which any particular subject can most appro-
priately be acted upon.
Mr. HOPKINS I accept the explanation,
and withdraw the order.
MOVING TO BALTIMORE
Mr. SCOTT submitted the following order :
Whereas, The City Council of Baltimore
have tendered to this Convention, free of cost,
a ball tor our sessions; therefore
Ordered, That we accept their generous offer
and adjourn to that city as soon as the Con-
vention are in receipt of information that a
suitable hall is ready for our reception.
Mr. BERRY of Prince George's. The change
contemplated by that order is one in which we
feel a very deep interest, and I think it should
be very fully considered before being acted
upon, and that it should be considered when
we have as full a Convention as possible. I
move that the consideration of the order be
postponed until Tuesday next. Our President
is absent, and a good many members of the
Convention, and there are many reasons why
it should be considered before being acted
upon.
Mr. SCHLEY. I will ask if there is any com-
mittee here from the city of Baltimore to make
this tender to the Convention, and if so, how
they have communicated their instructions.
I saw in the newspapers that such a resolution
had passed, but I think we ought to have
something more than that to base any action
of the Convention upon, either to-day or here-
after. I therefore ask if there is any official
invitation from the city authorities of Balti-
more, through any parties authorized by them
to make this tender.
Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county. Before
that question is answered I will inquire if the
Convention has asked of the city of Baltimore
any such provision,
Mr. HEBB. I suppose the City Council of
Baltimore can extend an invitation to this
Convention without being asked to do so by
the Convention. But we should first receive
the invitation, before acting upon it, and if
no such invitation has been sent to any mem-
ber of the Convention, I suppose we are not
prepared to act upon this order.
Mr. BERRY of Baltimore county. Then if
any gentleman present has any information of
such an invitation, received from the City
Council of Baltimore, I ask that he present it
to the Convention.
Mr. STIRLING. I am in favor of this motion
to postpone, but I fear the gentleman from
Prince George's (Mr. Berry) would miss the
object he has in view by the delay he has
named. I am aware that there is a very strong
disposition among a great many members of
this Convention to adjourn to Baltimore. I
think it behooves us to give due consideration
to the subject and decide it. But Tuesday
next is a long way ahead; and I should much
prefer a postponement to an earlier day. We
have elected our presiding officer, but the com |
mittees of the Convention have not yet been
appointed. Many members are absent—not a
great many; and while I do not like to speak
of anything that takes place outside, I think
I may say that there was an understanding
that there was to be some consultation upon
this matter before we should be called upon to
vote upon it. This morning I think it has
taken most of us by surprise. I had no idea
whatever that the matter was to be brought
up until a few moments ago. I would move
to substitute in the motion, that the further
consideration of the order should be postponed
until to-morrow. I want to get rid of it one
way or the other.
Mr. BERRY of Prince George's. My object
in postponing it a week was to notify mem-
bers of the Convention who are absent many
of them at their homes at a distance from this
place, in order that they may participate in
the action upon this proposition when the vote
shall be taken. I do not know that we shall
be in a better condition to act upon this order
to-morrow than we are to-day. There would
be no opportunity for giving proper notice
that this great and important question is to be
decided, if the vote is to be taken to-morrow.
I am not anxious that Tuesday should be fixed
upon as the day for acting upon the order,
but I do think that time ought to be given for
all members who are absent to be present and
vote upon the order when the vote shall be
taken by the Convention.
Mr. BELT. It seems to me that the proper
way is for the Convention to rid itself alto-
gether of the consideration of this subject at
the present time. I do not see that it com-
ports with the dignity of this body to be con-
sidering now whether it shall accept an invi-
tation which it has no knowledge bias been
tendered to it at all. Neither this Convention,
nor any member of it, is officially informed of
any action of the City Council of Baltimore.
We are going entirely too fast, it seems to me,
to consider at all the proposition of the ac-
ceptance of an invitation that may be here-
after extended to us by the city of Baltimore,
I would therefore suggest to my colleague
(Mr. Berry) that the proper motion under
the circumstances would be to lay the subject
on the table. If any invitation shall be made,
then I shall be inclined to consider what our
response ought to be.
Mr. DANIEL. It is known through the pub-
lic press that some action has been taken by
the City Council of Baltimore in relation to
this matter, although it has not been officially
communicated to this body, and that their
action is in effect an invitation to this Con-
vention to adjourn to Baltimore, where they
offer to provide us with suitable accommoda-
tions free from cost. If any member has a
copy of their resolutions, I would most re-
spectfully ask that they may be read.
Mr. BERRY of Prince George's. If the
amendment of my friend from Baltimore city |
