last two or three weeks worked alone, and
worked day and night in order to keep the
work of the convention up. He has been a
faithful and meritorious officer, and is deserv-
ing of this manifestation of our regard. I
think I can safely guarantee to the members
of this body that the work will be diligently
attended to, and that he will take no advan-
tage whatever of the license thus given.
Mr, HEBB. I offer the following as a sub-
stitute for the order of the gentleman from
Caroline (Mr. Todd:)
" Ordered, That the secretary be direct-
ed to forward to the several members of the
convention after its adjournment, their copies
of the journal of debates until it shall have
been completed—and the president is request-
ed to issue his certificate for the usual per
diem so long as be shall be so employed."
The order I have offered contemplates that
this duty shall be performed by the secretary ;
as it has always been customary for the sec-
retary to continue over for the purpose of
performing this duty. The last convention
passed an order requiring the secretary of the
convention to perform this duty, and our sec-
retary has prepared a book, in which the
members have written the names of those to
whom they desire to have these debates sent.
It is quite alaborious duty, and one which I
think properly belongs to the secretary of the
convention.
Mr. TODD. I should like to hear the gen-
tleman give some reason why this should be
the business of one officer, instead of another,
especially since that other has been employed
as folder for this convention. It seems to me
that. this is his legitimate business.
Mr. KING. How has this been done hereto
fore? I am not much acquainted with this
business, but I have understood that hereto-
fore it has been considered as part of the duty
of the secretary.
Mr. THOMAS. I will state to the gentleman
from Baltimore county (Mr. King) that by re-
ference to the journal of debates, and the
journal of proceedings of the last convention,
it will appear that the secretary of that con-
vention was authorized to do the very work
which the gentleman from Caroline (Mr.
Todd) now desires to have the folder do.
Mr. KING. it is a part of the duties of the
secretary.
Mr. THOMAS. Not a part of his regular
duty, but a duty especially assigned to him
after the adjournment of the convention. Of
course the convention would not expect the
secretary and folder to remain here at their
own expense after the adjournment of the con-
vention, and forward these debates. Some-
body must stay here, and whoever stays must
be paid.
Mr. KING. I thought it was part of the
duties of the secretary to remain here and
wind up the business of the convention, and
that this devolved upon him. |
Mr. THOMAS. Yes, sir.
Mr. TODD, I do not know what the prece-
dents are in this case; but admitting that
they are as the gentleman from Baltimore city
(Mr. Thomas) has stated, I do not see that
we are under any obligation to follow any
precedent set ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago,
by any other convention. We are to act for
ourselves, as we may think best.
Mr. DENT. It appears tome that there will
he a great deal of labor to be performed, after
this convention shall have adjourned, in the
way of folding and forwarding the debates
and documents necessary to be forwarded to
members; and that it will keep one person
pretty well employed. The secretary will
have other duties to perform, and it seems to
me quite proper that one person should be
assigned to this especial duty, as proposed by
the gentleman from Caroline (Mr. Todd.)
Mr. HEBB. It could be added to the order
that one of the folders should be employed.
It would be considerable work for a folder to
fold one thousand sheets of these debates ev-
ery day, and forward them.
Mr, MILLER. How will the secretary do it?
Mr. HEBB, He can fold them himself, or
hire somebody to doit; or a folder can be
appointed in addition to the secretary.
Mr. SANDS. I am very much opposed to
ousting one man from an office to which he
has been appointed, and taking another man
from another office to which he has been ap-
pointed and putting him in his place. We
made this man our folder; that is, we said he
should fold the journal of proceedings, and
the journal of debates of this convention.
Now, before his task is done, on account of
the printer being behind with his work, we
propose to take him from the post in which
we have placed him. If the secretary has du-
ties here, let him remain and be paid for his
work. But I shall oppose the ousting anoth-
er man from his place. If there has been any
such precedent, then I think it is a very bad
precedent, and ought not to be followed.
Mr, VALLIANT. I do not wish to debate
this order, but my conscience will not allow
me to withhold from the convention some
information I have. The printer of the de-
bates has offered to furnish the paper and mu-
cilage, and fold the debates for three dollars a
signature, or one thousand sheets.
Mr, SANDS. I move to amend the substi-
tute by inserting after the word "secretary"
the words "and Collins, Tatman, folder."
Mr, HEBB. I will accept that amendment.
Mr. TODD. With that understanding I will
accept the substitute in place of the order
which I offered.
Mr. PUGH. Then I will call for a division
of the question, which will amount to the
same thing.
The question was upon the order of Mr.
HEBB, as modified.
Mr. DAVIS, of Washington. I think there |
