PRINTING THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Mr. VALLIANT submitted the following or
der:
Ordered, That the comptroller of the treas
ury be, and is hereby authorized and empow-
ered to contract for the printing of six thousand
copies of the constitution, and that the libra-
rian be directed to distribute the same among
the members, as early as practicable after the
adjournment without day of the convention,
and that the cost of said distribution be paid
by the comptroller,
Mr. VALLIANT said: I have provided by
this order for the distribution of the consti-
tution among the members, because I though
the members would be more likely to dis
tribute them among the people early than
any one else. I have also added a clause
that the cost of the distribution be paid by
the comptroller, deeming it better that the
actual cost of the distribution should be paid
by the government. A very trifling matter
has given rise to some discussion here, about
the distribution of documents by the libra-
rian, tor which the legislature appropriated
$150, while it seems it did not coat quite
that.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I move that the consid-
eration of this order be postponed until to
morrow. It seems to me that the order in its
present form is not a proper one to accom-
plish the purpose which the gentleman de-
signs to accomplish by it. If the purpose be
as I take it to be, to distribute the new con-
stitution broadcast throughout the State
preparatory to a vote upon it by the people,
six thousand copies are not sufficient. If I
recollect aright the former State convention
made provision for publishing it in extras in
all or nearly all the newspapers throughout
the State, so that it might be scattered
wherever a newspaper went. It seems to me
that something of that sort is far preferable
to this. It is for that reason that I move the
postponement of the consideration of this
order until to-morrow, that we may see what
is the best form to secure the distribution of
the constitution.
The motion to postpone was agreed to.
COURTS OF BALTIMORE CITY.
The convention resumed the consideration
of the report of the judiciary committee,
which was on its second reading.
The next section in order was read as fol-
lows :
"Sec. 33. There shall be a clerk of the
superior court and a clerk: of the circuit
court of Baltimore city, who shall be elected
by the qualified voters of the city of Balti-
more hold their respective offices for the
term of six years, and until a new election is
held and his successor duly qualified, and
be re-eligible thereto, but removable by the
judges of the court of which they are respec- |
tively clerks, for incompetency, wilful neglect
of duty, misdemeanor in office, and such
other causes as may be prescribed by law."
Mr. THOMAS submitted the following amend-
ment :
Strike out section thirty-three, and in-
sert :
"Section 33. There shall be a clerk of
the superior court of Baltimore city, and a
clerk of the circuit court of Baltimore city,
and a clerk of the court of common pleas in
Baltimore city, and a clerk of the criminal
court of Baltimore city, and each of the said
clerks shall be elected by the legal and quali-
fied voters of said city, and shall hold his
office for six years from the first day of Jan-
uary succeeding his election, and until his
successor is elected and qualified, and be re-
eligible thereto, subject to be removed for
wilful neglect of duty or other misdemeanor
in office on conviction in a court of law. In
case of a vacancy in the office of a clerk of
any of said courts the judge of the court of
which he was clerk, shall have the power to
appoint a clerk until the general election for
county officers held next thereafter, when a
clerk shall be elected for the residue of the
term thus made vacant."
Mr. DANIEL moved to amend by striking
out the last clause, "when a clerk shall be
elected for the residue of the term thus made
vacant."
Mr. THOMAS accepted the amendment.
The amendment, as amended, was agreed
to.
No further amendment being offered, the
next section was read as follows;
" Sec. 34. The judges of the superior court
as herein constituted, shall designate as clerk
of said court, in their discretion, either the
clerk of the present superior court, or the
clerk of the court of common pleas, and the
person so designated as clerk shall continue
to act as soldi until the end of the time for
which he was elected; the other of said clerks
shall, until the end of the time for which he
was elected, continue to act as clerk in that
.department of the business of the superior
court which in the judgment of the judges of
said court, nearest corresponds to the busi-
ness of the court of which he was elected
clerk, and shall receive the fees and emolu-
ments pertaining thereto as be would have
done if said court had continued an inde-
pendent court, and the judges of said supe-
rior court shall make such rules and regulations
as may tie found necessary to give full
force and effect to this provision.' '
Mr. THOMAS submitted the following amend-
ment:
Strike out section thirty-four, and insert the
following:
" Sec, 34. The present clerk of the superior
court of Baltimore city, and of the court of
common pleas in Baltimore city, and of the
criminal court of Baltimore, shall continue |
