know the reasons which induced them to in -
sert the year 1864 instead of 1865, in this
section. It appears to me that it is taking
time very much by the forelock. It is calling
upon the people of Maryland to elect a gov-
ernor next fall who is not to go into office until
1866; to elect him a year abead of the time.
He might be a very good Union man this
fall when elected, but a very bad Union man
when he cornea to take office. When I vote
for a man I want to know whom I vote for ;
and I do not want to run the risk of such
changes as I have seen in the last three years.
I have seen a great many men who were
rebels on the 19th of April, 1861, who pre-
tend to be good Union men now; and vice
versa. I do not trust such men.
Now, I should like to know why this com-
mittee selected this time for the election of
governor, because my knowledge of those
reasons may influence me in my vote. Gen-
tlemen tell us that the same time has been
designated in other reports. I think they
are mistaken. To bo sure there is to be an
election of the legislature this fall. But that
is because the new legislature is to meet on
the first of January next; and there is some
reason for electing them this fall. But there
can be no reason for the election of an officer
this fall who is not to go into office until a
year from next January. And it is so close
too upon the State election which we are to
have upon the adoption of this constitution.
It appears to me that it will be too precipi-
tous and will be bad policy.
Mr. STIRLING. it strikes roe that the sug-
gestion made by my friend from Howard
(Mr. Sands,) whatever force there may be in
it, does not apply any more to this provision
than to a half dozen others that we have
acted upon. We have already fixed this
particular day for the election of several im-
portant officers, particularly for the election
of an entirely new legislature. And there is
no particular reason now to urge this objec-
tion. If there is anything in it, and it should
appear hereafter that it will be impossible,
because of the constitution not being submit-
ted to the people, to carry this programme
out, we can turn back and alter it. It is too
late to raise any such objection as that now,
I certainly think that the suggestion made
by the committee in this report is perfectly
proper, if we intend to adhere to what we
have already done. We have deliberately de-
cided, after consideration, that we would
provide for the election of general State offi-
cers this fall, and the election of county offi-
cers next fall. And there is certainly no pro-
priety, after we have bad all the trouble of a
canvass for State officers this fall, in carrying
the election for governor over to the fall af.
ter that. It may be a little strange to elect
an officer so long beforehand. But it all arises
from the fact that we must do it, or bring
the election out of the time of the election of
36 |
other State officers. It is the disposition of
the convention to retain in office until the ex-
piration of their terms all the present State
offering. And to preserve the common purpose
which we have already indicated in regard to
the day of the general election, it becomes
necessary to elect this officer this tall. I really
can see no difficulty about it, no objection to
it. It is perfectly certain that the issues to
be decided this fall will be the same as
next fall. It seems to me that we better settle
these questions and have one election for it,
and not have them come up again next fall.
1 see no objections to this course, and I see
very strong reasons in favor of it. I sincerely
hope that what the committee have considered
as the proper time, after very careful consider-
ation as I know, will be adopted by this con-
vention.
Mr. SANDS. I do not suppose the commit-
tee on the executive department undertook to
fix the time when this constitution should be
submitted to the people, and I do not suppose
anything reported by them in regard to the
day of election is BO binding upon this con-
vention that we must conform all our ideas of
the propriety and necessity of the election of
governor to what they have reported.
Mr. STIRLING. I do not say that. We
must do either one of two things; leave this
blank, or go back and reconsider all the
reports we have acted upon.
Mr. SANDS, I think we better reconsider.
Mr. STIRLING. That would be a great deal
of trouble.
Mr. SANDS. There are a great many of us
who have the success of our work here as
much at heart as any other consideration.
The PRESIDENT. If the constitution is sub-
mitted to the people on the 15th of October,
will there be sufficient time, under the code,
to give notice of the election of State officers?
Mr. STIRLING. If this constitution shall be
adopted by the people, it will be above the
code. If this constitution says that the elec-
tion under this constitution shall be held on
a given day, then the people by adopting it
fix the day of election.
Mr. SANDS. There is this to be said: that there
are very urgent and grave considerations
for having the people vote upon this consti-
tution at the time of the presidential election.
And upon the other hand, as to the difficulty
of going back and reconsidering a few votes,
if that be such a great difficulty, then I think
we who have spent months here, at great ex-
pense and labor, ought not to mind the little
trouble of going back and wiping out " the
Tuesday next after the first Monday in No-
vember, 1&64," if thereby we can secure
thousands of votes for this constitution.—
This is a matter which I suppose will he very
gravely debated between gentlemen holding
different views on this subject. Therefore 1
suggest the propriety of leaving the time of
• election in this section a blank. That will |
