kin. Hopper, Horsey, Jones of Cecil, Jones
of Somerset, Keefer, Kennard, King, Lans-
dale, Larsh, Lee, Marbury, Markey, Mitchell
Miller, Morgan, Mullikin, Murray, Negley,
Nyman, Parker, Parran, Pugh, Robinette
Russell, Sands, Schley, Schlosser, Scott
Smith of Carroll, Smith of Worcester, Sneary,
Stirling, Stockbridge, Swope, Sykes, Thomas,
Thruston, Todd, Turner, Valliant, Wickard,
Wilmer, Wooden—78.
The proceedings of yesterday were read
and approved.
On motion of Mr. BILLINGSLEY,
It was ordered to be entered on the Journal
that the continued absence of John F. Dent,
member elect from St. Mary's county, has
been cause I by the illness of his family and
other domestic causes.
Mr. SCHLEY asked and obtained permission
to absent himself from the sessions of the
Convention for a few days, having been sum-
moned by the military authorities to attend
a tribunal elsewhere.
LIMITATION OF SPEECHES.
Mr. Scott submitted the following order:
Ordered, That the members of the Con-
vention be limited to speeches of one hour in
duration.
Mr. SCOTT. I am rather reluctant to offer
that order; but however edifying and grati-
fying it may be for me to listen to speeches
of greater length, I beg gentlemen to remem-
ber that there are ninety-six members of this
body who have a right to speak. I do not
know that I should occupy more than an hour
or so much as an hour, myself; but if I should
feel like putting in my hour, I shall claim an
equal right with others; and at that rate, it
would take a month to consider this section.
I hope the order will be passed.
Mr ABBOTT moved to amend by substitut-
ing the following.
Ordered, That no member be allowed more
than thirty minutes to speak on any one sub-
ject; and those desiring to speak must al-
ternate.
The PRESIDENT. The gentleman cannot of-
fer his order in that shape. It covers the
entire matter of the original order; and he
must leave part of it, in order that his mo-
tion shall be to amend it. There is no such
thing known in parliamentary law as a sub-
stitute.
Mr. ABBOTT moved to amend by substitut-
ing "thirty minutes" for ''an hour," and
adding "and of those desiring to speak, the
majority and minority must alternate."
Mr. ABBOTT said: In offering this, and ask-
ing that it be passed, I intend no discourtesy
to any member of this Convention; but on
the contrary I desire to show the utmost
courtesy and lenity to every member here
who shall address the House in a gentlemanly
and kind manner, as has been done in every
instance thus far. But we have been sent
here by the people to accomplish a certain |
work. We have not been sent here to listen
to old and exploded theories and doctrines.
We have not been sent here to listen three
hours to such a speech as we had yesterday,
although I say it with perfect respect for the
member who delivered it. But, sir, some of
us remember bearing that same doctrine de-
livered by his predecessor, John C. Calhoun,
on the floor of Congress.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's, I suggest
to the gentleman, that my colleague (Mr:
Clarke) is not in his seat, and that any refer-
ence to his speech in his absence is out of
order.
Mr. ABBOTT. I did not intend any dis-
courtesy at all to him. I merely spoke of
the propriety of members of this Convention
sitting here and listening hour after hour to
those exploded doctrines, when the people
have sent us here for the purpose of writing
for them a Constitution that shall put those
doctrines forever in the shade. I think that
every member here can say all that is neces-
sary to say on any subject in thirty minutes,
That is as long a time as I feel willing to sit
here and listen, particularly to old and ex-
ploded doctrines.
Mr. MARBURY. I hope the gentleman will
not insist upon that amendment, I think it
will be doing great injustice to many mem-
bers of this Convention, after we have started
the discussion of this question and allowed
some members any length of time that they
chose, to then cut off delate so far as other
members are concerned. I have no personal
interest in this matter. I do nut know that
I shall speak on the subject at all; certainly
not over the time that the gentleman would
prescribe. There may be some members here
who have fully and elaborately prepared
themselves upon this subject, and I think
they ought to have full opportunity to ex-
press their own views and the views of their
constituents.
I disagree with the gentleman from Balti-
more city (Mr. Abbott) that we came here
merely to put down old doctrines and start
anew. I think there is a great deal in the
past that is very good, sound, wholesome doc-
trine; and our constituents want us to re-
iterate those doctrines here for all time. I
hope the gentlemen will not press the subject
now at any rate. After the subject now be-
fire the Convention is disposed of, they may
adopt some rule restricting debate with a
great deal more propriety.
Mr. BERRY, of Prince George's. After the
dehate shall have concluded on this article
of the Declaration of Rights, I shall have no
objection at all to voting for the proposition
of the gentleman from Cecil (Mr. Scott.) I
have no doubt that very few of us will occupy
over an hour on any proposition which may
be before the Convent on for their considera-
tion. But now that we have commenced it
without abridging the right of gentlemen to |
