ance to the United States, set forth in the first
article in this Constitution.
Sec. 47. The General Assembly shall have
power to accept the secession of any territory
contiguous to this State from the States of
Virginia and West Virginia, or from the
United States, with the consent of Congress
and of the inhabitants of such ceded territory ;
and in case of such cessions, the General As-
sembly may divide such territory into coun-
ties, and shall provide for the representation
of the same in the General Assembly, on the
basis fixed by this Constitution, and may for
that purpose increase the number of Senators
and Delegates. And the General Assembly
shall enact such laws as may be required to
extend the Constitution and Laws of this
State over such territory, and may create
Courts conformably to the Constitution for
such territory, and may, for that purpose,
increase the number of Judges of the Court of
Appeals.
Mr. SCHLEY . For the most part the commit-
tee on the legislative department are agreed
upon this report. There was some diversity of
opinion upon several of the sections, and I
request leave for the minority to submit a
minority report, should they desire at any
time to do so, as to the sections to which they
object.
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS—ALLEGIANCE.
The Convention proceeded to the considera-
tion of the order of the day, being the second
reading of the fourth article of the Declara
tion of Rights, as follows :
" Article 4. The Constitution of the United
States, and the laws made in pursuance there-
of, being the supreme law of the land, every
citizen of this State owes paramount allegi-
ance to the Constitution and Government of
the United States, and is not bound by any
law or ordinance of this State in contraven-
tion or subversion thereof."
The pending question was the amendment
offered by Mr. Briscoe, to strike out the word
"paramount,"
Mr. KENNARD. As there appears to be no
disposition on 'the part of gentlemen to oc-
cupy the attention of the Convention in the
further discussion of this question, I will sub-
mit a few remarks for their consideration, it
is fair to conclude that by this time we have
arrived at the full heat of the battle in the
discussion of this question, it was remarked
by a member from Somerset, (Mr. —,)
at the inception of this debate, after the first
speech bad been made, occupying the atten-
tion of this body for a considerable length of
time, that that was merely the introductory
debate; that we had seen but the skirmish;
that the contest had not attained to its high-
est fury, and that when that time arrived we
would see an exhibition of strength in point
of logical controversy, to which we had there-
tofore been strangers The noble county of |
Prince George's had the honor to furnish the
first gallant knight to throw down the glove,
and with spear and lance to begin the assault.
Since that time, gentlemen of other counties
have announced that that was but introduc-
tory. The noble county of Somerset has fur-
nished two noble knights; and it is fair to
presume now that the contest has attained its
fullest height. I am inclined to the opinion
that the fury of the strength has expended it-
self to a great extent, and that by the time
that Baltimore city, represented by the chair-
man of the Committee on the Declaration of
Rights; (Mr. Stirling,) shall give the coup de
grace to the discussion of this question, the
State of Maryland will emerge from the cloud
and the smoke of this contest more splendidly
adorned than before, having upon her frontlets
a jewel which heretofore has not been
there, which will do her honor and add to her
historic renown,
I did not intend to submit any remarks to
the consideration of the Convention upon the
article now under consideration, for the rea-
son that my impression was that the passing
moments of the hour bore in their train mo-
mentous issues. Time bears upon its shoul-
ders the weight of many years; and we may
not now in this hour of peril and of imminent
danger, play in dalliance with fleeting mo-
ments. He who would bewise will not tarry
upon the margin of the stream when its cur-
rents dash onward, bearing upon its bosom
the fate of nations. He who would be wise
will hearken, and heed the call of the hour,
and act with promptitude and despatch, when
demands are made upon him. The admoni-
tion now sounding in our ears, coming with
such terrific force, with such impressive les-
sons, are not the admonitions of days or of
hours, but of moments. Impressed with such
views, I thought it better became me to be
silent, to utter no opinion respecting this arti-
cle, but to let my recorded vote in favor of it
be my sufficient answer But I have been in-
duced to change my determination in that
respect.
The discussion of this question has opened up
before us a wide field of debate. It is seem-
ingly illimitable. Gentlemen have been wont
to go wherever the promptings of speculative
fancy have induced them lo wander. The
circuit of this debate has not been adhered to;
but gentlemen have flown away, and plunged
into the recesses of deep shadow, the shades of
the past, and have traversed its declivities
and its depths, and the gorges of the wilder-
ness where no foot has ever dared to tread.
They have wandered among the dead leaves
and plants of an effete philosophy, and brought
them here magnificently painted, and paraded
them here before our eyes, but they have ap-
peared to us only as ashes without life.
Gentlemen in this discussion may say what
they please and claim what they please with
reference to the course which their arguments |
