PRESIDENT ENEY: Thank you very
much. It is hard to be humble when you
have so many good friends who say so
many nice things about you. But I as-
sure you that as I stand here this after-
noon, before this assembly of delegates and
honored guests, I feel indeed very, very
humble. I do not intend to make a speech
to you this afternoon but I think I would
be remiss in my duty if I did not take the
opportunity to say a few things that are
on my mind.
Two years ago this month when the
Constitutional Convention Commission had
its first meeting, I told the members that I
thought we ought to approach the task be-
fore us with a sense of history. I said this
not with any notion of inflating our own
importance, but on the contrary, of making
us feel as humble as possible in the realiza-
tion that the task confronting us was a
formidable one which would demand of us
every ounce of our energy and our abili-
ties, our honesty, integrity and judgment.
It is even more true today. I suggest to
you delegates that we should indeed ap-
proach the task before the Constitutional
Convention of Maryland of 1967 with a
real sense of history, with a proud realiza-
tion of the great place of our State in the
history of this nation, and a determination
that it shall be in the forefront leading us
back to a position where we are a great
nation of sovereign free states.
One hundred years ago yesterday, the
Constitutional Convention of 1867 resumed
its session after a ten-day recess for the
final seven weeks of its session which pro-
duced the Constitution which with numer-
ous amendments has regulated our State
ever since.
After we conclude business at this or-
ganization session, we shall recess for a
long period but only inorder to prepare for
the race which will begin on September 12,
1967.
I say race advisedly because I feel very
deeply that this Convention will be in a
race against time in a sense but more par-
ticularly in a race against delay.
We have allotted to us three months to
complete a tremendous task. I have said
many times, and I am quite sure as I stand
on this rostrum this afternoon that this
Convention can complete the task in three
months without the necessity of falling
back on that extra 30-day cushion. We can
do it if we plan adequately in the next 60
days during the summer recess of this Con- |
vention, if every delegate makes up his or
her mind to put his or her shoulder to the
wheel, to push as hard as possible, to get
the business done, to be fair in debate, fair
in consideration of the views of the dele-
gates who may be opposed to our particular
philosophies, a willingness to approach the
solution of every problem with an open
mindedness and an ability and willingness
to accede to some extent at least to the
other fellow's views so that we can finally
conclude the Convention with a Constitu-
tion for the State of Maryland about which
there can be no doubt and concerning the
adoption of which by the people of Mary-
land there can be no doubt.
In order to accomplish this purpose, it
will be my aim to appoint as chairman of
the various committees and as members of
the various committees those persons who
seem to be best qualified for the task at
hand.
It is my intention to communicate with
every delegate and ask him to express to
me and to the Vice Presidents his back-
ground, his particular skills, abilities, his
preferences, his desires as to committee
assignments.
Ihope to be able to arrange, if it is
humanly possible, a personal meeting with
every delegate and myself and the two
Vice Presidents so that we can explore
further the problems of appointing chair-
men of committees.
I think the task confronting this Conven-
tion is two fold: The task of drafting a
satisfactory document, one to which we can
all subscribe, and the task of doing it
within the time allotted to us. I have not
the slightest doubt in my mind that this
Convention can accomplish the first task.
The citizens of the State of Maryland have
sent to this Convention men and women of
outstanding ability, experience, training,
and capabilities. I think they can certainly
prepare adocument which can endure as a
Constitution of the State of Maryland for
the next 100 years. But unless we school
ourselves to accomplish this and complete it
within the first three months, we fall into
the danger of not coming out with the kind
of document we want because at the last
minute we are under too much pressure.
I think one of the chief functions of your
President will be to try to keep the work
of the Convention moving apace so that
this will not happen. This cannot be ac-
complished by one person. It is a team
effort. I think it is an effort of a team of
142 members. Within that larger team |
