Mr. SMITH said: I have only to say that
the gentlemen named in the order, are the
only two members in the Convention, I be-
lieve, whose time has been limited. Every
other gentleman who has spoken upon this
question, has done so without being limited
as to time. I think it is but fair that these
gentlemen should have the same privilege
that has been accorded toothers.
Mr. SANDS. Some of us have been restricted
to an hour, without any additional fifteen
minutes. I was, myself.
Mr. SMITH, of Carroll. The very fact that
the gentleman has been restricted should be
an argument with him for voting for this
order.
Mr. SANDS. I only stated what was the
fact.
Mr. SMITH, of Carroll. I was not aware
that was the fact.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE, I desire to ask a single
question before I vote on this order. It is,
whether, if the remainder of these speeches
are printed as a part of our debates and pro-
ceedings, the fact will appear on the record
that those portions were not delivered, but
were printed by consent of the Convention?
If it will so appear, then I shall be ready to
vote for this order. I ask the question be-
cause I know it has so happened in other
bodies, that remarks have been printed as
delivered which were not delivered at all,
and would not have been allowed to be de-
livered without being replied to. And as
unavoidably we will not have an opportunity
to reply to these speeches as printed, I think
it should appear in the record of debates that
they are printed without delivery, by per-
mission of the Convention If they will so
appear, I shall have no objection to this order.
Mr. MILLER. I am perfectly willing, so
far as I am concerned, that the record of de-
bates should show the point at which my
time expired yesterday, and that the remain-
der of the remarks are printed without being
actually delivered,
Mr. BARRON. I would be perfectly satis-
fied to have all the speeches printed this way
let every member just hand in his speech and
have it printed. That would suit me very
well.
Mr. PUGH, I object to having these speeches
printed without the Convention knowing ev-
erything about them, or knowing something
about the course of the argument taken. I
do not like the idea of having speeches
printed, without the body knowing some-
thing about the character both of the argu-
ment and the facts stated. If we knew any-
thing about the remarks, then I should have
no objection whatever. I object to it, also,
without some statement having been pre-
viously given, so that all members of the Con-
vention should occupy in that respect the
same position. A great many members of
this Convention might write very different |
speeches from those which they would de-
liver orally. If there was such an under-
standing as that had by the body, it would
have been only fair to have notified all the
members. I would be perfectly willing to
have such an understanding for the future, so
that every member—we are all peers here—
should have an equal opportunity with
others. I am perfectly satisfied that there
are some members of this body who can
write far better than they can speak, and it
would be but fair that they should have that
opportunity as well as any other member of
this body. A gentleman might write his
speech out far differently from the one which
he would deliver. He might make an oral
speech, which would be the one we would
have here; while posterity would have a far
different speech. These are my objections to
the adoption of this order.
Mr. DANIEL. In justification to myself, I
wish to say to the Convention that I have
not desired this, nor has it at all been by any
instigation of my own. I must say, after the
remarks which have been made, that I am
rather disposed to vote against the order. I
am afraid if it be adopted it will lead to too
much latitude. As has been well said here,
it is but proper that members of this Conven-
tion should know what the members say, in
order that they may be properly and under-
standingly replied to, if it should be deemed
necessary. It does seem to me that a great
many objectionable things might be put in
an argument, which might not be spoken
here, or read here, but which might go out
to the community and do a great deal of in-
jury. Therefore, I think myself, that what-
ever is said here, whether written or spoken,
should come fairly before the Convention.
And that is especially necessary, it seems to
me, because the printer is so far behind our
debates, and we do not get to see our remarks
printed until some two weeks after they are
delivered. I think that, as a general thing,
although I have left out some points which I
intended to make, an hour and a quarter is
enough for any man,
Mr. SCOTT. I move to amend the order of
the gentleman from Carroll, (Mr. Smith,) by
adding: " and that every other member of
this Convention, and everybody else, pity
write out whatever he pleases, and have it
appear upon the debates of this Convention
as a speech that he might, or could, or would,
or should have submitted to this Convention,"
The PRESIDENT. The gentleman from Ce-
cil (Mr. Scott) must reluce his amendment
to writing.
Mr. SCOTT. Well, it was only in joke that
I said it.
Mr. SMITH, of Carroll. I supposed the
gentleman was not in earnest, but I was
really in earnest in offering my order, and
did not think it would excite any jocularity,
I take it for granted that no gentleman in |
