of compensation. It may be that the legis-
lature might fix it in such a way that it
would not require even one thousand dollars
to bepaid. I think the legislature can be
trusted to fix this compensation, if you put
"one thousand dollars" in the constitution,
it may be too little, or it may be too much.
If they provide that, when the militia system
is in operation, the adjutant general may be
relieved of many of these duties, and be left
to perform only some slight duties. In that
case a thousand dollars a year is too much
compensation.
The question was then taken upon the
amendment of Mr. STIRLING, and it was
adopted.
No further amendment was offered to this
section.
Mr. WICKARD. I now move as an addi-
tional section, the following from the minor-
ity report:
"Section 4. The militia officers shall be
chosen or appointed as follows: Captains,
subalterns and non-commissioned officers
shall be chosen by the written votes of the
members of their respective companies; field
officers of regiments and separate battalions
by the written votes of the commissioned offi-
cers of their respective regiments and sepa-
rate battalions to which they belong; brig-
adier generals and brigade inspectors by the
field officers of their respective brigades; ma-
jor generals, brigadier generals, and com-
manding officers of regiments or separate
battalions, shall appoint the staff officers of
their respective divisions, brigades, regiments
or separate battalions."
Mr. RIDGELY. We have already provided,
by adopting section three of the minority
report, that "the general assembly shall pro-
vide for organizing, equipping and disci-
plining the militia, in such manner as shall
be most effective to repel invasion and sup-
press insurrection, not incompatible with the
laws of the United States." It appears to
me that we have devolved upon the legisla-
ture the general power of organizing a militia
system. I do not, therefore, thick it proper
that this convention should enter into the
details of what that system shall be. The
general power is conferred upon the legisla-
ture, and there I think it should be permit-
ted to rest,
Mr. WICKARD. I will state that this section
is drawn up in accordance with the consti-
tutions of other States. The power is given
to the militia of every State to elect their
own officers.
Mr. STIRLING. I merely wish to say that I
think it is a great deal better for the consti-
tution to be silent upon this subject, and let
the legislature, from time to time, provide
whatever may be necessary. This State and
this country are in a very anomalous condi-
tion at this time. I am not willing to fetter
the legislature, and to decide now that the |
militia shall elect their own officers. I am
willing to let the legislature say so, if they
choose. But there may be men called out to
serve who are entirely hostile to the govern-
ment that calls them out. And I am not will-
ing to intrust such men with the selection
of their own officers.
The question was upon agreeing to the
amendment of Mr, WICKARD.
Upon this question Mr. WICKARD called
for the yeas and nays. and they were ordered.
The question was then taken, by yeas and
nays, and resulted—yeas 27, nays 35—as fol-
lows ;
Yeas—Messrs. Abbott, Audoun, Baker,
Barron, Belt, Billingsley, Blackiston, Brown,
Chambers, Clarke, Dent, Duvall, Ecker,
Greene, Hebb, Hollyday, Horsey, Keefer,
Lansdale, Lee, Marbury, Markey, Miller, Neg-
ley, Schlosser, Sneary, Wickard—27.
Nays—Messrs. Goldsborough, President;
Annan, Carter, Cunningham, Cushing, Dan-
iel, Davis, of Washington, Dellinger, Far-
row, Galloway, Hoffman, Hopkins, Hopper,
Kennard, Larsh, Mayhugh, McComas, Mulli-
kin, Parker, Pugh, Purnell, Ridgely, Rus-
sell, Sands, Schley, Scott, Smith, of Carroll,
Smith, of Worcester, Stirling, Stockbridge,
Swope, Sykes, Thomas, Todd, Wooden—35.
The amendment was accordingly rejected.
Mr PUGH. I move to reconsider the vote
by which the amendment to the second sec-
tion, proposed by the gentleman from Balti-
more city (Mr. Audoun) was rejected. The
amendment was to add to the section the fol-
lowing :
"And shall pass such laws as shall pro-
mote the formation of volunteer militia as-
sociations in the city of Baltimore, and every
county, and secure to them such privileges
or assistance as may afford them effectual en-
couragement."
1 voted against it under a misapprehension.
My impression at the time was that, by adop-
tion of the section of the minority report, the
legislature was authorized to make all these
necessary arrangements. But I have been
informed that they have so far failed to
do so. They have hitherto failed to en-
courage the formation of volunteer com-
panies throughout the State; and the infer-
ence is that they may so fail in the future.
The question was then taken upon the mo-
tion to reconsider, and it was agreed to.
The question recurred upon the amend-
ment, and being taken, it was adopted.
No further amendment being offered to the
report, the same as amended was then or-
dered to be engrossed for a third reading.
Mr. RIDGELY moved to suspend the rules,
in order that the report might now be put
upon its passage.
Mr, DENT. It occurs to me that it is rather
premature to put this report upon its third
reading now. The amendments have not
been incorporated into the original report, |
