Mr. CHAMBERS. And more than ever has
been done yet.
Mr. NEGLEY. I cannot vote for this section
as offered. What does it propose? It pro-
poses to appoint two commissioners to do
the work fur which the people of Maryland
elect the legislature. That is, they are to
go to work to prepare laws; and when the
next legislature comes here they are merely
to ratify those laws. Is there not enough in-
telligence in the legislature of Maryland, and
is there not enough discrimination among the
voters of Maryland to send competent per-
sons here and frame laws in accordance with
the new order of things brought about by
the constitution which we hope may be
adopted " Has it come to this, that we must
send her two men as guardians, as intelli-
gent and legal guardians of tie legislature of
Maryland? It is an imputation upon .the legal
knowledge of the profession to which the
gentleman belongs, and upon the general
knowledge of the people of Maryland. I
certainly cannot support any such proposi-
tion as that, that we are to put the legisla-
ture under guardianship.
Besides that; you pass this section, and
appoint these commissioners. What is the
history of the commission under the last
codification of our laws? We have hardly a
limit to the expenses to which this commission
will go. They will linger and continue
and they will consume a year or eighteen
months in doing that which I am certain the
coming legislature will do as well and as
thoroughly. And when the new legislature
assembles again, they go to work and appoint
committee to do the very work which has
been already done by the commissioners. Is
it to be presumed that there will not be any
legal ability in that legislature? Is it to be
presumed that the committee will not have
the time and capacity to do the work? I
cannot think so, and therefore« I cannot vote
for it.
The question being on the first branch of
the amendment as follows.
"Sec. 10. It shall be the duty of the governor
immediately after the Adoption of this
constitution, to appoint two "commissioners
of revision," whose duty it shall be to pre-
pare and present to the general assembly at
its first session thereafter, drafts of all bills
which the general assembly are required by
"this constitution to pass, or which may be
necessary to carry into effect its provisions."
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE demanded the yeas and
nays, and they were ordered.
The question being taken, the result was—
yeas 22, nays 40—as follows:
Yeas— Messrs. Abbott, Annan, Audoun
Brooks, Dan el, Dellinger, Farrow, Greene
Hatch, Hebb, Jones, of Cecil, McComas,
Ridgely, Russell, Sands, Schley, Scott, Stock-
bridge, Sykes, Thomas, Todd, Valliant— 22 |
Nays—Messrs. Goldsborough, President ;
Baker, Barron, Belt, Briscoe, Brown, Carter,
Chambers, Clarke, Crawford, Cunningham,
Cushing, Davis, of Washington, Dent, Duvall,
Ecker, Galloway, Henkle, Hollyday, Horsey,
Kennard, King, Lansdale, Lee, Marbury,
Miller, Morgan, Mullikin, Negley, Parker,
Purnell, Schlosser, Smith, of Carroll, Smith,
of Worcester, Sneary, Stirling, Swope, Tur-
ner, Wickard, Wooden—40.
The first branch of the amendment was ac-
cordingly rejected.
The question recurred upon the second
branch of the amendment, as follows :
" The commissioners of revision shall also
proceed with all reasonable despatch, to re-
vise the Code of the State, embodying in it
all existing laws not now incorporated
therein, omitting all superfluous words and
enactments, and all such as have ceased to
affect existing rights, condensing the whole
into as concise a form as is consistent with a
full and clear expression of the law, and sug-
gesting any errors or omissions which may
be found to exist therein, and the best mode
of rectifying the same.
" They shall report the Code so revised to
the general assembly for its approval, and
while the bills so prepared, and the Code 80
revised by them, shall be under considera-
tion. shall be entitled to seats upon the floor
of the senate or house of delegates, and to
take part in the discussions thereof, but
without the right of voting thereon."
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE withdrew the second
branch of the amendment.
The next section wag read as follows:
VOTE 0N THE CONSTITUTION.
" Section 1. For the purpose of ascertain-
ing the sense of the people of this State, in
regard to the adoption or rejection of this
constitution, the governor shall issue his
proclamation within five days after the ad-
journment of this convention directed to the
sheriff of the city of Baltimore, and to the
sheriffs of the several counties of this State,
commanding them to give notice in the man-
ner now prescribed by law, that an election
will be held in the city of Baltimore and in
the several counties of the State, at the usual
places of holding elections in said city and
counties, for the adoption or rejection of this
constitution, on the twelfth day of October,
in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four,
which election shall be held between the
hours of eight o'clock, A. M., and six
o'clock, P. M., and the judges of election of
said city, and of the several counties of the
State, shall receive at said election the votes
only of such electors as are qualified accord-
ing to the provisions of this constitution,
who may offer to vole at such election, and
the said sheriffs shall also give notice on or
after the twelfth day of October, tighten
hundred and sixty-four, for all elections pro- |
