clear space clear space clear space white space
A
 r c h i v e s   o f   M a r y l a n d   O n l i n e

PLEASE NOTE: The searchable text below was computer generated and may contain typographical errors. Numerical typos are particularly troubling. Click “View pdf” to see the original document.

  Maryland State Archives | Index | Help | Search
search for:
clear space
white space
Proceedings and Debates of the 1864 Constitutional Convention
Volume 102, Volume 1, Debates 1319   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space
1319
out this section for no other reason than the
vote given upon my amendment to another
section. I shall vote to retain this section,
in the hope that if we have two chances, one
of them will give us an American citizen for
governor.
Mr, BERRY, of Prince George's. I shall
vote in favor of striking out this section, be-
cause I have not yet heard any good reason
assigned why we should provide this new
officer. I am opposed to legislating for men,
and in favor rather of legislating for princi-
ple. I see no good reason tor creating this
new office now, more particularly as the ob-
ject is to obtain a permanent president of
your senate. We have got along very well
without such an officer heretofore. The
senate has always been able to elect men well
qualified to fill that position. The majority
in the senate have always elected their pre-
siding officer, and it has operated very well.
And I am more particularly opposed to it,
for one reason assigned by the gentleman
from Baltimore city (Mr. Stirling,) that it
was making another office to be filled by the
friends of the political majority of this con-
vention. If I could abolish every office they
now have, and leave them without office,
without money, and almost without clothing,
I would do so.
Mr. JONES, of Somerset. I misunderstood
the purport of the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr. Abbott)
to the other section. Upon his explanation
now, I find that he meant only that the gov-
ernor of Maryland should be a native-born
American citizen, I supposed he intended
to restrict the office to native Marylanders.
Now I was willing to extend it to gentlemen
from other States who were kind to come
here and reside among us, and who might
hereafter have an opportunity to govern us.
But even in the sense in which he now ex-
plains it, I should not have voted for his
amendment.
Mr. ABBOTT. I meant native-born Ameri-
can citizens.
Mr, JONES, of Somerset. I thought the
gentleman was modest enough to propose to
exclude himself; but I find I was mistaken
in that.
Mr. SARDS. I give notice that I shall
move to add the following to section seven:
"and shall discharge such other duties as
the secretary of State of this State has here-
tofore discharged." And then I shall move
at the proper time to strike out section
twenty-three, providing for a secretary of
State.
The question recurred upon the motion of
Mr. SMITH, of Carroll, to strike out the sixth
section, providing for the election of a lieu-
tenant governor.
Mr. STIRLING called for the yeas and nays
on this question, and they were ordered.
The question was then taken by yeas and
nays, and resulted—yeas 20, nays 36—as
follows:
Yeas—Messrs. Berry, of Prince George's,
Billingsley, Bond, Brown, Clarke, Crawford,
Davis, of Charles, Ecker Edelen, Hodson,
Jones, of Somerset, King, Lee, Mitchell, Mil-
ler, Robinette, Smith, of Carroll, Smith, of
Dorchester, Swope, Thomas—20.
Nays—Messrs. Goldsborough, President ;
Abbott, Annan, Audoun, Brooks, Carter,
Cunningham, Cushing, Daniel, Davis, of
Washington, Dellinger, Earle, Galloway,
Hopkins, Hopper, Keefer, Kennard, Mayhugh,
McComas, Mullikin, Murray, Nyman, Parker,
Pugh, Purnell, Russell, Sands, Schlosser,
Scott, Smith, of Worcester, Stirling, Stock-
bridge, Thruston, Todd, Valliant, Wickard-
36.
The motion to strike out was accordingly
rejected.
Mr. ECKER, When his name was called,
asked to be excused from voting on this
question.
The convention refused to excuse him from
voting, whereupon
Mr. ECKER said: If the amendment of
which notice has been given by my friend
from Howard (Mr. Sands) should beadopted,
1 should be in favor of this proposition;
otherwise I should be opposed to it. As it
is ,'the secretary can put my vote down on
either side—1 do not care which.
The PRESIDENT. The gentleman must vote
upon one side or the other.
Mr, ECKER, Well, I will vote "aye."
Mr. VALLIANT, when his name was called,
said: The only objection I can conceive to
the adoption of this section, is that it in-
creases the expenses of the State two hundred
dollars per annum. The amendment about
to be offered by my friend .from Howard
(Mr. Sands,) will do away with that objec-
tion, by proposing to require the lieutenant
governor to discharge the duties of secretary
of State, in addition to those of his own
office. As I understand him, he proposes
that the salary of the lieutenant governor
shall be the same as that now given to the
Secretary of State; so that this office will
not actually increase the expenses of the
State. And I certainly appreciate the argu-
ment of the gentleman from Baltimore city
(Mr. Stirling,) in favor of creating this office.
1 therefore vote "no" upon this question.
No further motion in reference to the sixth
section was made.
Section seven was then read as follows :
" Sec. 7. The lieutenant governor shall, by
virtue of his office, be president of the sen-
ate, and Whenever the senate are equally di-
vided, shall have the right to give the casting.
vote."
Mr.SANDS. I move to amend this section
by adding " and shall perform such other
duties as are now performed by the secretary
of State Of the State of Maryland, and shall


 
clear space
clear space
white space

Please view image to verify text. To report an error, please contact us.
Proceedings and Debates of the 1864 Constitutional Convention
Volume 102, Volume 1, Debates 1319   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.


Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!



An Archives of Maryland electronic publication.
For information contact mdlegal@mdarchives.state.md.us.

©Copyright  October 06, 2023
Maryland State Archives