not only to have the presence of the chair-
man of that committee, but also to have the
report of the minority of that committee
printed in due form so that we can carefully
examine it.
Mr. PURNELL, It is not usual to print mi-
nority reports, except on the journal, unless
specially ordered by the house.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. I recol-
lect that in the early part of the session,
when the report of the committee on the ba-
sis of representation was made, I made the
inquiry of the president, whether the report
of the minority of that committee would be
printed, and be replied that it would, and it
was so printed.
The question was then taken upon consid-
ering the report of the committee on the
elective franchise, and upon a division—
ayes 25, noes 16—no quorum voted.
The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Pugh.) As there is
evidently a quorum present, the question
will be again taken.
Mr. STIRLING. I voted against taking up
this report, because it seemed to me to be
hardly right to take it up and discuss it in
the absence of the chairman of that com-
mittee (Mr. Sands.) I understand that he
was obliged to leave town this morning, not
having any notice that this report would be
taken up to-day.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE, We have precedent for
this in the report of the committee on the
treasury department, which we have just dis-
posed of. We took that up and discussed
and entirely completed its consideration, in
the absence of the chairman of that com-
mittee (Mr. Negley.) As to the report of the
committee on the judiciary, the same gen-
tleman now absent (Mr. Sands,) as gentle-
men probably recollect, indicated his pur-
pose to file a minority report from the com
mittee on the judiciary, which be has not yet
done.
The question being again taken upon the
motion of Mr. AUDOUN, to proceed to the con-
sideration of the report of the committee on
the elective franchise, upon a division—ayes
30, noes 26—it was agreed to.
The convention accordingly proceeded to
consider the report of the majority of the
committee on the elective franchise, which
was on its second reading.
Mr. BROWN. I move that the report of the
minority be substituted for the report of the |
majority of the committee on the elective
franchise. The minority report, with the ex-
ception of the last two sections, corresponds
with the article on that subject in the present
constitution.
The minority report was then read as fol-
lows:
The minority of the committee on elective
franchise, not being able to concur in all of
the views of the majority, beg leave to sub-
mit the following report:
ARTICLE 1.
.Elective Franchise.
Section 1. Every free white male person of
twenty-one years of age, and upwards, who
shall have been one year next preceding the
election a resident of the State, and for six
months a resident of Baltimore, or of any
county in which be may offer to vote, and
being at the time of the election a citizen of
the United States, shall be entitled to vote in
the ward or election district in which be re-
sides, in all elections hereafter to be held;
and at all such elections the vote shall be taken
by ballot. And in case any county or city
shall be so divided as to form portions of differ-
ent electoral districts for the election of Con-
gressmen, senator, delegate or other officer
or officers, then to entitle a person to vote for
such officer, he must have been a resident of
that part of the county or city which shall
form a part of the' electoral district in which
he offers to vote, for six months next preced-
ing the election; but a person who shall not
have acquired a residence in such county or
city entitling him to vote at any such election
shall be entitled to vote in the election dis-
trict from which he removed, until he shall
have acquired a residence in the part of the
county or city to which he has removed.
Sec. 2. That if any person shall give, or
offer to give, directly or indirectly, any bribe,
present or reward, or any promise, or any
security for the payment or delivery of money
or any other thing to induce any voter to re-
frain from casting his vote, or forcibly to
prevent him in any way from voting, or to
obtain or procure a vote for any candidate or
person proposed or voted for, as elector of
president and vice-president of the United
[States, or representative in congress, or for
any office of profit or trust created by the
constitution or laws of this State, or by the
ordinances or authority of the mayor and city
council of Baltimore, the person giving or
offering to give, and the person receiving the
same, and any person who gives or causes to
be given an illegal vote, knowing it to be so,
at any election to be hereafter held in this
: State, shall on conviction in a court of law,
in addition to the penalties now or hereafter
to be imposed by law, be forever disqualified
to bold any office of profit or trust, or to vote
at any election thereafter.
Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the general |
