Mr. THOMAS. The gentleman from Kent,
(Mr. Hollyday) across the way, did converse
with me frequently upon the subject.
The PRESIDENT. The gentleman must state
concisely the reasons for his vote.
Mr, THOMAS. I am stating my reasons.—
The reason that induced me to move this re-
consideration is that I do not think it is fair
to give Kent county a delegate in addition to
the one she already has, and not give Balti-
more county an additional delegate for the
large number of voters she has. I then vote
"aye."
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I now move to amend
this section by striking out "seventy-nine"
and inserting "eighty," to make it corres-
pond with this action.
The PRESIDENT. If there is no objection
that will be done.
Mr. ABBOTT. I object,
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. Then I move to suspend
the rules, so that the section can be so amend-
ed.
The motion to suspend the rules was agreed
to, and the section amended accordingly.
Mr. BELT, Before we adopt this report fi-
nally, before we present to the people of Ma-
ryland, this merely arbitrary system of rep-
resentation, as a test question I will move that
the rules be suspended, so as to enable me to
again present to the house the proposition
that I and my colleague (Mr. Clarke) former-
ly presented: that the basis of representation
shall be the entire population of each county;
and the State shall be districted into as many
districts, as there may be inembers of the
house of delegates.
The immediate effect of that proposition
will be to give to Baltimore city twenty-nine
members—I think that was the calculation
twenty-eight or twenty-nine: to Baltimore
county eight members, while it leaves the
email counties as they stood before.
I wish to say in reference to a remark which
was made in the course of the debate when
this subject was up before, and which I then
had no opportunity to answer, that this pro
position was not drawn by us as any catch
or threat, or anything of that sort. But it is
the view I have always held; I have never
held any other, as my colleagues can testify
it is in opposition to the views held by a great
many gentlemen in my own county. I main
tain it now as I have always maintained it
in the face of all opposition. I say it is the
correct doctrine, and I want it to be recorded
here upon the record of debates, that I have
offered this proposition in good faith. I do
not want it said that I came in here and
offered anything that I did not heartily in-
dorse, and truly and sincerely approve of. I
do regard it as the true theory upon which
this matter ought to be settled; to have the
whole State represented upon the basis of the
total population, and have each county and
the city of Baltimore, divided into as many |
' districts as they may respectively be entitled
to delegates in the legislature; so that no man
in Baltimore county shall vote for six mem-
bers, and in Baltimore city for six or seven,
while I can vote for but one or two.
If there is any question in regard to its
popularity before the people, I shall be most
happy to meet the gentleman from Howard
(Mr. Sand?,) or any other gentleman before
the people anywhere upon a question of this
sort. Because there is not a county in this
State, let alone the city, where there has not
been a sufficient degree of the influence of the
court-house clique in the county town to dis-
gust the people, and lead them to want to
have the county districted, in order to get rid
of it. It is so in all the counties; it is so
with us. And it will prove to be so when
you bring this question to a practical test be-
fore the people.
The question was then taken upon the mo-
tion of Mr. BELT to suspend the rules for the
purpose of amending the report, and it was?
not agreed to.
The report having been read the third time
was then adopted, by yeas and nays (under
rule forty-three,)—yeas 48, nays 14—as fol-
lows :
yeas—Messrs. Goldsborough, President;
Abbolt, Annan, Audoun, Baker, Barron,
Carter, Cunningham, Cushing, Daniel, Davis,
of Washington, Dellinger, Earle, Ecker, Far-
row, Galloway, Greene, Hebb, Hoffman, Hop-
kins, Hopper, Keefer, Kennard, King, Larsh,
Markey, Mayhugh, McComas, Mullikin, Mur-
ray, Negley, Nyman; Parker, Pugh, Purnell,
Ridgely, Russell, Sands, Schley, Scott, Smith,
of Carroll, Smith, of Worcester, Stirling,
Stockbridge, Swope, Sykes, Thomas, Todd,
Wooden—48.
Nays—Messrs. Belt, Billingsley, Bond,
Briscoe, Brown, Chambers. Clarke, Dent,
Duvall, Horsey, Lee, Miller, Parran, Wickard
—14.
Mr. SCOTT, when his name was called,
said: I was not here when this report was
under discussion on its second reading. If 1
had been here at that time, I should have
moved to amend it by substituting a propo-
sition to divide the whole State into repre-
sentative districts, each district to elect one
member, which I consider the proper and
the only correct and republican system of
representation. But as this is the plan which
has been decided upon by the convention,
1 shall vote " aye," as being the best I can
get
Mr. WICKARD. I seldom rise to explain
my vote, and I do not think I shall do so
now. When I return to my constituents,
and they ask me in a respectful and proper
manner, I will take occasion to tell them
why I vote as I do, I vote " no."
On motion of Mr. STIRLING,
The convention then took a recess until 8
o'clock, P. M. |
