on the constitution." It is in accordance
with the suggestion made this morning by
the gentleman from Baltimore county (Mr.
Ridgely.) It proposes to strike out so
much of said section as extends from the word
" law " in the seventh line down to the word
" and " in the thirteenth line as printed in
bill form, and in place of the part thus strick-
en out to insert the following words, to
wit:
"That an election will be held in the city
of Baltimore on the twelfth day of October,
in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four,
and in the several counties of this State, on
the twelfth and thirteenth days of October in
the same year, at the usual places of holding
elections in said city and counties, for the
adoption or rejection of this constitution,
which election shall be held in the said city
of Baltimore, on the twelfth day of October,
eighteen hundred and sixty-four, between the
hours of eight o'clock, A.M., and five o'clock,
P. M., and in the said several counties of this
State, on the said twelfth and thirteenth days
of October, eighteen hundred and sixty-four,
between the hours of eight o'clock, A. M„
and six o'clock, P. M."
Mr. CHAMBERS. This experiment of two
days election is perhaps a little unsafe in it-
self, I have a very distinct recollection of a
three days election at one time, and I have
also a very distinct recollection—as my ven-
erable friend with the white head in front of
me (Mr. Ridgely) will no doubt testify—that
after the first day there was a sort of battle
royal at the hustings. It was a very confus-
ed, and perhaps without misapplying the
term, I may say a very riotous proceeding.
I do not object to the two days election in
this case particularly. But the two days will
afford sufficient time certainly if the hours of
voting be limited to between the hours of 8
o'clock, A. M., and 5 o'clock P. M., instead
of 8 o'clock, A. M., and six o'clock, P. M., as
proposed here. The lateness of the hour will
probably increase the excitement of the day,
and of those who maybe at the polls. I
would therefore suggest that 5 o'clock, P. M.,
at that season of the year is quite late enough.
It is sundown in the month of October, before
6 o'clock. I would suggest 5 o'clock instead
of six as likely to lead to more quiet at the
polls.
Mr. EARLE. Many members of the convention
expressed a preference for seven o'clock,
P. M., as the hour for closing the polls, and
solicited the committee of revision to recom-
mend that change. But, if we are to have a
two days election, the vote of the State can
certainly be taken between the hours of eight
o'clock, A. M., and five o'clock, P. M. With-
out the slightest violation of confidence, or
the privacy of the committee room, I may be
permitted to state, that the amendment now
under consideration was reported to the con-
vention according to instructions from the |
committee of revision. Personally, I have
no preference for the two days election. On
the contrary, as at present advised, I am of
the opinion, that the entire vote of the State
can be taken in one day. Others, I know,
entertain very different views, and I hope we
shall have a full expression of opinion on the
subject from gentlemen representing the dif-
ferent divisions of the State. My own vote
may be influenced to some extent by the opin-
ions expressed.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE, I am greatly afraid of
this experiment of two days election, and
nothing would reconcile me to it) but the
probability that it would be absolutely im-
possible to poll the whole vote within the
hours allowed in one day. I do not know
how it may be in the various election dis-
tricts in the counties; and before voting up-
on this proposition I would like very much to
hear from members representing the various
counties whether it would be impossible for
them to poll their full vote in one day. Un-
less that would probably be impossible, 1
would very much prefer to have but one day's
election. I believe that more than one day's
election has operated badly in other States,
and nothing but the impossibility of polling
the entire vote would reconcile me to the ex-
periment in this case,
Mr. GREENE. In answer to the inquiry of
the gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr.
Stockbridge,) I would say that the district in
which I reside is one of large territorial ex-
tent, and polls upwards of seven hundred
votes, when the whole vote of the district is
out. And it has appeared to me from the be-
ginning that the usual hours of election would
hardly be sufficient to secure the administra-
tion of tire oath to all the voters. I have
been desirous of obtaining all the time I could
in order to take the whole vote of the district.
It has been the habit of the voters of that dis-
trict to come in to the polls at a late hour of
the day; especially those engaged in the
mines. They finish their day's work, and
come up to the polls somewhat late in the af-
ternoon,
Mr. ECKER. My colleague (Mr. Smith, of
Carroll ) who is now absent, I know thinks
it would be utterly impossible to get all the
votes in in one day. go far as my district
is concerned, we poll between three and four
hundred votes, and could probably get
through in one day. But Taneytown polls
live hundred votes, and Manchester about six
hundred. And I would therefore prefer to
have two days for the election.
Mr. RIDGELY, I would say, in answer to
the inquiry of the gentleman from Baltimore
city (Mr. Stockbridge,) that so far as Balti-
more county is concerned, in the four dis-
tricts lying immediately on the city line, the
first, third, ninth and twelfth districts, in all
contested elections the vote ranges from eight
to nine hundred votes. If there is to be a |
