on all hands that the remainder of the journal
of debates should be forwarded to members
after they leave this place. The only ques-
tion with me is, how it can be the most
surely done, with the least expense to the
State. I wish that was the question with
everybody.
Mr. GREENE. That is my object.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I have no doubt of it.
I have no desire to confer favors upon any-
body, or lo oust anybody from his place, if
we can save the State one dollar it is our
duty to do so. It is certain that this matter
must continue from two to four months.
The debates are almost two full months be-
hind. And if this work is to be done by the
folder remaining here and receiving his per
diem precisely as he has done since we have
been in session here, we can form no idea in
reference to the expense. I think it is better
to place it in the hands of some officer in
whom we can have confidence, and not parcel
it out to two or three or half a dozen men.
I do not think they should continue on ad
infinitum, I had almost said for years, to do
so very small a work, and to receive so large
a pay as this.
Mr. TODD. Does the gentleman mean to
insinuate that the gentleman named in my
order cannot be trusted ?
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I do not know anything
about him. I would not know him if he
were to come in here now. I suppose be is
competent to do the work for which be was
appointed.
Mr. TODD. He is competent to do anything
this convention may desire to have done.
Mr. HEBB. I do not know that this office
of folder was intended to last forever. Nor
do I know that it is necessary for any one to
rise in his place here and deliver a eulogy
upon any officer of this convention for the
faithful manner in which he has discharged
his duties. I do not rise now to deliver any
eulogy upon the secretary of this convention.
But the secretary certainly has as much right
to expect that he will be continued in office to
discharge this duty, as one of the folders has.
The former convection and our legislature
have universally continued the secretary in
office after adjournment for as many days as
was necessary. And the secretary of this
convention, supposing that he would be re-
quired to perform this duty in conformity
with precedent and custom heretofore, has
had prepared a list as far as he could, and
expects to have the list made complete, of all
those to whom members desire to have these
debates forwarded. The last convention gave
the secretary a compensation of one dollar a
day for six months, to discharge this duty.
The price fixed by the substitute of my col-
league (Mr. Greene,) is six dollars for one
thousand copies, which is six cents for every
ten copies folded, addressed and mailed,
which I think is as small a compensation as |
could be asked As the gentleman from Bal-
timore city (Mr. Stockbridge) has said, if
the folder is required to stay here until this
is done, he will be here over two months.
Mr. STIRLING. It seems to me that the de-
cision of this question depends very much
upon matters of fact. I do not think that
anybody is specially entitled to anything
from this convention. The question is how
far the public business and convenience can
be subserved. These debates are printed in
Baltimore city; and I can see no use in hav-
ing them sent to Annapolis, and somebody
kept here for the purpose of mailing them
somewhere else. It has been very often said,
that the road to ''no place'' lies through An-
napolis. And the idea of having the debales
sent here for the purpose of sending them
somewhere else, is absurd. I understand
that the printer is willing lo deliver these
debates in Baltimore city, already folded, at
three dollars per thousand sheets. And we
want somebody to supervise the work, and to
attend to what other labor there may be con-
nected with it. If these matters are printed
in Baltimore, and the secretary goes to Bal-
timore, and the revising clerk goes to Balti-
more when the convention adjourns, what is
the use of keeping anybody herein Annapolis
to receive these debates and send them off?
The question wans upon the motion of Mr.
DAVIS, of Washington, to amend the original
order submitted by Mr. HEBB, by striking out
the words "the secretary and," leaving the
folder to perform the work contemplated by
the order.
Mr. NEGLEY. I move to amend the amend-
ment of my colleague (Mr. Davis, of Washing-
ton,) so that the words "the postmaster and"
be inserted in place of the words he proposes
to have stricken out.
Mr. DAVIS, of Washington. I will accept
that amendment.
The PRESIDENT. If any objection is made
the gentleman cannot modify his amendment.
Mr. HEBB. I object.
The question was then taken upon the
amendment of Mr. DAVIS, of Washington,
and it was rejected.
The question was then upon the substitute
offered by Mr. GREENE.
Mr. DAVIS, of Charles. I understand that
the offer has been made to do this work for
three dollars a thousand sheets. I move to
amend the substitute by striking out the
word "six" and inserting the word " three"
before the words " dollars for each thousand
copies."
Mr. GREENE. That offer was in regard to
the folding alone. There still remains the ad-
dressing and mailing. The addressing is certainly
a much more laborious part of the work
than the mere folding.
Mr. DANIEL. Six dollars a thousand is lit-
tle enough for doing this work; that is only |
