On motion of Mr. NEGLEY,
The further consideration of this subject
was postponed until to-morrow.
BOUND COPIES OF THE CONSTITUTION.
The convention then resumed the consider-
ation of the following order from the commit-
tee on reporting and printing :
" Ordered, That the comptroller of the
treasury be authorized, and is hereby directed
to contract with Mr. Richard P. 'Bayly, of
Annapolis, printer to the convention, for the
printing and binding of five hundred copies
of the constitution when adopted by the peo-
ple of Maryland; said copies to be printed in
the same style, on such quality of paper, and
bound in like manner to the edition of the
present constitution, published by Murphy &
Co., of Baltimore, in 1855."
The pending question was upon the amend-
ment of Mr. GREENE, to strike out all after
the word " ordered," and insert the follow-
ing:
"That the State librarian be and he is
hereby directed to purchase of James Wingate
three hundred copies of the constitution passed
by this convention, when adopted by the
voters of this State; said constitution shall
contain an elaborate index, prepared with ref-
erences to articles ana sections, ana also lo
the page; said constitution shall be printed
in the best style, (with side notes,) on fair
white paper with large fair type and well
bound, and shall contain the names of the
members of this convention; said constitu-
tion shall contain the certificate of the clerk
of the court of appeals, that it is a true copy
of the constitution passed by this convention;
and the indexing and publication of said constitution
shall be approved by the president
of this convention; and the State librarian
shall distribute said copies of the constitu-
tion, as follows: One copy to each member
of convention; to the governor, lieutenant
governor, comptroller, treasurer, attorney
general, adjutant general, superintendent of
public education, and commissioner of the
land office, each one copy; to the judges and
clerks of the circuit courts, and the courts of
Baltimore city, each one copy; to the judges
and the clerk of the court of appeals, each
one copy; lo the orphans' courts of the State,
each one copy; to the State's attorneys, each
one copy; to the register of wills, each one
copy; to the boards of county commissioners,
each one copy; to the mayor of Baltimore
city, one copy; and fifty copies to the gov-
ernor for distribution to the governors of the
several States; and the remaining eleven
copies shall be retained in the State library,
subject to the disposition of the general as-
sembly; and the president of this convention
is hereby authorized and directed to pay
James Wingate one hundred dollars, for pre-
paring said carefully elaborated index and
side notes to said constitution, and also two |
dollar? per copy for said constitution, when
published by James Wingate."
Mr. AUDOUN. I desire to state for the in-
formation of the house that the committee on
printing have already made provision for the
indexing of the constitution by Mr. Moore,
who has contracted to prepare an, index for
the debates, proceeding, and constitution. 1
therefore can see no necessity for paying one
hundred dollars to some one else for doing
the same work. Mr. Moore is compelled un-
der his contract to do the indexing of the
constitution. We have already voted an ex-
tra sum to Mr. Moore for doing this work,
and I see no necessity of paying one hundred
dollars, as proposed by the gentleman from
Allegany (Mr. Greene) to some one else to do
the same work.
Mr. GREENE. My proposition is not merely
to make an index. It contemplates a careful
and elaborate index prepared with reference
to articles and sections, and also complete and
carefully prepared marginal notes and refer-
ences. That certainly is not embraced in the
contract with Mr. Moore.
Mr. AUDOUN. The very same thing pre-
cisely. The committee would not make a
contract with the party unless he contracted
to do the entire work. They do not propose
to have it nail done, or that the convention
shall pay an extra sum to some one else to do
the very work they have already contracted
to have done. We have already agreed to
pay for that work, and expect it will be done
in good style, and will see that it is done.
There is no necessity to pay any one else to
do that work.
Mr. VALLIANT. There is one thing perhaps
which the convention ought to know; and
that is, that the regular printer of the con-
vention proposes to print an edition precisely
similar to the edition published by Murphy
& Co., of Baltimore city, in 1855. A speci-
men copy was before the convention this
morning. The proposition is to have it
printed on precisely the same kind of paper,
and if in the judgment of the comptroller and
the convention it is desired, he proposes to
use the same kind of type, and have it bound
in the same manner. We stated to Mr. Bay-
ly, it may be well enough to say, that it had
been proposed to the convention that these
copies should not cost more than two dollars
each. And we asked him if be could make
it less expensive to the State by getting up
this work at less coat. He made an estimate
and then said he would guarantee that they
should not cost over one dollar and ninety
cents each, how much less I do not know. 1
felt it my duty to state this fact to the con-
vention, to assist them in making up their
judgment. I have the kindest feelings in the
world towards the reporter of the Baltimore
Sun (Mr. Wingate,) but think this proposi-
tion of the committee is better for the State.
Mr. WICKARD. I would like to know how |
