ADJOURNMENT OVER.
Mr. RIDGELY. I do not rise to say any-
thing upon the subject before the house, but
to bring the house to the consideration of
business. I move that when the convention
adjourns to-night, it stand adjourned until
Monday next, at 12 o'clock, M.
Mr. NEGLEY. I move to amend by strik-
ing out "Monday" and inserting "Tues-
day." I do not think we ought to adjourn
at all, unless we adjourn to that time.
Mr. CUSHING. I should like to hear some
reason for the adjournment while in the full
tide of successful work.
Mr. RIDGELY. The reason lies in a very
narrow compass. It is Known to the whole
convention that we have but one more sub-
ject to consider, and that is the usury report.
The committee of revision are engaged in-
dustriously in the revision of the work that
has been done, and I am informed that that
committee do not expect to be able to com-
plete their labors until late in the day to-
morrow; and it will therefore be impossible
for us to go through with our business until
the committee on revision are prepared to
make a final report. Besides which, the en-
tire constitution by the order of the house, is
to be engrossed for the signature of the pre-
siding officer. Under these circumstances
the house will be without any kind of em-
ployment to-morrow, supposing the usury
report, which is very short, to be passed to-
night. If the house determines to adjourn
to-night, such members as desire it may leave
in the morning train and return on Monday,
when the committee on revision will be able
to submit their final report, and the house
will be able to act deliberately, doing things,
as the gentleman from Carroll observed this
morning, decently and in order, instead of
having the business all crowded upon us dur-
ing the day to-morrow.
Mr. NEGLEY, In addition to what the gentleman
from Baltimore county has said, we
know that there are now before the commit-
tee on revision seven or eight reports—about
half of all the reports. We know by the
experience of this convention that it took
the whole afternoon to go over the judiciary
report. And I do not see how it is possible
for any committee to go over that report
carefully and deliberately, comparing the
different sections with each other, and cor-
recting the verbal mistakes, if there are any,
in the manner they should go over it, in less
than half a day. What is the use of one
day at the heel of a session of four months ?
What are two days, or half a week, at the heel
of the session? Would we not a great deal
better spend two days more, and give this
committee time to go over its revision care-
fully, systematically, and in such a manner
that we can depend upon their work, when
they report to this body. It is not to be ex- |
pected that we will give it much more at-
tention, when we adjourn to-night to meet
again on Monday or Tuesday. We shall be
in no frame of mind to go into a critical examination
of the report of the committee on
revision. Therefore, I say, let us give them
ample time. Let them complete their work.
I know the chairman of that committee (Mr.
Earle) is competent to do it, and I believe the
other members will assist him, and we may
rely upon their work. The State, I am satis-
fied, would much rather see this thing done
upneatly and effectually, and with propriety.
There is no necessity tor harrying over this
matter.
Again, I think our friends from Baltimore
county and city outfit .to have a little com-
passion on the members who live a little fur-
ther away from the seat of government. It
is very easy for them to come here to-morrow
morning, to be there on the Sabbath, and
return here on Monday morning. We of the
western counties cannot do that. We can go
home and spend the Sabbath with our fami-
lies and be here on Tuesday at 12 o'clock. 1
think if you adjourn to that time you will
have a quorum and a full house; but I very
much doubt whether you will have a full
house on Monday; and at the final adoption
of this constitution I would like to see a full
house. ! would like to impress upon mem-
bers of the convention the necessity and the
propriety of being here in force on Tuesday.
If you adjourn to Monday, you will not have
a full house that day. If I go home, and 1
shall be sorely tempted to do so, I am certain
1 cannot be here before Tuesday morning.
Adjourning until Tuesday, you will give the
] committee an additional twenty-four hours.
They need it—they want it. Let them have
that ample time. I do hope that we shall
1 adjourn over to that time.
Mr. CUSHING. I have listened with atten-
tion to the reasons urged by the gentleman
from Washington (Mr. Negley;) bull must
say that I remain as yet unconvinced that we
cannot finish the whole work before the con-
vention by to-morrow, if necessary at mid-
' night. The committee on revision presented
to us this morning their report on a number
of articles, some of them of a great deal of
importance. We acted on these in a few
minutes; and I think the majority of the
convention thought we acted decently and in
order, and acted knowingly. The judiciary
report, which the gentleman says took all the
afternoon, I would remind him was compli-
cated with several other things besides merely
correcting it. Besides, the house having
corrected the judiciary report mainly, the
work the committee on revision will have to
do upon it will be very slight, If the house
adjourns until Monday or Tuesday, it will
probably, on the day fixed, be without a
quorum; for many of the members will go
home to-morrow morning, and they will not |
